Iran has suggested it could deliberately prolong the war with the US until Donald Trump leaves office, in order to send a message that attacking the country has lasting consequences.
Mohammad Reza Naghdi, senior adviser to the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said dragging out the war would show any future US administration that “there is a cost” to hostile endeavours against Iran.
"We have to attain deterrence so that the enemy never dares to attack us, so we can live with security," he told PBS NewsHour.
His comments came as Iran again rejected Donald Trump’s claims that the US has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said “the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked” and it will not be opened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.
Trump earlier said that “praise be to Allah”, Washington has “total control over the Strait of Hormuz", adding: "I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!”
Amid their conflicting claims, data from trade intelligence firm Kpler showed shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was near a three-month low.
Just 13 vessels transited the waterway on Tuesday, around 90 per cent below the pre-war daily average.
Key Points
- Iran says it could prolong war until Trump leaves office
- Iran disputes Trump claims of ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz
- Trump’s Iran approval plunges 24 points among voters
- US strikes targeting Houthis killed 153 civilians in Yemen last year, Pentagon review says
- Iran slams France for 'lecturing the world about human rights'
Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control, says Fars news
08:50 , Maira Butt
The head of Iran’s paramilitary Basij unit, Hossein Taeb, has said that the Strait of Hormuz is “under Iran’s control and management” on Thursday, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.
It comes a day after President Donald Trump declared “total control” of the vital shipping route.
Iran says it could prolong war until Trump leaves office
08:21 , Shweta Sharma
A senior adviser to the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Tehran could deliberately prolong the war until US President Donald Trump leaves office, in an effort to wear down its adversaries and deter future attacks.
Mohammad Reza Naghdi told PBS NewsHour that extending the conflict could impose a cost on any future US administration considering military action against Iran.
"We have to attain deterrence so that the enemy never dares to attack us, so we can live with security," he said.
Naghdi also defended Iranian attacks on civilian vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran needed to control shipping routes during wartime.
He said vessels passing through areas controlled by Iran could be viewed as a threat if they were suspected of carrying supplies for the enemy.
"When we are at war, vessels need to pass through a region we can control," he said. "When they leave an area that we control, it could be that they're transporting supplies for the enemy."
Asked whether attacking civilian ships violated international law, Naghdi said Iran had the right to control routes it considered threatening during a war.
US forces confirm continued blockade in Hormuz
08:00 , Shweta Sharma
US Central Command said its forces have redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two as part of enforcement of its “steel wall blockade” against Iran.
The latest update comes as shipping traffic remains low through the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides continuing to make contradictory claims over control of the waterway.
Centcom said the figures were as of Wednesday as an F/A-18 fighter jet launched from the USS George HW Bush in regional waters.
An F/A-18 fighter jet launches from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) while the ship sails in regional waters and supports enforcement of America’s 🇺🇸 steel wall blockade against Iran. As of Aug. 12, U.S. forces have redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and… pic.twitter.com/dH4BBshoTE
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 12, 2026
UK economy grew by 0.4% in second quarter as Iran war prompts slowdown
07:35 , Shweta Sharma
Economic growth in the UK slowed between April and June, as the fallout from Donald Trump’s war on Iran put strain on global finances.
The UK economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the second quarter of the year, according to the Office for National Statistics, down from 0.6 per cent in the first quarter.
Its data showed growth of 0.3 per cent month-on-month in June, against expectations for a flat performance, as the ONS said firms across the service sector reported buoyant trade thanks to extreme hot weather and the start of the World Cup football tournament.
UK economy grew by 0.4% in second quarter as Iran war prompts slowdown
Desperate US sailors trying to jump overboard on extended Middle East deployment, families say
07:30 , Shweta Sharma
Desperate sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have tried to jump overboard during an extended deployment in the Middle East, their families say.
The aircraft carrier, crewed by around 5,000 sailors and Marines, has been deployed since November 21 but more lately has been supporting U.S. military operations in the war with Iran. The deployment had been expected to end in May but has been extended with no current return date, families told The Military Times.
Annabelle Loma, the wife of a sailor serving on the Abraham Lincoln, told the publication her husband is now on medical hold after trying to jump from the carrier.
US sailors trying to jump overboard amid Middle East deployment, families say
ICJP calls on UK to sanction trade with Israeli settlements
07:15 , Shweta Sharma
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has written to Middle East minister Stephen Doughty calling on the UK government to impose targeted sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The group said Doughty’s recent condemnation of settlement expansion must be accompanied by “concrete measures”, arguing that sanctions are needed to bring the UK in line with its obligations under international law.
ICJP pointed to Israel’s approval of plans for 13 new settlements in the West Bank and more than £300m in funding announced for settlement construction as evidence of an accelerating expansion of the settlement enterprise.
