Trump threatens to bomb Iranian power plants, bridges; Iran promises US a 'day of mourning' if attacks continue | LIVE

Iran threatens to cut off electricity to US regional allies if its own power plants are attacked

The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force, Brig. Gen. Majid Mousavi, warned that Iran would cut off electricity to U.S. regional allies if Iranian bridges or power plants were attacked, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to do on Wednesday, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Separately, an IRGC spokesperson warned shipping companies that the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz was “mined.”

Strait of Hormuz: Mossad chief met with CIA director shortly before US-Iran escalation, Axios reports

The new director of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, Roman Gofman, traveled to Washington two weeks ago, shortly before hostilities resumed between the United States and Iran, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz. During the visit, he met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe as well as White House officials.

Roman Gofman is one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest advisers, the news website reported. Although skeptical of the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June between Washington and Tehran, the Mossad chief nevertheless traveled to “coordinate negotiations with the White House regarding a nuclear deal with Iran,” an Israeli source said.

Haykal meets CENTCOM special operations commander

Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief Rodolph Haykal received the commander of U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) special operations forces, John Bishop, at his office in Yarze as part of a courtesy visit, according to a statement from the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

The talks focused on “several military issues of common interest, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the two sides,” according to the statement.

The previous day, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States had “very concrete plans” to support the Lebanese Army. This comes as the Lebanese Army has begun a pilot deployment in several “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon, in line with the framework agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv signed in late June under Washington’s auspices.

Southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery fire and demolitions reported in Nabatieh area

Israeli artillery successively targeted the Ali Taher hill and the village of Kfar Tibnit, before the Israeli army carried out demolition operations in the same area, near the city of Nabatieh.

An Israeli drone also dropped two stun grenades on Majdal Zoun (Sour district), while machine-gun fire also targeted the village.

'If Iran can no longer export its oil, no other country in the region will be able to,' Ghalibaf says

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that “the equation of this war is clear: either everyone or no one,” warning that if Iran can no longer export its oil, no other country in the region will be able to do so.

“In a region where we do not sell oil, no one will sell oil,” wrote Iran’s chief negotiator in a post on X. “If our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe,” he added, reiterating that “the security of the Strait (of Hormuz) depends on the absence of U.S. forces.”

Ghalibaf also reaffirmed that “the situation in the Strait will not return to what it was before the war.”

Health Ministry says Israeli attacks injure 12 in Lebanon over past 48 hours

In its latest official report, the Ministry of Health said Israeli attacks have injured 12 people over the past 48 hours, bringing the total number of people wounded since the start of Israel’s offensive on March 2 to 12,230.

The death toll from Israeli attacks remains unchanged at 4,328 people killed.

Houthis issue warning messages to ships approaching Bab al-Mandeb

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been recorded sending radio warnings to ships approaching the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) told AFP on Wednesday, following the group’s announcement of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia.

“We can confirm that the Houthis have been recorded transmitting a warning message to vessels in the area,” the ICS said.

Among the nine ships that turned back on Wednesday before reaching the waters of the Red Sea, six were scheduled to dock at a Saudi port.

Houthi threats: At least 9 ships turn back near Bab al-Mandeb

At least nine commercial vessels have turned around near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait or in the Red Sea following threats by the Houthi rebels to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, according to maritime tracking data analyzed by AFP on Wednesday.

The announcement by the Iran-backed Yemeni rebels has raised fears of major disruptions to shipping traffic through Bab al-Mandeb, a strategic chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea that links Asia to Europe via the Suez Canal.

According to maritime tracking website Kpler, three of the vessels involved had loaded petroleum products at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu terminal in the Red Sea. The port has become crucial for the kingdom’s oil exports since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. strikes. The six other ships were on the opposite side of the strategic passage, in the Gulf of Aden or the Arabian Sea, when they turned back.

