US launches fresh wave of strikes on Iran | LIVE

US launches new wave of strikes on Iran

The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran “for the sixth consecutive night,” the U.S. military announced.

The strikes began at 6 p.m. GMT "to further degrade Iranian military capabilities," U.S. Central Command said in a post on X.

Drone strikes vessel off Iraq

A drone struck a vessel off the Iraqi port of Basra, in southern Iraq, a security source told AFP, while the Iraqi Oil Ministry said a projectile had fallen near an oil tanker.

According to the security source, the vessel, which was carrying “American-brand vehicles,” had arrived from the United Arab Emirates and was struck near an Iraqi oil terminal.

The Iraqi Oil Ministry said the crew of an oil tanker had spotted “an object of unknown origin” nearby, adding that there had been “no fire or damage.”

The ministry also said loading operations were continuing as normal and made no mention of the vessel carrying vehicles.

It was not immediately clear whether the reports referred to the same incident or to two separate events.

Iran wants to reach an agreement, White House says

Iran continues to engage in talks with the United States and wants to reach an agreement, the White House said, according to Reuters. The White House said the recent strikes were prompted by Iran’s violation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

"The president will hold them accountable when they turn their back on the words that they state to the United States. But he is always open to diplomacy at the very same time," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

"They have expressed they still want to make a deal to the president. We're talking to them, but again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the Strait without paying a consequence for that."

Large Israeli explosion in Kfar Tibnit; sound bomb dropped on Mansouri

The Israeli army carried out a major explosion Thursday in Kfar Tibnit, in the Arnoun and Yohmor area of the Nabatieh district, according to our correspondent in the South, Mountasser Abdallah.

The blast was heard several kilometers away across numerous localities in the Nabatieh, Bint Jbeil, and even Marjayoun districts.

Meanwhile, an Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb over the town of Mansouri, in the Sour district.

Iran: US strikes hit sites near Bandar Abbas

US missiles struck sites near Bandar Abbas, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

Israeli army advances in Wadi Slouki valley

Israeli vehicles were seen advancing in the Wadi Slouki valley, according to our correspondent in the South.

Israeli army carries out major explosion in Zawtar Gharbieh; search operation reported in Bint Jbeil district

The Israeli army carried out a major explosion in the village of Zawtar Gharbieh (Nabatieh district). The blast was heard in several areas of south Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israeli tanks deployed in the village of Haddatha (Bint Jbeil district) are conducting a large-scale search operation, using medium machine guns in several neighborhoods of the village and its outskirts, including the al-Khalla area, on the outskirts of Haris (Bint Jbeil district).

Iran: US projectiles strike areas near Qeshm Island

U.S. projectiles struck areas near Qeshm Island, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported.

South Lebanon: Israeli sound bomb dropped on Mansouri

An Israeli drone dropped a sound bomb on Mansouri (Sour district), according to our correspondent in the South, Mountasser Abdallah.

Lebanese Army bolsters presence around ‘pilot zones’

The Lebanese Army is conducting patrols and setting up checkpoints and observation posts in several villages in southern Lebanon, including Froun and Ghandourieh in the Bint Jbeil district, a security source told L'Orient-Le Jour. The two villages are among the "pilot zones" where the army is expected to deploy to dismantle Hezbollah's arsenal under the framework agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel.

According to the source, the army's measures concern villages in southern Lebanon that are not occupied by the Israeli military. In the "pilot zones" still occupied by Israeli troops, however, the Israeli army will first have to withdraw before the Lebanese Army can deploy.

The developments come after Lebanon and Israel concluded their sixth round of negotiations on Wednesday over the establishment of the "pilot zones." A virtual military meeting is scheduled for Friday to discuss implementation procedures. Following Wednesday's talks, the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon said in a statement that the negotiations had been "positive" and that implementation of the "pilot zones" would begin "in the coming days."

New Israeli drone strike reported near Nabatieh Fawqa

An Israeli drone has carried out a strike in the vicinity of the village of Nabatieh Fawqa, according to our correspondent in the South.

Earlier in the day, an Israeli strike killed two people in the same village.

Houthi leader threatens strikes on Saudi oil facilities

The Houthi leader said all Saudi oil facilities and “vital infrastructure” would become targets for the group’s missiles if Riyadh were to become involved in a “full-scale aggression” against Yemen and escalate the situation, Reuters reported.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill 4,324, injure 12,224 since March 2

Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 4,324 people and injured 12,224 between March 2 and July 16, according to the Health Ministry latest report.

Israeli strike in Nabatieh Fawqa kills 2 people

An Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Nabatieh Fawqa killed two people, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Israeli newspaper reports from Bint Jbeil stadium

The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth published a report from the municipal stadium in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon.

The stadium holds strong symbolic significance in the war between Hezbollah and Israel. Former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah delivered his "victory speech" there after the Israeli army's unilateral withdrawal in 2000.

