Houthis have attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory, according to 2 sources | LIVE

Egypt: Sisi calls for an end to the ‘escalation’ in the region, following the drone attack in Damietta

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called on the international community to unite to "put an end to the escalation: in the region, following a drone attack on the Mediterranean port of Damietta in the north of the country, according to his spokesperson.

During a telephone conversation with the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, Sisi warned of “the seriousness of the escalation the region is experiencing,” emphasizing the need for Egypt, Spain, Europe and the international community to “join forces to put an end to it,” the presidential spokesperson said.

Washington imposes new sanctions on support networks for the Iranian airline Mahan Air

The United States has announced new sanctions targeting the international support networks for the Iranian airline Mahan Air, which Washington accuses of transporting members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as weapons and drones.

The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on six entities and individuals based in China, India, Russia, and Iran, including several companies acting as commercial agents for Mahan Air, which is already subject to U.S. and European sanctions, according to a statement.

The Treasury has also sanctioned a front company linked to the IRGC, accused of supporting Iranian military operations during the conflict. According to the Treasury Department, these measures aim to “further disrupt the network that supports Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.”

Tehran claims responsibility for attack on US facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain

The Iranian military has announced that it launched an attack on U.S. facilities at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, Reuters reports, citing Iranian state media.

Saudi Arabia launches a maritime coalition in the Red Sea with thirteen other countries

Saudi Arabia has announced the formation of a maritime defense coalition aimed at protecting shipping in the Red Sea, with the participation of thirteen other countries, according to the official Saudi news agency.

Drone attack on Egyptian port: Global trade could be ‘further disrupted’ if conflict escalates, according to 2 Iranian sources quoted by NYT

Two Iranian sources, who wished to remain anonymous, told the New York Times that Wednesday’s drone attack on the Egyptian port of Damietta, on the Mediterranean Sea, was intended to demonstrate that “global shipping and energy supplies could be disrupted even more severely if Iran decided to escalate the conflict.”

The sources questioned did not specify whether the attack had been carried out directly by Iran or by one of its allied militias in the region, nor did they reveal the origin of the attack.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that he had been informed of the attack, whilst suggesting that Iran was responsible, without giving further details. He described the incident as “more of the same” and stated that the United States would “hit them very hard, because it’s our turn to strike.”

This is the first time since the start of the regional war — which began on Feb. 28 with the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran — that an attack has been carried out on Egyptian territory.

The fire caused by the targeting of a gas-carrying vessel, the Energos Winter, subsequently spread to a second vessel, the GasLog Salem, which also caught fire, according to the Egyptian authorities. The crews of both vessels were evacuated and the fire brought under control, Reuters reports.

This post corrects a piece of information previously published on this blog, in which we mistakenly stated that the attack had been ‘orchestrated by Iran.

Houthis previously attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory, reports Reuters

The Houthis have carried out attacks against Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory, in cooperation with Iraqi militias, two officials from the region have told Reuters.

Israel blows up homes in Taybeh and strikes the heights of Ali Taher

Israeli forces have blown up several homes in Taybeh (Marjayoun). They also fired artillery shells at the heights of Ali Taher, in the Nabatieh district. Shortly afterwards, a drone strike targeted an area near Ghandour Hospital in Nabatieh Fawaqa, according our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Iraq says no evidence attacks were launched from its territory

Iraq’s military said Thursday that there was no evidence to support claims that attacks had been launched from Iraqi territory.

Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of Iraq’s armed forces, called on those making such claims to provide proof. He said the government would not tolerate unilateral actions from Iraqi territory, while also rejecting any violation of Iraq’s sovereignty from outside.

The comments came a day after U.S. and Saudi strikes on Iraqi Shiite militia positions killed 20 people.

Al-Numan stressed that official security forces have sole responsibility for security and would not allow weapons to exist outside state authority.

He also said Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s visit to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) headquarters reaffirmed that the group remains “an essential component of Iraq’s national defense system.”

The prime minister ordered immediate support for the families of those killed and instructed authorities to provide the wounded with comprehensive medical care, including treatment abroad if necessary.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim to have destroyed three US F-35s in Jordan

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed Thursday that they had killed military personnel and destroyed three U.S. F-35 fighter jets at the al-Azraq air base in eastern Jordan.

In a statement addressed to Jordan, the Guards said they had targeted a “parking area and maintenance hangar” at the base with several ballistic missiles in response to a U.S. strike on Qeshm Island that killed three people.

The attack “completely destroyed” three F-35s and caused “heavy damage” to three others, the statement claimed. Several enemy officers and technical and maintenance personnel were also killed, it added.

Jordan said earlier Thursday that it had intercepted five Iranian missiles, without reporting any impacts or damage at the al-Azraq base. The U.S. military has not yet commented on the Iranian claims.