The group also cited growing calls within the UK for action, including a June letter signed by 140 Labour MPs urging a ban on trade with Israeli settlements.
Órlaith Roe, ICJP’s public affairs and communications officer, said sanctions were “the bare minimum” required to uphold international law and urged Doughty to act without delay.
US gas prices hit their highest mark ever for mid August as Trump’s Iran war drags on
07:01 , Graig Graziosi
US gas prices on Wednesday hit their highest-ever price for this point in the year, according to GasBuddy.
Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, reported in a post on X that gas prices have never gone above $4 per gallon after August 12 in any year.
On Wednesday morning, the average fuel price was just over $4 per gallon. The last time fuel cost nearly that much around mid-August was in 2022, when the national average gas price was $3.98 per gallon.
Read on...
Gas prices hit their highest mark ever for mid August as Trump’s Iran war drags on
X suspends Houthi spokesman's account
06:40 , Shweta Sharma
X has suspended the account of Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The account, which had more than 121,000 followers, now displays a notice saying it was suspended for violating the platform’s rules.
Saree regularly used it to announce Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, as well as operations targeting Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Iran says 'no talk of an extension' of 60 day ceasefire
06:30 , Shweta Sharma
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
The comments were a further blow to hopes of a swift resolution to the crisis, following attacks on shipping in the region on Tuesday that pushed oil prices higher.
"One of the issues that is being discussed via mediators is the US returning to the interim agreement and defining a timeframe for implementing the commitments. There has been absolutely no progress on this issue," the Iranian source said.
The Iranian source dismissed a report on Wednesday from Turkey's Anadolu news agency that quoted Pakistani government sources as saying they had agreed to extend that 60-day period.
"There is no talk of an extension because, from Iran’s perspective, there is no period that began and therefore nothing to extend. The United States violated the interim agreement 48 hours after it was reached and withdrew from it a few days later," the source told Reuters.
Both Iran and the United States have stepped up rhetoric in the past two days.
Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless the US accepted Iran's conditions to end the war.
That followed a new demand from Trump on Monday that Iran should pay compensation for people killed in 50 years of wars, attacks and protests.
Trump defends secret flight swap after using Air Force One as decoy: ‘The plane I flew on was at greater risk’
06:13 , Shweta Sharma
President Donald Trump has defended a ruse that saw him stow away in an airport catering container to slip into another plane while Air Force One, filled with staff, and reporters, essentially worked as an unwitting decoy.
Trump was sent into the sky out of Turkey in the second plane after a recent summit in Turkey because the Secret Service and military wanted him on a “different plane” due to a threat from Iran.
”I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that they would be more likely to go for.”
Trump defends secret Air Force One swap: ‘The plane I flew on was at greater risk’
Trump’s Iran approval plunges 24 points among voters
06:02 , James Reynolds
A cable TV polling expert claims that numbers from two surveys conducted two years apart show just how deeply President Donald Trump has disappointed America's voters when it comes to Iran.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said Tuesday that a July 2024 poll of people who were extremely motivated to vote in that year’s presidential election found that 53 percent were confident Trump would be able to handle the situation in Iran, according to a video clip posted online.
But a July poll of people extremely motivated to vote in November's midterm elections shows that just 29 percent now approve of how Trump is actually handling Iran, Enten said.
Just 29% of expected midterm voters say they approve of Trump’s handling of Iran
US strikes targeting Houthis killed 153 civilians in Yemen last year, Pentagon review says
05:57 , Shweta Sharma
More than 150 civilians were killed in US airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen last year, according to a Pentagon review of the attacks, which comes as concerns rise over civilian casualties during military campaigns under the Trump administration.
The unclassified assessment was sent to Congress as part of an annual report on civilian casualties, according to NBC and AP reports.
A Pentagon official, who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the department will submit the report in the coming months but had nothing more to announce.
Most casualties occurred in three major strikes in April 2025, including one that targeted hostile forces in or near Yemen's rebel-held capital city of Sanaa as well as the Ras Isa port, the report said.
As many as 80 people and 171 others were injured. It sent massive fireballs billowing skyward and turned tanker trucks into burning wrecks.
Iran knew key details of Trump’s hotel in Turkey, leading to plane switcheroo - report
05:00 , James Reynolds
U.S. intelligence officials reportedly identified threats from Iranian surface-to-air missiles and a potential shoulder-fired missile before President Donald Trump secretly swapped planes after leaving last month’s NATO summit in Turkey.
Iranians also knew specifically where the president was staying during the Ankara trip, down to the floor of the building, according to officials who spoke to The New York Times.
