War, latest news. Trump has informed Congress that the war against Iran has resumed. Tehran attacks ships and Bahrain

“US Central Command has launched its third consecutive night of attacks against Iran, on the orders of the commander-in-chief.” Centcom posted this on X.

According to a report by the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, which cites an anonymous military source, the Iranian Navy has fired cruise missiles at a ‘hostile vessel belonging to the American enemy’. Iranian state television reported this, adding that several strategic military sites belonging to the US military in Kuwait were also targeted.

Donald Trump has formally notified Congress that the United States is once again at war with Iran. In a letter dated 10 July, seen by Politico, Trump stated that the attacks which began on 7 July constitute “military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and US interests, both at home and abroad”.

The United States will strike a heavy blow against Iran on Monday evening and Tuesday. Donald Trump told this to the conservative radio presenter Hugh Hewitt. When asked about the memorandum of understanding, Trump stated that it was a test for Iran, which the latter had failed to pass.

The death toll among US armed forces in the war against Iran has risen to 14. This follows the death of a Navy pilot in a helicopter crash on 1 July in the Arabian Sea. This is the first fatality since 13 service personnel were killed in two separate incidents in March, at the start of the war. In total, 414 service personnel have been injured, including a member of the US Air Force, whose name was added to the list on Monday.

Explosions have been reported in Bandar Abbas. This has been reported by the Iranian state news agency IRNA, which has not provided any further information on the cause of the explosions. Iranian media report that air defences have been activated in Bandar Abbas. Earlier, a new series of US strikes had targeted Bandar Abbas, the island of Qeshm and Hajjiabad, in the southern province of Hormozgan, near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Central Command (Centcom) had stated that it had struck a maintenance facility for submarines and ships at the Iranian naval base in Bandar Abbas.

The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis have stated that they targeted Abha Airport in Saudi Arabia today in retaliation for air strikes on Sana’a Airport attributed to the Kingdom. “In response to this criminal Saudi aggression, the Yemeni armed forces carried out a military operation against Abha International Airport, deploying several ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, in a video statement, whilst also warning “all airlines to avoid flying over the airspace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, stressing that “these warnings must be taken seriously until the blockade of Sana’a International Airport is lifted”.

At least four explosions have been reported in Bandar Abbas, a city in southern Iran situated near the Strait of Hormuz. This has been reported by the Iranian media, although they have not specified what caused them.

US President Donald Trump has announced that he will address the nation on Thursday at 9.00 pm local time, which is 3.00 am on Friday morning in Italia.

Dubai is considering building a new port to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The Financial Times reports this, citing sources who say that DP World has begun discussions regarding the development of a new port in Fujairah and a new terminal at the existing one. The plan is in line with the United Arab Emirates government’s initiative to shield its economy from any future tensions with Iran and reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.

“From 20:00 UTC [20:00 GMT] on 14 July 2026, US Central Command will begin enforcing a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas,” the JMIC said in a statement.

The blockade will affect the entire Iranian coastline, including ports and oil terminals: “The blockade will not prevent neutral vessels from transiting through the Strait of Hormuz to or from non-Iranian destinations,” concluded the JMIC, adding that humanitarian shipments will be permitted but subject to inspection.

Iran has always been the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz and will remain so, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“The President of the United States”, Donald Trump, “is absolutely right. Anyone who ensures the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service. Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER,” he concluded.

Yesterday, in the latest attacks against Iran, US forces deployed marines in combat operations for the “first time”. This was reported by US Central Command (Centcom), which stated that US forces “successfully struck an Iranian facility used for the maintenance of submarines and ships” and that three ‘Corsair’ surface drones “struck the port at the Bandar Abbas naval base”. Last night’s attacks, Centcom states, have reduced Iran’s ability to continue targeting commercial shipping.

Direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to resume tomorrow in Rome. This was reported to the AFP news agency by an official Lebanese source who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that the new round of negotiations will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the capital. In recent days, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, had indicated the dates of 15–16 July for the new round of ambassador-level negotiations during a meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. According to the Lebanese source, however, the talks will begin on Tuesday at 10.00. This is the sixth round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, two countries which do not have official diplomatic relations but which, in mid-April in Washington, embarked on a process of direct negotiations – the first of its kind in decades. The talks led to the signing on 26 June by Israel, Lebanon and the United States of a framework agreement for a “lasting peace”, five days after a fragile ceasefire came into force in the fighting between the Israeli army and the Iranian-backed Shi’a movement Hezbollah. The agreement provides for the Lebanese army to re-establish its authority in the south of the country, subject to the disarmament of Hezbollah, starting with a number of ‘pilot zones’ from which Israeli forces are to withdraw. A US military delegation began talks in Beirut on Saturday with the Lebanese army on the arrangements for implementing the Israeli withdrawal from one of these pilot areas.

Six missiles were fired from Yemen towards Saudi Arabia. This was reported by the Iranian television channel Press TV, which stated that the targets of the attack launched by the Houthis included Abha International Airport and the King Khalid military base.

According to the internationally recognised Yemeni government, the attacks were intended to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. At present, Saudi Arabia has not admitted to carrying out air strikes in Yemen. For years, a Saudi-led coalition based in southern Yemen – of which the internationally recognised government is a part – has been fighting the Houthis in the north of the country. General Taher al-Aqili, Defence Minister of the internationally recognised Yemeni government, stated on X that the airport runway was struck today to prevent the passage of an Iranian aircraft carrying the Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a video statement released shortly before the attacks, Al-Aqili had warned against the infiltration of Yemeni airspace by Iranian aircraft. “At this moment, we declare that our patience has run out. Consequently, we will respond appropriately to this treacherous and brutal act, and we will confront and counter, by every means at our disposal, any hostile aircraft that violate Yemeni airspace and sovereignty,” he said. The Houthis stated that the aircraft had changed course and landed at Hodeida airport. The Houthi-controlled broadcaster al-Masirah showed footage of a missile striking a runway at Sana’a airport and of a powerful explosion.

The United States has used maritime drones in combat operations for the first time as part of the recent attacks on Iran. This was confirmed by US Central Command, which emphasised that “an Iranian facility for the maintenance of submarines and ships was successfully struck yesterday. Three ‘Corsair’ drones struck the port at the Bandar Abbas naval base, marking the first time US forces have used maritime drones in combat operations’. The attacks, it added, have reduced Iran’s ability to continue targeting commercial shipping.

“US interference in the Strait of Hormuz has seriously jeopardised global oil and gas security, and Washington must be held to account.” This was stated by the spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Mohebi, as reported by the Iranian media.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open and will remain open, with or without Iran. We are lifting the Iranian blockade” which prevents “only Iranian ships or customers from entering or leaving; all other countries will be able to use the Strait freely and on an equal footing”. Donald Trump announced this on his social media platform Truth, stating that the United States “will henceforth be known as the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz” and that in this “capacity and for the sake of fairness”, will be reimbursed “at a rate of 20 per cent of the value of each cargo transported for all costs necessary to ensure safety and security”.

Oman has announced that it has rescued 23 crew members from a merchant ship that was attacked off the coast of Musandam, whilst search operations for one missing crew member are still under way. In a statement carried by Arab media, Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said it had responded to a distress call from the GFS Galaxy, a Cypriot-flagged vessel, 4.4 nautical miles off the coast of the Musandam Governorate. “Twenty-three crew members have been rescued and have received the necessary medical treatment. Search operations are continuing for one crew member who is still missing,” the statement read. The Musandam Governorate is located in the far north of the Sultanate and overlooks the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthi rebels in Yemen have reported that Sana’a International Airport has been hit by Saudi attacks. Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated on Telegram that Saudi Arabia had launched the air strikes in what he described as “the end of the phase of de-escalation”. “This aggression will not go unanswered nor unpunished,” he warned. Evacuation orders have been issued for the airport and the surrounding areas.

The Yemeni Minister of Information has stated that the Houthis “are holding” an International Red Cross aircraft, taking the pilot and co-pilot hostage. This has been reported by Sky News Arabic and the Israeli media, citing Reuters.

According to Tehran, this morning two ships were about to cross the demarcation lines recognised by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz illegally, but were stopped after the Revolutionary Guards fired warning shots.