Iran's Guards say 3 members killed in US attack on northwest

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that three of its members were killed in an attack by the United States on the northwestern province of Zanjan.

"In the brutal attack carried out by the terrorist regime of the criminal United States on 30 July 2026, three brave and devoted members of the Ansar al-Mahdi IRGC in Zanjan province... attained martyrdom," the Guards' provinicial branch said in a statement, according to Tasnim news agency.

South Lebanon: Israeli forces carry out new demolitions in Kfar Tibnit

After demolishing homes overnight in the occupied villages of Haddatha, Markaba and Majdal Zoun, Israeli forces resumed demolitions early Thursday afternoon in Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh district, blowing up several houses, according to our correspondent.

An Israeli drone also dropped a stun grenade in Yater, Bint Jbeil district.

US officials struggle to define Iran war objectives

According to NBC, U.S. officials have yet to agree on the war’s main objectives, including whether to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, reopen the Strait of Hormuz or dismantle its missile and drone capabilities.

One U.S. official warned that the lack of clear policy could undermine battlefield gains.

“We have had a series of tactical victories. But are facing a strategic defeat without clear policy guidance or a decision about where this is going,” the official said.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, however, said the Defense Department was “locked and loaded” to carry out Trump’s directives and that senior military officials were aligned on the mission.

Trump 'exasperated' as advisers struggle to agree on Iran strategy

U.S. President Donald Trump is frustrated by the difficulty of reaching a deal to end the war with Iran, while his advisers remain divided over the way forward, NBC reported, citing U.S. officials and a Trump ally.

A Trump ally who spoke with the president in recent weeks told NBC News that “the president is exasperated,” adding that Trump had not expected negotiations with Tehran to be so difficult.

“He did not intend this to be a long, drawn-out war,” the ally said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected the report, saying: “This is false. The president has a great team whom he trusts, and everyone on the team knows he’s the final decision-maker.”

Egypt’s Damietta port says operations continue despite drone attack

Egypt’s Damietta port authority said Thursday that operations were continuing normally despite a fire the previous day that Egyptian authorities attributed to a drone attack.

“The Damietta Port Authority confirms the port’s full operational efficiency,” the authority said in a statement, adding that all terminals and berths continued to handle regular vessel arrivals and departures, as well as loading, unloading and handling operations.

Kuwait: Iranian strike Chinese company building kills 1

Kuwait’s defense ministry said Thursday that an Iranian strike on a building belonging to a Chinese company in the north of the country killed one person.

“The heinous Iranian aggression targeted a building belonging to a Chinese company in the north of the country, killing one worker and causing significant material damage to the building,” the ministry said in a statement.

Pakistan says US-Iran negotiations are 'underway' on de-escalation and Strait of Hormuz

Pakistan, which is mediating between the United States and Iran, said Thursday that negotiations between the two countries were underway as hostilities resume in the Middle East.

“Negotiations between the parties are underway, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to achieve de-escalation,” Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.

Egypt’s Damietta port says operations continue despite drone attack

Egypt’s Damietta port authority said Thursday that operations were continuing normally despite a fire the previous day that Egyptian authorities attributed to a drone attack.

“The Damietta Port Authority confirms the port’s full operational efficiency,” the authority said in a statement, adding that all terminals and berths continued to handle regular vessel arrivals and departures, as well as loading, unloading and handling operations for all types of cargo.

IRGC vow to 'punish the aggressor' after US strikes

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they would “punish the aggressor today” following the latest wave of U.S. strikes on Iran overnight, Iranian state media reported.

Iranian attack on Chinese company building in Kuwait kills 1

An Iranian attack struck a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait, killing one employee, Kuwait’s defense ministry spokesperson said, according to Reuters.

The attack also damaged the building, and authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Pakistan says US-Iran negotiations 'ongoing' on de-escalation, Hormuz

Mediator Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday that negotiations between the United States and Iran were "ongoing" during a flare-up in fighting across the Middle East.

"Negotiations between parties are ongoing, particularly on [the] Strait of Hormuz and to de-escalate," Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.

Iran says it forced 2 tankers attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz with US support to turn back

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Thursday that two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. support turned back after one of them caught fire.

“Last night, two tankers, encouraged by U.S. aircraft, attempted to leave the Strait of Hormuz via the unsafe southern route,” the Guards said in a statement.

“After a major fire broke out aboard one of them, both vessels quickly turned back.”

Iran has controlled the Strait of Hormuz since the war in the Middle East began on Feb. 28.

Since then, Tehran has required vessels using the vital energy route to follow an Iranian-designated route, obtain authorization and pay transit fees.