Read the full report:
Iranian shoulder-fired missile launcher sparked Trump plane switch: report
Iran slams France for 'lecturing the world about human rights'
04:45 , Shweta Sharma
The Iranian foreign minister has criticised France and other Western nations for what it said was “hypocrisy” over comments condemning Tehran’s handling of internal dissent in the country while not taking meaningful action on Israel’s abuses in the Middle East.
“Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about ‘human rights’ and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing,” Abbas Aragchi wrote on X.
“Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza – and aggression against Iran – has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had.”
France on Wednesday confirmed that the EU and 20 other nations have released a joint statement condemning Iran’s killings of protesters.
The countries demanded Tehran take meaningful steps towards ensuring respect for human rights, end the use of the death penalty and release those arbitrarily detained.
Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about “human rights” and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) August 13, 2026
Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza—and aggression against Iran—has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had.
Rubio and Bessent stayed on decoy flight from Turkey as Trump switched planes, official says
04:25 , Shweta Sharma
The two most senior members of president Donald Trump's Cabinet, secretary of state Marco Rubio and treasury secretary Scott Bessent, flew out of last month's Nato summit in Turkey on what was effectively a decoy plane following an Iranian threat, while Trump was secretly moved to a smaller military jet, a senior US official said Wednesday.
The official, who was briefed on the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details of presidential travel, said Rubio was aware of the switch and details of the threat behind it but could or would not say why he had stayed on the plane.
The official said Bessent was likely aware but did not know for sure.
The official, however, noted that security precautions for the president – especially one who has been the target of several assassination attempts – are more robust than those for even top members of the Cabinet.
Trump had flown to the annual gathering of Nato country leaders in Ankara, Turkey, in a new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet.
But ahead of departing Turkey, he said he would fly partway home on an older-model baby blue Air Force One plane instead.
The New York Times and CBS News had reported last month that intelligence officials had raised concerns about a potential attack on the president or his jet, triggering additional precautions and the decision not to use the newly inaugurated aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar for the first leg of Trump's trip home from Ankara.
Comment: Trump’s ‘Catering Truck One’ escape was truly brave – if he’d got stuck, he’d have had to eat his way out
04:00 , James Reynolds
Not since Boris Johnson hid in an industrial refrigerator have we witnessed such James Bond-like agility from a world leader, says Sean O’Grady:
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TACO Trump’s ‘Catering Truck One’ escape shows exactly how chicken he is
Iran disputes Trump claims of ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz
03:55 , Shweta Sharma
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and it will not be opened until Iran’s conditions are accepted despite repeated claims by the US that the waterway has reopened.
“The successive claims and tweets by American officials about lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality; the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.” it posted on X.
Catch up: Trump defends secret Air Force One plane swap amid growing backlash
03:00 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump has defended a ruse that saw him stow away in an airport catering container to slip into another plane while Air Force One, filled with staff, and reporters, essentially worked as an unwitting decoy.
Trump was sent into the sky out of Turkey in the second plane after a recent summit in Turkey because the Secret Service and military wanted him on a “different plane” due to a threat from Iran.
”I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that they would be more likely to go for.”
Trump defends secret Air Force One swap: ‘The plane I flew on was at greater risk’
Recap: Oil stockpiles ‘rapidly depleting’ despite Trump claiming ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz
02:00 , James Reynolds
A global energy watchdog has warned in a new report that oil stockpiles are “rapidly depleting”, as it urged for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Although the market is projected to return to surplus towards the end of this year, risks remain substantial and the urgency of reopening the Strait has increased, as previously available inventory buffers are rapidly depleting,” the International Energy Agency wrote in a new report.
The agency said that supply is expected to fall by 4.3 mb/d (million barrels per day) in 2026 due to losses in the Middle East and Russia. It comes despite Donald Trump’s unfounded claim that US forces “totally control the Strait of Hormuz”.
“Nobody else, only us [controls it],” he said. “At some point, maybe they'll do something and then they get blown away.”
US war impact: Inflation slowed last month as gas prices fell but costs remain elevated
01:00 , James Reynolds
Inflation in the United States slowed last month alongside a cooling in underlying price pressures, indicating that elevated oil and gas costs driven by the Iran war have had a limited effect on wider economic prices so far.
According to Labor Department data released Wednesday, consumer prices grew 3.4% year-over-year in July, representing a minor decrease from June's 3.5% rate. Inflation remains above its pre-war level of 2.4% recorded in February. Month-over-month, prices edged up by only 0.1% between June and July.
The latest:
Inflation slowed last month as gas prices fell but costs remain elevated
Watch: Trump addresses plane switch on Secret Service instructions
Thursday 13 August 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Full report: Oil price moves higher as insurers hold back FTSE
Wednesday 12 August 2026 23:00 , Alex Croft
The FTSE 100 closed lower on Tuesday with gains in oil stocks, amid ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, offset by caution ahead of US inflation data and weak insurers.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 18.31 points, 0.2%, at 10,844.19.
