War, latest news. Israel bombs southern Lebanon. WSJ: ‘Iran has resumed production of ballistic missiles’

The problem is the same for everyone. The Strait of Hormuz remains a theatre of war: there are no guarantees for shipping, let alone trust. However, between the United States and the Gulf monarchies – in particular Qatar, which has no other access to the sea – two conflicting approaches to the future of Hormuz are emerging.

A few days ago, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that, within two years, the Strait would be nothing more than ‘an insignificant stretch of sea’, given the plans and efforts currently under way to strengthen land-based corridors. Bessent’s announcements – following the White House’s lead – are often scaled back shortly afterwards, as was the case with the ‘D-Day’ for sanctions against Tehran. However, that statement encapsulates the current political reasoning of the United States: if it is not possible to secure the Strait of Hormuz, we will build other routes. Any route will do, as long as trade flows. And so that the Trump administration’s great strategic failure – namely, having allowed the powder keg of the Strait to explode by attacking Iran – ceases to be a global problem. By marginalising Tehran and the Pasdaran’s power to blackmail.

Iran has resumed the production of ballistic missiles using components from its stockpiles and operating from underground facilities. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, who say that Tehran is assembling both liquid- and solid-fuelled missiles using components it had available before the war.

An Israeli attack in the north of the Gaza Strip has left at least four people dead, including two children. The bodies were taken to Shifa Hospital on Thursday, where the authorities identified the victims as a husband and wife and their two daughters, aged 8 and 12. A neighbour reported that the family were asleep when the attack struck their home.

In a statement, the Israeli army said that the air strike, which took place in Beit Lahiya, had killed a militant who had taken part in attacks against its forces. No further details were provided.

NAIROBI – The Algerian government has severed diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates, bringing to a head years of tension between the North African giant and the Gulf monarchy. Algiers spoke of ‘provocative and hostile’ actions by the UAE, without providing details or a specific casus belli for the break. Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the Emirati president, indirectly commented on the rift in a post on X. ‘Diplomatic relations are managed through rationality, communication and clarity of interests,’ wrote Gargash, ‘not through riddles and signals that require deciphering.’ The UAE ambassador was summoned by the authorities later that day, with a 48-hour ultimatum to comply with the diplomatic break initiated by Algiers.

The all-time high for the price of diesel in the United States has been broken yet again, whilst WTI crude oil has today risen back above $100 a barrel. According to the daily survey published by the American Automobile Association, the average price of diesel in the US today reached $5.9773 per gallon (up 3.5 cents on yesterday), the highest level ever recorded. The average price of petrol remains some way off its all-time high, standing at $4.2770 per gallon (up 5 cents on yesterday), compared with the peak of $5.0165 reached on 14 June 2022.

Naza is the code name used by the Israeli secret services to refer to collateral damage – that is, the civilian casualties in Gaza resulting from the Israeli army’s bombardments aimed at destroying Hamas. It is also the title of the film by Israelis Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, two of the directors from the collective that won the Oscar for No Other Land in 2025. Naza, in competition at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, produced by *The Guardian* and JW Films (Jim Wilson), in 80 minutes, and shot in a very classic documentary style, reveals the details of the systems underpinning the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, planned by Israel following the tragedy of 7 October 2023, in which Hamas killed over 1,200 Israelis, including civilians and military personnel. Rachel Szor, director of photography, is behind the camera, whilst Yuval Abraham, a journalist, interviews the witnesses.

Two people have been arrested in London on suspicion of assisting the Iranian intelligence services. According to the BBC, the pair – a 60-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman – were detained yesterday by the Metropolitan Police as part of an investigation into alleged offences under the National Security Act, the UK’s national security legislation. The pair are accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Both have been released on bail, subject to strict conditions, and are due to appear in court again at the end of October.

The spokesperson for the Yemeni Houthis, Mohammed Abdulsalam, has stated that shipping and international trade in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait remain safe and uninterrupted, whilst fighting against government forces backed by Riyadh has intensified. In a post on X, Abdulsalam stated that Yemen poses no threat to shipping and that the Houthis’ ongoing operations are defensive in nature and limited to targets previously announced. He also stated that the operations will cease once the attacks on Yemen have stopped and the blockade has been lifted.

