Latest war news. Sources: Italia and the UK are among the countries being considered to monitor Hezbollah’s disarmament

“The United States has total control of the Strait of Hormuz. I believe we will retain it! Everyone is calling our naval blockade a ‘Wall of Steel’, and Iran can’t do a thing about it.” Donald Trump wrote this on Truth.

The prolonged absence from the public eye of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is due solely to security reasons. This was stated by Mohammad Reza Naqdi, senior adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. “Of course it is for security reasons. There is certainly no other reason,” Naqdi said in an interview with the US broadcaster PBS. However, the general did not answer the question as to whether he had met Khamenei in person.

Una donna tiene in mano un manifesto raffigurante il defunto leader supremo iraniano, l’ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ucciso durante l’attacco sferrato da Stati Uniti e Israele il 28 febbraio, in occasione di un raduno filogovernativo tenutosi in una piazza di Teheran, in Iran, martedì 11 agosto 2026. (Foto AP/Vahid Salemi) Associated Press / LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna

The Board of Peace has denied the existence of a financial agreement with Hamas, after the Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that a deal had been reached to cover $400 million of the movement’s debts to external parties. “Claims that there is an agreement between the Board of Peace and Hamas are false. No such proposal has been discussed, negotiated or considered, nor will it be on the table in the future,” wrote Nickolay Mladenov, the organisation’s chief representative for Gaza, in Hebrew. “Hamas will play no role in the government of Gaza and will have no access to the funds,” he assured, adding that “the Board of Peace’s funds are not channelled through Hamas” and that contracts, projects and accounts are subject to audits and checks. “There are already more than enough real challenges in this endeavour. There is no need to invent further ones,” he added. Mladenov also urged Israel to support the roadmap for the disarmament of Gaza, arguing that it represents the best option available to the Jewish state. “The objective remains the complete dismantling of weapons and ensuring that Gaza can never again pose the kind of threat that Israel suffered on 7 October,” he said, explaining that the Board of Peace proposes a “third option: complete disarmament, a civilian government, an international security presence under US command, and oversight and verification mechanisms”. The International Stabilisation Force, he reiterated, must “support disarmament and the establishment of a civilian government in which Hamas plays no role whatsoever. This has been our position from the outset and it has not changed”.

“In Gaza, the restrictions that the Israeli authorities continue to impose on the import of engine oil and spare parts are putting the lives of thousands of people at risk.” This is the warning issued by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which, in a statement, emphasises that these supplies are essential to keep hospital generators, ambulances, water pumps and water tankers running. “The disruption of these essential services is emblematic of Israel’s systematic destruction of the conditions necessary for life in Gaza,” the statement continues. In some facilities, MSF has barely enough diesel to last a month, and some of the equipment is already being affected by the shortages. MSF is forced to source supplies on the local market at exorbitant prices. The availability of engine oil is so limited that, over the last six months, its price has risen twentyfold.

By the end of July, the price had risen to over $1,300 per litre. Neither the quality nor the availability of the product is guaranteed. On 5 August, one of the generators at the MSF field hospital in Deir Al Balah broke down. The teams, forced to rely on a smaller backup generator, had to drastically ration electricity and were only able to keep the operating theatre running for those in the most critical condition; nurses were unable to sterilise essential equipment, X-ray services were suspended, and people with burns suffered from the extreme heat without air conditioning.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – in an interview with the pan-Arab newspaper *Asharq Al-Awsatha* – has stated that he wishes to expand the defence agreement signed on Friday in Mecca between his country, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. “We aspire to see it expanded,” said Erdogan, “and perhaps favourable conditions will one day allow all the countries in the region to come together under its umbrella.” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had already expressed this hope on Saturday, predicting that Egypt would join in the near future, although no statements on the matter have been issued from Cairo. According to press reports, however, both the Egyptian and Saudi leaderships are said to harbour reservations about this prospect. Erdogan, who refers to this pact – which contains a mutual defence clause – as the “Mecca Agreement”, justified it by arguing that “regional issues must be resolved by regional actors”, “outside any formula imposed from outside”. “Solutions imported from abroad are nothing but disasters,” Erdogan concluded.

The deputy executive coordinator of the Iranian army, General Alireza Sheikh, has stated that “any ground operation by the enemy will be nipped in the bud”, claiming that Iran’s “astute manoeuvres” “on the chessboard of the battlefield” have forced the United States to continually redefine its political objectives. “The constant shifting of political objectives during an operation and the discrepancy between military means and the main political objectives are the clearest signs of American failure,” Sheikh said in an interview reported by Press TV. According to the general, military power cannot be measured solely in terms of weapons and equipment: “Power is not simply a hardware component that can be measured by instruments and equipment. Power is the art of manoeuvring on the battlefield and combining defensive capabilities to achieve an objective.” “True effectiveness on the battlefield stems from the ability to think in such a way as to create a new combination from the available resources, change the nature of the battlefield and transform an operational action into a strategic outcome,” he added.