Israel kills at least 11 in Gaza over the past 24 hours

As Israeli strikes have grown increasingly deadly in recent days despite the cease-fire announced in October 2025, Gaza's Health Ministry said Israeli attacks have killed at least 42 Palestinians and wounded 122 over the past week.

According to the ministry's latest update, released Wednesday at noon, at least 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes carried out over the past 24 hours. The ministry also reported one more killed from injuries sustained in an earlier strike, while 12 people were wounded.

Since the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Israeli strikes and gunfire have continued unabated. According to the ministry, at least 1,180 Palestinians have been killed and 3,810 wounded by Israeli fire since the truce came into effect.

The overall death toll since the start of Israel's offensive on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to at least 73,305 killed and 173,918 wounded, according to the ministry.

The ministry added that many victims remain trapped under the rubble or in areas inaccessible due to the fighting, while nearly 70 % of the Gaza Strip remains under Israeli military control, according to the enclave's authorities.

Iran threatens to target strategic infrastructure across the region if US strikes

Iran will retaliate by targeting strategic infrastructure in several U.S.-allied countries across the region — including bridges and energy facilities — if Washington carries out its threats to strike bridges or power plants on Iranian territory, an anonymous military source told the official Tasnim news agency.

Israeli army continues demolitions in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army carried out a new series of controlled demolitions targeting homes and infrastructure in the villages of Kounin and Beit Yahoun, in the Bint Jbeil district, our correspondent reported.

The powerful blasts triggered tremors that were felt in several nearby villages, according to residents, while large plumes of smoke rose from the targeted areas.

The latest demolitions reflect an intensification of the destruction carried out by Israeli forces in the villages they control within the so-called "buffer zone" in recent weeks, despite the latest cease-fire that took effect in Lebanon on June 19.

Trump threatens to bomb Iranian civilian infrastructure after any Iranian attack on ships

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday on his Truth Social platform to retaliate against any future Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz by bombing Iranian bridges and power plants.

"Any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT," he wrote on social media.

Sour added to UNESCO World Heritage in danger list: 'No attack on universal heritage can remain invisible or go unanswered,' Salameh says

Following the announcement that Sour had been added to UNESCO's World Heritage in Danger List, Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh told L'Orient-Le Jour that, through this decision, “the international community is affirming that no attack on universal heritage can remain invisible or go unanswered.”

“A site inscribed on the World Heritage List extends beyond the territory that hosts it; it now belongs to the shared heritage of humanity. When it is threatened, it becomes a collective responsibility. The significance of the mobilization announced in Busan lies not only in the resources it will help bring together, but also in what it can set in motion: preserving universal heritage and contributing, alongside other efforts, to the return of residents, reconstruction, and the restoration of their landmarks and daily lives,” he said.

Last month, the culture minister inspected sites in Sour damaged by Israeli bombardments and announced that Lebanon would request enhanced protection from UNESCO.

Saudi Arabia: brief security alert in the east of the country

The Saudi Civil Defense Agency issued a brief alert concerning the city of Dammam, in the east of the country, urging residents to take shelter, before lifting the warning a few minutes later. “An alert has been issued ... in the city of Dammam to warn of a danger,” the agency announced in a statement. Security alerts have been issued in Saudi Arabia in the past following drone or missile attacks.

The warning for Dammam came as air-raid sirens sounded simultaneously in Bahrain. Since hostilities resumed on July 7, Saudi civil defense authorities have issued only a few alerts of this kind, whilst the authorities have reported no attacks by Iran targeting the kingdom.

Iran has mainly targeted Kuwait and Bahrain in the Gulf, as well as Jordan, claiming to be targeting U.S. military infrastructure in retaliation for Washington’s airstrikes on its territory, which continued for an 11th night in a row yesterday.

Southern Lebanon: Israeli demolitions and strikes on Ali al-Taher

The Israeli army has carried out a major demolition operation at Wadi Estabel, in the village of Houla (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon. It carried out another demolition in Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh).

Furthermore, fresh artillery fire has struck the strategic hill of Ali al-Taher (Nabatieh).