Oil production in Saudi Arabia fell again in August, hitting its lowest level since 1990, due to the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has put pressure on the Kingdom’s export routes. The announcement made by Saudi Arabia to OPEC caused the price of crude oil to surge further: Brent crude is approaching $105, jumping 3.5 per cent to $104.8 per barrel, whilst US WTI is nearing $100 per barrel at $99.65, up 3.75 per cent

The ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is driving up global demand for coal, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today. The blockade, triggered by the war against Iran, is causing a drastic drop in supplies of liquefied natural gas and a sharp surge in prices, said the Paris-based agency.This has prompted countries with both gas-fired power stations and coal-fired generation capacity to increase electricity generation using coal. Consequently, coal consumption in markets such as Europe, Japan, South Korea and China is proving higher than initially forecast, the agency noted. Global demand for coal – which was initially forecast to fall slightly compared with the previous year – is now estimated to grow by 1.2 per cent in 2026, bringing global consumption to a record 8.94 billion tonnes. Whether this trend continues into 2027 will depend on whether the strait remains blocked, the IEA stated. In any case, the agency noted that coal prices have already risen in response to these developments.

“Next year, Tehran will be free from oppression and tyranny.” Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made this statement in a video addressed to Iran’s Jewish community, in which he also warned the Iranian leadership, declaring that “any attack against Israel, for any reason and from any location, will be met with a forceful response, including attacks on its key energy infrastructure”. Katz added: “Such a blow would set Iran back by decades and further destabilise the Ayatollahs’ regime, which the Iranian people so despise and whose downfall they so ardently desire.”

According to a Yemeni military source, in addition to Mocha, the Houthis have captured the island of Zuqar, in the southern Red Sea, “following missile strikes and a ground assault carried out with the aid of boats carrying fighters”. Some witnesses reported seeing rebel forces entering Mocha, 70 kilometres north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, chanting ‘Death to America, death to Israel’.

Iran has ordered the temporary suspension of the 10 per cent surcharge on freight transport levied on foreign vessels carrying energy products – oil, gas and liquid petroleum products – to or from Iran. This was reported by Fars, the semi-official news agency.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have captured the Yemeni city of Mocha, on the Red Sea. This is reported by international media, citing Reuters, which quotes three Yemeni government sources. The Houthis are thus moving closer to controlling the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping lanes for merchant vessels. For days now, extremely violent clashes have been taking place between the Yemeni military and pro-Iranian rebels, who are contributing to rising tensions in the Gulf by launching rocket attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.

In the last few hours, Saudi Arabia has carried out around 40 air raids in Yemen. This was stated by the Iran-backed Houthis, following fresh rebel attacks against the Kingdom. “The Saudi enemy’s air force has carried out around 40 air strikes in the last few hours in the governorates of Taiz, Hodeida, Al-Jawf and Marib,” reported Saba, the rebels’ news agency.

US President Donald Trump has threatened further attacks against Iran, specifically naming Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified site near the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.

“We’ve noticed some activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to try to be clever, because we’ll have to hit them very hard,” said Trump during a speech at the Republican convention ahead of the mid-term elections.

Key White House advisers, including Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have privately warned President Donald Trump that the conflict with Iran could drag on for the remainder of his term, until January 2029. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials who say that the possibility of a protracted war was discussed with Trump in the Oval Office and the Situation Room. This prospect contrasts with the President’s public statements; in recent hours, he has assured that the conflict will end ‘immediately’ after the November mid-term elections, because Tehran ‘cannot hold out much longer’. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is preparing for the possibility of a prolonged commitment in the Middle East: some missions have already been extended to 2027, and no date has been set for the withdrawal of certain air defence units, which form part of the approximately 50,000 US military personnel deployed in the region. Italia is also involved in the deployment: the Air Force is rotating its squadrons, with Air National Guard F-16s set to replace aircraft returning to the US base at Aviano. According to US officials, a military presence and naval blockade prolonged for years would also risk diverting resources from US forces deployed in Europe and Asia.

The Houthis in Yemen have launched ballistic missile and drone attacks against the Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha and Jazan. This was announced by the spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, Turki al-Maliki, who accused “the Houthi terrorist militia” of continuing “its brutal attacks against the Kingdom’s infrastructure and national resources”. The coalition will respond to the attacks “in a responsible manner” to protect Saudi sovereignty, infrastructure and the civilian population, al-Maliki added, specifying that any response will be carried out within the framework of the right to self-defence and in accordance with international law.

Several areas of Sirik, a town on Iran’s southern coast, have been hit by projectiles. This has been reported by Iranian state media.

The Fars news agency reported separately that there had been several explosions in Sirik and on the island of Qeshm.

Several US military aircraft were damaged in the overnight attacks on the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan. This was reported by CBS journalist Jennifer Jacobs, citing informed sources.

According to CBS News, around eight F-15 fighter jets sustained minor damage and have already returned to service.

Further reading

Israel and instability in the Sahel: why Algeria has severed ties with the UAE

10 September 2026