"The ruined stands of what was once the local stadium are the symbol of collapse," the report said, referring to destruction caused by the Israeli army at the site.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli army has already destroyed 40% of the town. The newspaper added that Israel plans to destroy another 30% of homes in Bint Jbeil in the coming weeks.

Israel has occupied Bint Jbeil, along with dozens of other localities in southern Lebanon, since the war began on March 2.

Video: Damage caused by Israeli strike on Nabatieh Fawqa

Iran asks Houthis to close Bab al-Mandeb Strait if US attacks resume

Iran has asked Yemen's Houthis to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea if the United States strikes Iran's power grid again, according to Reuters sources.

Drone strikes ship off Iraq

A drone struck a ship off the Iraqi port of Basra, a security source told AFP.

The ship, carrying "American-brand vehicles," was arriving from the United Arab Emirates when it was struck near an Iraqi oil terminal, the source said.

The Iraqi Oil Ministry said it was verifying reports that an unidentified object had fallen on an oil tanker.

Kuwaiti army says repelling new Iranian drone attack

The Kuwaiti army said Thursday it was repelling a new Iranian drone attack after similar overnight strikes.

"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently repelling enemy drone attacks following Iran's criminal aggression," the military's General Staff said, adding that the explosions heard by an AFP journalist were caused by interceptions.

Israeli airstrike reported in Nabatieh Fawqa

Israeli warplanes have carried out a strike on the village of Nabatieh Fawqa, our correspondent in the South reports.

Israeli explosions, artillery fire continue in south Lebanon

The Israeli army carried out explosions in the villages of Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh district) and Tallousa (Marjayoun district). It also burned homes and land around Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil).

Israeli artillery also targeted Rshaf (Bint Jbeil) and heavily shelled Bani Hayyan (Marjayoun).

Meanwhile, unexploded ordnance detonated in Khirbet Silm (Bint Jbeil), causing no injuries.

Iran condemns US strike near children's hospital as 'barbaric attack'

Iran condemned overnight U.S. strikes in the country's southwest near a children's hospital in Ahvaz, describing them as a "barbaric attack."

"This barbaric attack, which is reminiscent of the atrocities committed by Israel against health establishments, caused great suffering and great anxiety to hospitalized children, and required the emergency evacuation of 211 patients undergoing chemotherapy," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei wrote on X.

Israeli strikes hit south Lebanon; Hezbollah buries 25 people in Shaqra

Israeli artillery struck the outskirts of Braasheet (Bint Jbeil district), while an Israeli strike hit Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh), our southern Lebanon correspondent reported.

Hezbollah is also set to bury 25 people killed in the war in Shaqra (Bint Jbeil).

‘Framework agreement is unworkable, and Israel cannot impose it on us,’ Fadlallah says

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Thursday during a parliamentary session that the framework agreement negotiated between Lebanon and Israel was “unworkable” and that Israel would not be able to impose it on those who oppose it.

“Our attempts to persuade the president of the republic and his advisers to prevent the presidential term from embarking on a dangerous path have not ceased. But every initiative has been thwarted by escalating positions and accusations of treason against us,” he added, according to local media reports.

The framework agreement and the principle of direct negotiations with Israel are opposed by the Amal-Hezbollah alliance.

Netanyahu postpones US visit until later this month

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed his visit to the United States until later this month following the postponement of the funeral of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to Israeli news outlet Walla.

Netanyahu had been scheduled to travel to the United States on Monday, one day before the planned meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Syria says thwarted attempt to smuggle weapons for Hezbollah

Syria has thwarted an attempt to smuggle a shipment of "advanced weapons and rockets" across the Syrian-Iraqi border destined for Hezbollah, a source at the Syrian Interior Ministry told Syria's state-run news agency SANA.

"Preliminary investigations showed that the "seized shipment was intended to pass through Syrian territory for the benefit of Hezbollah," the source said.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Dec. 8, 2024, Damascus has been seeking to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Syria to Hezbollah, a longtime ally of the deposed president.

In March and April, Syrian media reported that Syrian internal security forces discovered tunnels linking Syria and Lebanon, reportedly used for smuggling operations between the two countries.

Washington approves nearly $2 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia

The U.S. State Department announced it had approved an arms sale to Saudi Arabia worth nearly $2 billion.

It said the sale supports "U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a factor in political stability and economic progress."

Pakistan calls on US, Iran to resume talks

Pakistan on Thursday called on the United States and Iran to end their clashes and resume negotiations under the memorandum of understanding signed in June through Islamabad's mediation.

"Although the implementation of the memorandum of understanding is facing difficulties, Pakistan will continue to encourage all parties to end the violence and resume technical discussions in accordance with the memorandum of understanding," Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, told reporters.

"We express hope for a swift return to normalcy in the Strait of Hormuz and emphasize the importance of ensuring the safety, security and freedom of maritime navigation at all times," he added.