Injured rescue workers: Israeli army blames a ‘device most likely planted’ by Hezbollah

Following the Lebanese Red Cross’s (LRC) announcement that two of its rescue workers had been injured in a mine explosion, the Israeli army issued a statement placing the blame on Hezbollah, without providing evidence for the claim.

According to the LRC, the incident took place more precisely at the entrance to Zawtar Sharqieh, which the Lebanese Army has not yet taken control of.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army had justified Israeli fire directed at Lebanese soldiers deploying towards the "pilot zone" of Zawtar Gharbieh, stating that the Lebanese Army had "crossed barriers near Zawtar Sharqieh, in violation of the agreements concluded between the two parties."

Warning sirens have sounded in Bahrain, says Interior Ministry

Warning sirens have sounded in Bahrain, according to the kingdom’s Interior Ministry, where an AFP correspondent heard an explosion, two weeks after hostilities resumed between Iran and the United States.

“The sirens have sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and make their way to the nearest safe place,” the ministry said in a statement published on X, as the kingdom, an ally of Washington, comes under daily attack from Iran.

Iranian news agency Tasnim reports US strike on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian news agency Tasnim has reported a US strike on Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, amidst tensions between Tehran and Washington, which resumed their clashes two weeks ago.

“At 2.48 pm [10.48 am GMT], the island of Larak [south] was hit by a U.S. missile. According to local residents, a loud explosion was heard near the island,” reported the Tasnim agency, adding that the authorities were trying to determine “the scale of the attack” and “the extent of the potential damage."

Iran denies any nuclear activity at Kolang, following threats from Trump

Iran has once again denied the existence of any secret underground nuclear complex in the Kolang mountain range, in the center of the country, which U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to strike.

“Washington’s obsession with Kolang Kouh, where no nuclear activity takes place, is nothing more than a pretext fabricated from scratch to justify aggression, destruction and sabotage,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on X. “Iran’s nuclear activities have been fully declared to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]," he added.

On Tuesday, Donald Trump had stated that the U.S. military would “strike this area probably very soon," referring to Kolang.

Read more on what various media have reported regarding the alleged nuclear site at Mount Kolang, whose existence Iran denies, here.

Rubio: Hezbollah poses threat to new Syrian government

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington was encouraging Syria to focus on its own internal challenges, urging it in particular to secure its border with Lebanon, whilst revealing that Hezbollah had sought to destabilize the new Syrian government.

Asked about the possibility of the United States attempting to involve Syria in the fight against Hezbollah, Rubio said: “We have encouraged Syria to focus on its own internal challenges.” “But we understand the threat that Hezbollah poses to this new Syrian government, and Hezbollah has sought, through various means, to destabilize it over time,” Rubio concluded.

“One of the best things Syria can do to secure its future is to secure its border with Lebanon, in order to prevent the flow of weapons across that border with the aim of destabilizing the country,” he added.

Israel continues its operations in district of Marjayoun

Israel fired three artillery missiles at the village of Houla (Marjayoun), according to our correspondent. Israel also set fire to homes in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).

Israeli forces also moved towards the Doubieh area in Marjayoun, reaching the western outskirts of Mais al-Jabal, the citadel of Doubieh, and Wadi Slouki, as well as the western outskirts of Houla.

Israeli soldiers searched homes in the area and planted the Israeli flag in the citadel, whilst conducting patrols in the area.

Lebanon's ancient city of Sour listed as endangered World Heritage by UNESCO

After repeated calls from the Lebanese State, Sour was added on Tuesday to the list of World Heritage in Danger by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as announced by the U.N. agency on X.

"The site has been directly impacted and has sustained damage. Furthermore, its state of conservation is a growing concern, especially in light of the possibility of further impacts," UNESCO said in a note, as the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee takes place from 19 to 29 July in Busan, South Korea.

Read more on this story here.

Italy will once again host Lebanon-Israel talks on Aug. 4

Italy will host a further round of talks between Lebanon and Israel Aug. 4, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on Wednesday; this will be the second such round in less than a month, following the one held in Rome in mid-July.