War in the Middle East – 12 August 2026

In the wake of the abolition of the death penalty, the Lebanese Parliament has passed the amnesty bill. The Office of the Speaker of Parliament announced ‘the approval of a bill aimed at granting a general amnesty and, on an exceptional basis, reducing the length of certain sentences’.

According to local media reports, MPs from Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) walked out of the chamber after Defence Minister Michel Menassa was prevented, for the second day running, from speaking to set out the army’s position on the bill. The families of Lebanese soldiers killed or attacked by Islamist groups have repeatedly protested against the bill.

Un membro in pensione delle forze di sicurezza libanesi partecipa a una manifestazione di protesta davanti al Palazzo del Parlamento durante una sessione parlamentare dedicata alla discussione di una proposta di legge sull’amnistia generale, l’abolizione della pena di morte e gli stipendi dei membri in pensione delle forze di sicurezza libanesi a Beirut, in Libano, 11 agosto 2026. Anche il personale militare in pensione ha organizzato una manifestazione di protesta davanti al Parlamento libanese in risposta alla decisione, presa durante la sessione parlamentare, di distribuire i sei aumenti salariali a rate. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

The Houthi rebels have launched fresh ballistic missile attacks on the strategic port of al-Makha (Mocha), situated near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in south-western Yemen, which is controlled by government forces. This has been reported by the media outlets of the pro-Iranian Shia movement.

The Arabic-language spokesperson for the IDF has issued an urgent message to the residents of Gaza, stating that the Israeli army and internal security services have observed that ‘the terrorist organisation Hamas has stepped up its interrogation and torture of the population’. According to the IDF and the Shin Bet, the torture and interrogations carried out by Hamas are said to target civilians from all sectors of society, including minors and women, and are reportedly being conducted using public facilities. ‘Hamas uses civilian buildings, including schools, hospitals, mosques and government institutions, for arbitrary arrests and systematic torture, not only against political opponents, but also against ordinary citizens who are periodically summoned for interrogation. In such cases, methods reportedly employed include severe physical violence, ill-treatment, blackmail, psychological threats, prolonged isolation and psychological abuse.”

The United States and Iran have ‘agreed’ to extend the 60-day ceasefire which, under the Islamabad Memorandum, is due to expire on 17 August. This was reported by Pakistani government sources quoted by the Turkish news agency Anadolu. “Both sides have informed the mediators of their agreement to extend the deadline,” said a source close to the mediation process. “However, the two sides are exchanging messages to decide on the duration of the extension.”

The United States and Iran, with Pakistan also acting as mediator, signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 June, agreeing to begin negotiations on a final agreement. However, the talks have stalled due to differences, particularly over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the strategic routes for global energy supplies and trade.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have blown up and destroyed the four-storey ‘Sheikh Naim Mahdi’ state school, located in the centre of the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, in the Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon. This was reported by the Lebanese daily *L’Orient Le Jour*, which added that no casualties have been reported.

Hamas and the other Palestinian organisations in the Gaza Strip will be able to continue their political activities following their disarmament. This was reported today by the Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, citing sources within the Palestinian groups who are familiar with the talks held over recent months – particularly those of the last few weeks – which have led to an agreement on a roadmap for their disarmament.

A Hamas source living abroad reported that assurances had been received from various parties , including mediators and the US administration, regarding the freedom of Palestinian organisations to exercise their political rights, in accordance with Palestinian law. The source added that their members and activists would not be targeted or persecuted for their political activities or for previous political or security-related activities.

The Pakistani Minister of the Interior is visiting Iran to discuss regional security and stability and other developments. This was reported by the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

“He is discussing bilateral relations, security, regional security and stability, as well as constructive engagement between the parties in the region and regional developments”: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad, whose government is acting as a mediator to bring an end to the fighting in the Middle East.

After three days during which settlers had blocked the entrances to two Palestinian homes, preventing the residents from leaving, the IDF arrived on the outskirts of the Palestinian village of Qusra near Nablus to attempt to remove the settlers. This is reported by the Times of Israel, which states that clashes are currently taking place between the Israeli army and the settlers.

Since Sunday, Israeli civilians have blockaded the houses on the outskirts of the village, preventing people from entering or leaving, and have also cut the power lines. Youssef Hassan, the owner of one of the houses, told the Times of Israel that a large number of settlers arrived this morning from outposts in the area and that border police officers are using riot control measures against them, including tear gas. The commander of the Central Command, Major General Avi Bluth, has also arrived in the area.

Three Pakistanis were killed in the attack on a ship in the Red Sea. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced this on X, adding that another person was injured. “Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a non-combat merchant vessel,” the minister wrote. “Such attacks endanger innocent lives, constitute a violation of international law and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security and the safety of commercial maritime traffic in the Red Sea.”