Around 20 commercial vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours in coordination with the US armed forces. This is reported by Axios, which quotes a US official, adding that other vessels also passed through without coordinating with the US

- The escalation between the United States and Iran shows no sign of abating. The Strait of Hormuz remains at the heart of the conflict. And Centcom, the US Central Command responsible for military operations in the region, has announced that in the raids carried out against Iran in recent hours, it used “one-way attack aerial drones and one-way attack sea drones for the first time”. No details have been given on how many or which specific drones were deployed in the operations, to which Tehran has not failed to respond. One-way attack drones are designed to strike without returning to base; they are also known as kamikaze drones. The statement explains that on 12 July, dozens of targets were struck in various areas of the Islamic Republic using “precision munitions” to “reduce Iran’s ability to continue attacking international maritime traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz”. The statement notes that Centcom forces “used fighter jets, warships, one-way attack drones and one-way naval attack drones for the first time” to strike the Iranian targets.

Iranian media are reporting on possible military clashes between the United States and Iran near the Strait of Hormuz. Explosions have occurred in southern Iran, near the port city of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf and on the island of Qeshm, according to the Mehr news agency.

The Strait of Hormuz is used for international shipping, and restoring safe and free passage as soon as possible is in the interests of all parties. This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian at a press conference reported by Chinese media. The issue of navigation through the Strait, Jian added, must be handled appropriately, and China is willing to maintain dialogue with the countries concerned and the international community on this matter.

The Bahraini army has accused Iran of targeting civilians in its latest attacks against the kingdom, after Tehran claimed to have struck US military installations and infrastructure in the country. “Iran is continuing its systematic hostile approach through its heinous missile and drone attacks targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said the General Command of the Bahraini Armed Forces in a statement, adding that this morning the air defence “intercepted and destroyed several Iranian air attacks”.

The inclusion of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on a list of targets to be struck in retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei, published by the conservative daily *Hamshahri*, which is close to the Iranian regime, “is unacceptable. It is an unbelievable attack”. This was stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in Brussels on the sidelines of the EU Council. “Italia,” he added, “is not fighting against Iran for this reason. We do not understand the reason behind this attack on Italia. We support democracy, we support peace, but also freedom of navigation. Blocking the Strait of Hormuz is a colossal mistake: there are no tariffs for this stretch of sea near the Gulf. This freedom of navigation is crucial for us. It is a key issue,” he concluded.

Iran has announced that it will continue talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman in an attempt to prevent a further escalation of the war with the United States. This was announced by the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei. “The role of the mediators is to continue efforts to prevent an escalation of tensions,” said Baghaei.

Further explosions have been reported near the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas and on the island of Qeshm. This was reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr.

Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a standstill since yesterday evening, against the backdrop of the latest escalation between the US and Iran. This is reported by the BBC, citing the shipping monitoring website MarineTraffic. The British broadcaster also notes that a few individual cargo ships have passed through in the last few hours ‘under the radar’, that is, with their transponders switched off. On Sunday, the government in Tehran had stated that passage was “currently” no longer possible due to “illegal movements by US armed forces in the region”.

Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping once the United States stops interfering in the region’s waters. This was stated by the Revolutionary Guards, as reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr. “The only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping is to put an end to the interventions of the invading American military and to respect the sovereignty of countries over their coastal waters,” reads the statement from the Pasdaran. The Revolutionary Guards have warned that continued US intervention will lead to even more serious consequences for the global oil and gas trade.

The United States has carried out several waves of attacks against Iran since 8 July, claiming to have responded to Iranian actions against commercial shipping in the Strait. Tehran has retaliated by striking US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

Iran does not accept inspections of its nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This was stated by the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei.

In a recent interview, the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, stated that the agency expects to gain access to Iran’s nuclear facilities in the coming weeks.