“On Aug. 4, we will hold a further round of talks,” Tajani told the lower house of parliament, adding that the first round of talks had “enabled significant progress to be made in defining the initial pilot areas.”

Read more about the last round of talks also held in Rome, here.

Southern Lebanon: Israeli incursion on outskirts of Burj al-Muluk, strike on Nabatieh Fawqa

According to our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces advanced to the southern outskirts of Burj al-Muluk (Marjayoun, eastern sector), on the road linking Tal al-Nahas to the village. They searched the home of a local resident, inspected his mobile phone, and questioned him before withdrawing towards Tal al-Nahas. The man had returned with his family to the area which Israel has rendered "off-limits" to residents and lies below the so-called "Yellow Line."

Meanwhile, an Israeli army drone targeted Nabatieh Fawqa, injuring an elderly man who had returned home to collect his personal belongings, according to initial reports.

Israeli artillery also fired on the Ali al-Taher heights.

Army commander-in-chief in Zawtar Gharbieh, where residents have criticised Salam’s visit

The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Army, Rodolph Haykal, has arrived in Zawtar Gharbieh, a "pilot zone" in southern Lebanon where military engineering units have been partially deployed, reports our correspondent in the region.

Haykal’s arrival followed a visit by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who was criticized by residents who themselves are still barred from entering the area and returning to their homes.

When contacted by our correspondent, the mayor, Abdel Ezzeddine, said that the prime minister should have stopped for a few minutes to greet residents, which would have had “a positive moral impact and demonstrated his concern.”

Residents again tried to persuade the soldiers present at the site to allow them to enter their village.

Middle East war: Price of oil per barrel rises above the $95 mark

The price of oil per barrel has risen above the $95 mark following the latest exchange of attacks between the U.S. and Iran, including on ships attempting to pass the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan 'deeply concerned' by attempts to draw Saudi Arabia into Middle East conflict

Pakistan has expressed “deep concern” over attempts to drag Saudi Arabia into the war in the Middle East and has condemned the threats made by Yemen’s Houthis against the Kingdom and shipping in the Red Sea.

“Pakistan is ... deeply concerned by attempts to drag the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into the conflict in the Middle East and reiterates its unwavering support for the security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and prosperity of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Pakistan is acting as a mediator in the conflict in Iran, but is also a close security partner of Saudi Arabia.

Jordanian army reports Iranian missile fire, announces it intercepted four missiles

The Jordanian army has announced that it has intercepted four missiles fired from Iran, adding that two others fell in uninhabited areas, as Tehran retaliated against U.S. air strikes by targeting Washington’s allies in the region.

“Air defense systems detected six missiles originating from Iranian territory today [Wednesday],” according to a statement from the army. It added that the two that were not intercepted caused no casualties or damage.

Israel fires stun grenades at Mansouri, Sour

Israel fired a stun grenade on the village of Mansouri (Sour) at 7 am, and then another shortly before midday, according to our correspondent.

Southern Lebanon: Israel bulldozing land and homes in Houla

Israel is carrying out demolitions of plots of land and houses using bulldozers on the western outskirts of Houla (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Salam in Zawtar Gharbieh: ‘Our aim is Israel’s complete withdrawal’

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the “start of Israel’s withdrawal from our land” during a visit to the town of Zawtar Gharbieh (Nabatieh), where the Lebanese Army was deployed on Tuesday as part of the implementation of the “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon.

“From the outset, we have stated that our objective is the complete withdrawal of Israel from all our territory. What we are witnessing today is only the beginning, but we are determined and unwavering, and we will continue to mobilize all our political and diplomatic efforts to secure a total withdrawal from Lebanese territory,” said Salam.

He also addressed the residents of southern Lebanon. “We are here to assure you that we have begun to devote all the state’s resources to facilitating your return,” he said. “The Lebanese Army and security forces are on hand to protect our fellow citizens as they return, and alongside the army’s deployment, we will continue to open roads, clear rubble and provide essential services, thereby enabling them to return to their homes and villages safely and with dignity,” he added.