An Israeli drone struck a religious gathering in Tyre, in southern Lebanon. This was reported by the Lebanese National News Agency. Meanwhile, citing residents and civil defence officials, the Guardian reports that the Israeli army is setting fires across southern Lebanon, targeting olive groves and farmland.

Firefighters and residents of southern Lebanon have accused the Israeli army of starting fires in the region, whilst wooded areas have been destroyed by blazes triggered by Israeli bombardments. This is reported by The Guardian. According to environmental organisations, the fires of recent weeks are part of a long-standing Israeli practice aimed at damaging Lebanon’s natural environment.

Yesterday, the Israeli army fired flares into a wooded area on the outskirts of Khiam, in southern Lebanon, causing fires. When firefighters attempted to extinguish the flames, a drone struck nearby, forcing them to retreat, said Hussein Fakih, head of civil defence in the Nabatieh region. “Most of our missions now involve fires. Huge areas of woodland have been burnt; I don’t have precise figures, but in the areas near the front line, around 30–40 per cent of the territory has been affected by the fires,” he said.

A group of Palestinian students, former students and staff members have taken Columbia University to court, accusing the New York-based institution of engaging in discriminatory practices against the Palestinian community since late 2023, following the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas. This is according to documents filed with a New York court.

According to the plaintiffs, the university failed to adequately protect Palestinian students and staff from incidents of harassment and intimidation, and also targeted some of them through disciplinary proceedings described as ‘unfair and biased’. The case marks the latest chapter in the dispute that has been unfolding for almost two years at one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, which has become a symbol of the tensions within the American academic world over the Middle East conflict.

This morning, Israeli artillery struck the Ali Taher hills, in the Nabatiye district of southern Lebanon, with white phosphorus munitions. This was reported by the Lebanese government news agency NNA, which stated that the shelling followed further shelling during the night.

White phosphorus is a form of phosphorus that burns spontaneously – on contact with air – at just over 40°. It is highly toxic. If swallowed or inhaled, it causes bone necrosis.

A group of (current and former) Palestinian students and staff members have filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, accusing the university of having engaged in discriminatory treatment of the Palestinian community on campus since the end of 2023. This is according to Reuters, citing a document filed with a New York court.

The lawsuit alleges that the university failed to protect its Palestinian members from harassment and that it targeted them through what are described as ‘unfair and biased disciplinary proceedings’.

“Everyone asks me this question. I’d love to run, but the law is strict .” This is what US President Donald Trump said when asked about a possible bid for the 2028 presidential election . “Everyone wants me to do it,” he added, speaking to journalists.

Natural gas prices on the Amsterdam TTF market have risen above 60 euros. September futures contracts are up 2.92 per cent at 60.45 euros. The previous day, the price had risen as high as 63 euros before falling to 58.8 euros following revelations by a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry regarding the ‘advanced stage’ of negotiations between Iran and Oman on the reopening of the strait. At the same time, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence spoke of a possible rapprochement between the US and Iran.

Four Iranian drones have crashed in the Iraqi province of Erbil. This was reported by the Kurdish news platform Rudaw, after it had reported that several missiles and drones had been launched from Tehran against Kurdish towns in the province. According to reports, the four drones crashed in the early hours of this morning in the districts of Soran, Khalifan and Harir.

According to two US officials, the Iranian threat that prompted US President Donald Trump to secretly leave the NATO summit in Turkey, on a plane other than Air Force One, included the possibility of a surface-to-air missile being fired at Air Force One and the Iranians’ precise knowledge of the president’s whereabouts in Ankara. This was reported by the New York Times. The threat emerged just as the tycoon was preparing to begin his final day at the NATO summit in Turkey on 8 July.

According to US officials aware of the threat, US intelligence had gathered information from various sources and knew that there was a specific threat of a surface-to-air missile against Air Force One, and that someone in the vicinity of the NATO summit had been spotted with a portable missile. Furthermore, the Iranians knew exactly where Trump was staying in Ankara, including the floor plan of the building, the officials pointed out.

Speaking to journalists, Donald Trump emphasised that he ‘does not trust Iran’ and stated that the United States has ‘full control’ of the Strait of Hormuz.

“Are you saying I trust Iran?! I’m the last person in the world to trust Iran,” the White House occupant emphasised, “They’ve lied to me time and time again. Right now, we have full control of the Strait of Hormuz… it’s ours.”

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump ha confermato di aver evitato l’uso dell’Air Force One dopo un recente vertice in Turchia perché i servizi segreti e i militari volevano che prendesse un «aereo diverso» a causa di una minaccia.

«Io seguo le indicazioni dei servizi segreti e dei militari. Volevano che prendessi un volo diverso, un aereo diverso», ha raccontato Trump a proposito del suo allontanamento furtivo dall’aereo presidenziale.

Further reading

Latest war news. Tensions rise at sea: the death toll of sailors killed in the Red Sea rises to four; the US strikes a container ship in the Gulf of Oman

11 August 2026