“Iran and Oman have been unable to agree on a plan to establish a mechanism for managing the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the safety of shipping in the area, due to the pressure being exerted on Muscat,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. “Iran has insisted that the management of the Strait of Hormuz be entrusted to Iran itself, in consultation with Oman, precisely to safeguard Iranian interests and ensure the safety of transit. What has happened is the responsibility of the United States,” he added, emphasising: “We will not allow the United States and the Zionist regime to use this waterway to harm Iran.” Referring then to the statement by the E3 group (France, the United Kingdom and Germany) on the Strait of Hormuz, he said: ‘That statement has no legal basis. They insist on turning the facts on their head. The Europeans could have played a better role, but they did nothing because of their habit of kowtowing to the United States. These statements will do nothing to resolve the issue or improve Europe’s position.’

Iran is not abandoning the diplomatic route to resolving the conflict with the United States, but will use military means if necessary. This was stated by Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Tehran.

“Where necessary, we will use military means to safeguard the country’s interests, and we will resort to diplomacy when the country’s interests so require,” Mr Baghaei said during a press conference.

Further reading

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13 July 2026

- At least one person has died and seven others have been injured in a US attack on a military base in the city of Nain, in the central Iranian province of Isfahan. This was reported by the province’s deputy governor, as quoted by the Iranian news agency Mehr and reported by Al Jazeera. According to the official, the injured have been admitted to hospital following what was described as an attack by the “US terrorist army”. This is the second death reported in Iran today. Earlier, Iranian media had reported the death of one person and the injury of four others in a US airstrike that hit an agricultural water pumping station in Mahshahr, in the south-west of the country. (

- The Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that if the United States failed to honour the commitments it had made in the recent memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries, Iran would cease to abide by it, according to the IRNA news agency.

A number of ships have ‘secretly’ passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, despite the fact that visible transits have virtually ceased following the escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran. According to preliminary data from Kpler analysed by Bloomberg, all six merchant ships that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday did so with their transponders switched off. These so-called ‘dark’ crossings outnumbered the observable crossings over the previous three days. However, no ships have so far been spotted crossing the strait in the early hours of today, according to vessel tracking data based on signals from the Automatic Identification System (AIS). However, in recent days, some ships have appeared on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz – in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman – after last transmitting their position from the other side, indicating that they crossed the Strait without switching on their transponders.

The French Foreign Minister has given assurances that there will be “no lifting of European sanctions” against Iran until Tehran has abandoned its nuclear programme and its destabilising actions in the Middle East. “There will be no lifting of sanctions against the Iranian regime until it has abandoned its nuclear programme, its revolutionary project which destabilises the region, and its ballistic missile programme – some of which may one day be capable of striking Europe,” Jean-Noël Barrot told BFM TV/RMC. “And until it has restored to the Iranian people the freedom to build their own future,” he added.

The European Union is ready to offer its technical expertise to support the negotiation process with Iran and is asking to be involved in the talks alongside the Gulf states. This was stated by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, when briefing journalists on the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. “We are also in discussions with the Gulf states, as they wish to help ensure this process moves in the right direction,” explained Kallas, referring to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is intended to allow a pause to address the most complex issues in the negotiations. According to the High Representative, the EU can make a concrete contribution thanks to its expertise, particularly on the nuclear issue. “We have offered our experience and our experts, who could take part in the negotiations and help bring the various issues together,” she said.

epa13107836 European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas speaks to the media during a European Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Belgium, 13 July 2026. Foreign ministers met to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Black Sea strategic approach, and the situation in the Middle East. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS

The deputy governor of the central province of Markazi, Hassan Ghamari, has stated that Khondab was targeted this morning for the second day running. A military base in the town had already been attacked on Sunday. In Bandar Abbas, at least two explosions were heard this morning. Last night, one person was killed and two others were injured in attacks on Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask and the island of Qeshm. The army claimed to have shot down a ‘Lucas’ suicide drone belonging to the ‘enemy’ in Bandar Abbas. Meanwhile, the deputy governor of the south-western province of Khuzestan, Valiollah Hayati, reported on Monday that an attack carried out in the early hours of today against an agricultural water pumping station in Mahshahr resulted in the death of the facility’s guard and left four other people injured. The Iranian Ministry of Health stated that at least 17 people were killed and a further 115 were injured in US attacks on six Iranian cities on 8 and 9 July.

The memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran on a ceasefire in the Persian Gulf “really doesn’t hold water”, and the EU maintains that “freedom of navigation must be upheld”, with no tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated by the EU’s High Representative, Kaja Kallas, in Brussels on the sidelines of the Foreign Affairs Council, during which a working lunch will be held with the Gulf states on regional security. The EU and the Gulf states “have very similar views” on the matter, she concluded.

Iran claims to have shot down a US drone in the area of Bandar Abbas, a major port on the Strait of Hormuz. This is according to Al Jazeera, citing the Iranian news agency Tasnim. According to Tasnim, the aircraft was a US-made ‘Lucas’ model kamikaze drone, which was reportedly ‘precisely targeted and shot down’ by Iranian defences.

The Revolutionary Guards stated in a communiqué issued this morning that they would continue their “retaliatory” attacks against US bases in the region. “The Strait of Hormuz is part of our territory and we will not allow an army of child killers from another part of the world to continue its illegal interference,” reads the statement, quoted by the Iranian news agency IRNA.

“We carried out a missile and drone attack on a large missile and fuel depot at the US Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. We also targeted helicopter bases, electronic warfare aircraft, P-8 aircraft, the command centre and the US military’s drone control centre at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain,” the statement continued.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned the latest US attacks, accusing Washington of violating the principles of the United Nations Charter and almost all the points of the memorandum for the resolution of the conflict, and has designated third countries that collaborate with US military actions as legitimate targets. This was reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr. The ministry described the US raids as “brutal” and a “blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter”. Tehran has also warned that any third country “complicit” in the aggression against Iran will be considered a legitimate target for retaliatory strikes.

Un uomo cammina accanto a un modello simbolico di un missile iraniano e a una bandiera iraniana in Piazza dell’Imam Hussein a Teheran, in Iran, il 12 luglio 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

US military commanders are said to have ignored intelligence reports and internal assessments which identified the port of Shuaiba, in Kuwait, as a likely Iranian target and a facility that was not adequately protected against drones. This is according to a Washington Post investigation into the attack on 1 March, in which six US servicemen were killed and more than 30 were wounded. The newspaper gathered testimonies from 17 people, including survivors, eyewitnesses and sources familiar with the military investigation. Several soldiers accused Brigadier General Clint Barnes and Major General John Hinson of ordering the deployment of troops to Shuaiba despite the reported risks.

According to the military personnel interviewed, force protection assessments recommended against deploying personnel to the port, which lacked adequate cover and systems capable of intercepting Shahed attack drones. The two generals are also said to have received classified briefings stating that Shuaiba was among Iran’s potential targets. The Army defended the decision, arguing that the base had been selected in accordance with operational plans, fortified and provided with sufficient space in the bunkers. A source familiar with the investigation stated that there was a layered defence against drones and missiles in the area.

Oil prices have risen sharply following the recent exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude has risen by more than 4 per cent to $79.17 a barrel, its highest level since 22 June.

The Jordanian army announced this morning that it had shot down four Iranian missiles over its territory, which, according to Tehran, had been launched in retaliation for US air strikes. “At dawn, air defence systems intercepted and shot down four missiles that had entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory,” said an official source from the Jordanian General Staff, adding that there were no reports of injuries or material damage. The Kuwaiti armed forces said they had responded today to “hostile aerial targets”, whilst Iran was carrying out attacks against US interests in the Gulf. (

Tehran responds by launching attacks on US bases in the Gulf states

Rome, 13 July (askanews) – The United States carried out a new wave of attacks against Iranian targets in the early hours of today, the second in a matter of hours, as the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran continues to crumble.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have claimed responsibility for attacks on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, stating that they have destroyed air defence systems, radar, helicopter facilities, hangars and a drone command centre. In Kuwait, the Pasdaran Aerospace Forces claimed to have struck the Ali al-Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber air bases, destroying fuel tanks and a Patriot air defence system at the former, and a US FPS radar at the latter.

In Bahrain, during what the Revolutionary Guards have described as the second phase of the operation to provide a “proportionate response to US aggression”, the US base at Sheikh Isa, helicopter repair facilities, hangars for P-8 electronic warfare aircraft and a command centre for unmanned aerial vehicles. According to the Pasdaran’s statement, the US military’s drone command centre was destroyed.