Salam also gave assurances that the authorities had “begun preparations to restore all essential services, including water, electricity, and telecommunications.” “We are working to provide prefabricated housing and everything necessary to ensure a smooth transition,” he said.

“I would like to emphasize that the return to normal life in the South is not merely a slogan, but a national objective to which the State is fully committed. The return of our people to their land is the most authentic expression of Lebanon’s unity and sovereignty,” he concluded.

Israel carries out strikes on several towns in southern Lebanon

On the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, Israel carried out several strikes, according to reports from our correspondent in southern Lebanon. Between 10 p.m. and midnight, an Israeli drone fired a stun grenade on Mansouri (Sour). Israeli forces also carried out a violent strike on the outskirts of Kfar Tibnit (Nabatieh).

After midnight, the Israeli army fired machine-gun rounds towards Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), whilst explosions were reported in the Jebb Soueid area, between Majdal Zoun and Mansouri (Sour). Israel also carried out explosions between Beit Yahoun and the outskirts of Braasheet, causing fires in homes, as well as in Haddatha (Bint Jbeil).

According to a tally by our correspondent, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, Israel carried out eight explosions in Kfar Tibnit, one in Deir Siryan, two in Khiam, four in Majdal Zoun, two in Mais al Jabal, two in Kounin, and one in Houla.

US bombs Iran for 11th consecutive night

The U.S. continues bombing different cities across Iran, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to attack a suspected Iranian nuclear site called Pickaxe Mountain “pretty soon, and very heavily.”

The U.S. military released the name of a third soldier believed to have been killed in an Iranian strike on a base in Jordan, and identified a service member who was killed in Iraq, bringing the total number of U.S. deaths since the start of the war to 18. Nearly 100 U.S. troops have been injured in combat over the last two weeks of war. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the cost of the war has reached $37.5 billion, though sources familiar with the matter estimate the total cost will be much higher.

In response to U.S. threats and attacks, Iran has warned of extending the war beyond the region, with an IRGC statement saying that they will continue to “punish the aggressor." Iran said it targeted U.S. assets in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, as well as a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

Iran's allies in Yemen, the Houthis, have threatened to blockade Saudi ports, though it is unclear how they intend to implement the move. A full closure of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, would halt Saudi oil exports to Asia and could reduce global oil supply by 7%.

The Houthis said ​the decision was in response to what they called "an unjust and oppressive siege" imposed ​on Yemen by the Saudis.

Nawaf Salam on tour of ‘pilot zone’ vilage Zawtar Gharbieh in southern Lebanon

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Zawtar Gharbieh this morning, a village in the Nabatieh district which forms part of one of the two "pilot zones" for the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese Army began deploying on Tuesday.

Salam is accompanied on this visit by the Minister of Defense, Michel Menassah; the Chief of Staff, Hassan Audi; the Secretary-General of the Supreme Defense Council, Mohammad Mustafa; the Head of the Development and Reconstruction Council, Mohammad Qabbani; the Head of the Council for the South, Hashim Haidar, and the Director of the Central Operations Room at the Grand Serail, Zahi Shahine.

Zawtar Gharbieh is one of the "pilot zones" provided for in the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, in which the Lebanese Army is to deploy and dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure, a condition for an Israeli withdrawal.

Unlike the other zone, located around Froun and Srifa in the central sector and south of the Litani River, the Israeli army was operating in Zawtar Gharbieh and detonated several buildings there before its withdrawal.

Hello and welcome to our live blog

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the news in Lebanon and the broader region.

The U.S. bombed Iran for 11th consecutive night.

Iran has previously launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Yesterday Trump welcomed Aoun to the White House, with Trump authorizing direct flights between the U.S. and Lebanon, but offering no guarantee of Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

To catch up on yesterday's blog, click here.

To read our Morning Brief, click here.