Iran says Hormuz is a red line, threatens regional infrastructure

A spokesperson for Iran's top military command said Tehran would not allow any U.S. interference in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a red line, according to Reuters.

The spokesperson warned that Iran would target infrastructure across the region if U.S. President Donald Trump carried out his threats to attack Iranian infrastructure.

Maritime traffic declines further in Hormuz

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz declined further Wednesday, one day after the United States reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian ports, as Washington and Tehran intensified their strikes in the Gulf, according to maritime traffic data.

Seven ships transited the strait Wednesday, primarily via the Iranian shipping lane, compared with 13 the previous day, according to data from Kpler.

Israel bombs, strikes Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh, Sour districts

Several occupied localities in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh and Sour were targeted overnight Wednesday into Thursday by bombings, airstrikes and artillery fire.

On Wednesday after 10 p.m., a large-scale bombing operation targeted the outskirts of Braasheet and Kounin in Bint Jbeil district, our correspondent in southern Lebanon reported.

An Israeli drone dropped an incendiary grenade on Kfar Roummane in Nabatieh district, causing a fire. Firefighters from the Al-Rissala Scouts Association worked to extinguish the blaze as Israeli drones flew over the area.

After midnight, the Israeli army carried out two large explosions in an area between Zawtar Gharbieh and Mayfadoun in Nabatieh district. At 1:30 a.m., the air force carried out two airstrikes on an area between Beit Yahoun and Braasheet in Bint Jbeil district.

After 2 a.m., a large-scale explosion targeted Majdal Zoun in Sour district, coinciding with artillery fire from an Israeli tank on Beit Yahoun in Bint Jbeil district. At dawn, several houses in Haddatha in Bint Jbeil district were demolished.

Photo: Explosion at unidentified location in Iran following US airstrike

(Credit: CENTCOM/AFP)

Smoke rises after an explosion at an unidentified location during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said were strikes on Iran, in this screenshot from a video provided and released on July 15, 2026.

Israel tells Pentagon chief will keep troops in 'security zones' in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told his U.S. counterpart, Pete Hegseth, early Thursday that Israel is committed to maintaining its forces in the "security zones" it has established inside Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, Katz's office said the two men spoke overnight and that the minister "emphasized Israel's commitment to remaining in the safe zones in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon to protect Israel's borders and communities near the border from threats posed by jihadist forces."

US airstrikes kill 7 soldiers killed by in southeastern Iran

The Iranian military announced that seven soldiers were killed in U.S. airstrikes carried out Wednesday in southeastern Iran.

"This morning, the American terrorist army fired 13 missiles" at a barracks near the city of Iranshahr, 1,500 kilometers from Tehran, the military said in a statement.

Jordanian army says intercepted 8 Iranian missiles

The Jordanian army announced that it had intercepted eight Iranian missiles targeting its territory, causing no casualties or damage.

Earlier Thursday, the Iranian military said it had targeted U.S. military installations in Jordan, according to Iranian state television.

US military announces end of renewed series of strikes

The U.S. military announced it had "ended a series of overnight strikes against Iran" after targeting Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone facilities, as well as coastal surveillance installations, notably in Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.

The southwestern port city of Bushehr, home to Iran's only nuclear power plant, was among the targets of new U.S. strikes Wednesday that caused no casualties, according to the state news agency IRNA, one day after a previous attack.

Iran says attacked US targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan

The Iranian military announced Thursday that it had attacked U.S. bases and military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain using drones following further U.S. airstrikes on Iran.

Iranian forces targeted "radar systems, a Patriot air defense system, and fuel storage sites" at Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as U.S. military installations at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, Iranian state television reported.

Earlier Thursday morning, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had struck a U.S. air base in Jordan with ballistic missiles in retaliation for what it described as a U.S. attack near a children's hospital in Iran.

U.S. forces "used their bases in Jordan to target several areas in Iran, including the vicinity of a children's cancer hospital," the IRGC said on its website, adding that it retaliated by launching "two waves of missiles" at the base in Jordan.

Meanwhile, air defense systems were activated Thursday in Tehran, and explosions were heard in northern and western Iran, according to state media.

"The sound signaling the activation of the defense systems was heard in several parts of Tehran, including the west and east" of the Iranian capital, the state-run news agency IRNA reported, adding that no casualties had been reported at that time.

Explosions were also heard in Lorestan province in western Iran and in Semnan in the north, according to the Iranian news agencies IRNA and Mehr.

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Good morning. We are now launching our live coverage of developments in the region.

We are now launching our live coverage of developments in the Middle East, where tensions continue to rise around the Strait of Hormuz as the United States and Iran continue to exchange airstrikes, with Tehran retaliating through attacks across the region.

We will also be following developments in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army continues to occupy several hundred square kilometers along the border and carry out airstrikes and demolitions, against the backdrop of negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv in Rome.

Find our live coverage of yesterday's events here.