The Revolutionary Guards reiterated Thursday that the strait was “our territory” and said it could not be reopened while U.S. officials continued their “excessive rhetoric,” threats and interference with maritime traffic in the region.

Israeli drone strike reported near Mansouri in southern Lebanon

Israeli drones struck communal lands belonging to the municipality of Mansouri in the Sour district early Thursday morning, according to our correspondent. No casualties were reported so far.

Iran says it forced two tankers attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz to turn back

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Thursday that two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. support turned back after one of them caught fire.

The Guards said the vessels had attempted to leave the strait via what they described as an “unsafe southern route” with the backing of U.S. aircraft. After a major fire broke out aboard one tanker, both vessels quickly turned back, according to the statement.

Iran has controlled the Strait of Hormuz since the war in the Middle East began on Feb. 28. Tehran has since required vessels using the vital energy route to follow an Iranian-designated route, obtain authorization and pay transit fees.

The Revolutionary Guards reiterated Thursday that the strait was “our territory” and said it could not be reopened while U.S. officials continued their “excessive rhetoric,” threats and interference with maritime traffic in the region.

Qatari LNG tanker leaves Strait of Hormuz via Iran-approved route

An LNG tanker operated by QatarEnergy left the Strait of Hormuz overnight with Iranian authorization, becoming the first vessel of its kind to use the route since a tanker was struck in early July, according to maritime data and Iranian state media cited by Reuters.

The Al Areesh crossed the strait on July 29 using an Iranian-designated route, Iranian news agency Fars reported. Data from maritime analytics firms Kpler and LSEG showed it was the first QatarEnergy-controlled LNG tanker to leave the strait since the attack.

Saudi defense minister holds emergency meeting with Trump after US-Saudi strikes in Iraq

U.S. President Donald Trump met Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on Wednesday, Axios reported, citing a U.S. official and another source familiar with the meeting.

The meeting was added to the Saudi minister’s schedule after he met Vice President J.D. Vance and conveyed that Riyadh favored de-escalation with Iran despite Tuesday’s joint U.S.-Saudi strikes on pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

A source told Axios that the Saudi defense minister stressed that the strikes did not signal support for escalation, but rather Riyadh’s readiness to defend itself if necessary. The attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi militias on Saudi infrastructure and energy facilities had crossed a “red line,” the source said.

Prince Khalid, the brother and close confidant of Mohammed bin Salman, was originally scheduled to travel to Washington last week but postponed his trip due to the strikes in Iraq.

Israel continues demolitions in southern Lebanon as tensions rise

The Israeli army continued overnight demolitions and the burning of homes and civilian infrastructure in Haddatha in the Bint Jbeil district, Majdal Zoun in Sour and Markaba in Marjayoun, according to our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Five demolitions were reported in Haddatha, while homes were also set ablaze in Majdal Zoun and Markaba around 4 a.m. Several artillery strikes and search operations were also reported in the area.

The previous day, Israeli demolitions targeted six southern Lebanese localities, while seven came under artillery fire as tensions rose again along the Lebanese front amid the resumption of U.S.-Iran hostilities across the region.

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir, who visited Israeli troops occupying southern Lebanon, said the forces were “prepared for any development and ready to face a wide range of scenarios,” according to a statement.

Jordan says it intercepted five Iranian missiles

Jordan’s military said Thursday that its air defenses intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran toward the kingdom, with no casualties reported.

The announcement came a day after Tehran said it would launch an “inevitable response” to U.S. and Saudi strikes on several Iraqi cities that killed at least 20 members of the Popular Mobilization Forces, including five Iranians, and wounded 32 others, according to the predominantly Shiite, Iran-aligned armed group incorporated into Iraq’s armed forces.

US military says it has completed 'heavy' wave of strikes on Iran

After resuming strikes on pro-Iranian militias in Iraq the previous day, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday it had completed a “heavy” wave of strikes on Iran, accusing Tehran of attacking U.S. forces stationed at bases in the region.

CENTCOM said it had struck dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities. The strikes were aimed at reducing threats posed by Iran and its proxies to U.S. forces, commercial shipping and Gulf countries, according to CENTCOM.

At least 3 killed in US strikes on Qeshm Island

Iranian news agency Fars reported Thursday that three members of the same family were killed and two others wounded in U.S. strikes targeting Qeshm Island in southern Iran.

Fars said a U.S. attack on a residential home in the Chah Tangu neighborhood killed a father, mother and their 2-year-old child. Two other children, aged 7 and 9, were wounded and taken to hospital, according to the report.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of developments in the Middle East

Fighting between the United States and Iran and their respective allies has resumed after several days of calm.

We will also follow developments in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army continues to occupy several hundred square kilometers along the border and carry out strikes and demolitions.