The FTSE 250 ended up 55.21 points, 0.2%, at 24,799.75, while the Aim All-Share closed up 3.19 points, 0.4%, at 799.57.
Oil prices pushed up once more, touching 90 dollars (£66) a barrel early in the session, with the US and Iran appearing to not make much progress towards a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Read our full update on oil prices here:
Oil price moves higher as insurers hold back FTSE
Gulf oil spill fast becoming worst in years, agencies warn
Wednesday 12 August 2026 22:00 , James Reynolds
A vast oil spill in the Gulf is quickly becoming one of the world’s worst in years after being allowed to spread almost unchecked for weeks, according to international agencies, satellite imagery and environmental groups.
The slick off the coast of Oman from a grounded tanker carrying Russian crude had reportedly reached the mainland by Wednesday, the UN’s shipping agency said.
The slick now covers an area of more than 2,000 square km, said John Amos, an oil spill specialist who reviewed satellite imagery obtained by Reuters.
The Caroline Bezengi, carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian oil and under international sanctions, ran aground on June 30 at an Omani island that is part of a marine nature reserve.
The ship first reported difficulties off Yemen on June 8. Maritime sources said a blast appeared to have occurred aboard the Caroline Bezengi.
No party has claimed an attack, but the vessel was navigating two separate wars on its journey from Russia to India.
Karoline Leavitt quits job as White House press secretary, Trump announces
Wednesday 12 August 2026 21:58 , James Reynolds
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is stepping down from her role at the end of August, a surprise announcement after her return to the White House less than a month ago following maternity leave.
Leavitt “will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect,” President Donald Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social.
Trump’s combative spokesperson will be one of the president’s “top outside advisors,” he added, “and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections.”
Karoline Leavitt quits job as White House press secretary, Trump announces
Desperate US sailors trying to jump overboard on extended Middle East deployment, families say
Wednesday 12 August 2026 21:00 , James Reynolds
Desperate sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have tried to jump overboard during an extended deployment in the Middle East, their families say.
The aircraft carrier, crewed by around 5,000 sailors and Marines, has been deployed since November 21 but more lately has been supporting U.S. military operations in the war with Iran. The deployment had been expected to end in May but has been extended with no current return date, families told The Military Times.
Annabelle Loma, the wife of a sailor serving on the Abraham Lincoln, told the publication her husband is now on medical hold after trying to jump from the carrier.
US sailors trying to jump overboard amid Middle East deployment, families say
Trump’s secret escape from Air Force One turns into memes
Wednesday 12 August 2026 20:00 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump’s covert departure from Turkey aboard an aircraft other than Air Force One has triggered a wave of AI-generated memes and jokes online.
The president quietly left the country on a military aircraft on 8 July, even as the White House maintained that he was traveling aboard Air Force One, The Washington Post reported Monday.
An elaborate maneuver, also reported by The New York Times, quickly became fodder for social media users, who imagined the president squeezed into everything from a catering cart to a laundry bin.
Here’s the latest:
Trump’s secret escape from Air Force One turns into memes and jokes for social media
Just 29% of expected midterm voters say they approve of Trump’s handling of Iran
Wednesday 12 August 2026 19:00 , James Reynolds
A cable TV polling expert claims that numbers from two surveys conducted two years apart show just how deeply President Donald Trump has disappointed America's voters when it comes to Iran.
CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said Tuesday that a July 2024 poll of people who were extremely motivated to vote in that year’s presidential election found that 53 percent were confident Trump would be able to handle the situation in Iran, according to a video clip posted online.
But a July poll of people extremely motivated to vote in November's midterm elections shows that just 29 percent now approve of how Trump is actually handling Iran, Enten said.
Just 29% of expected midterm voters say they approve of Trump’s handling of Iran
'Credible threat' AF1 could be targeted by shoulder-fired missile - report
Wednesday 12 August 2026 18:01 , James Reynolds
A threat that Air Force One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile prompted the Secret Service to secretly move President Donald Trump onto an unmarked government jet during a trip to Turkey last month, a person briefed on the matter said on Wednesday.
The threat emerged on the final day of Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit amid heightened tensions with Iran, the source told Reuters.
The Secret Service deemed the threat to be credible and imminent, prompting an extraordinary operation to conceal the U.S. president's movements.
The source declined to say where the intelligence came from.
Catch up: Trump demands compensation from Iran in snub to six-point ultimatum
Wednesday 12 August 2026 18:00 , James Reynolds
UK among states considered to verify Hezbollah disarmament - report
Wednesday 12 August 2026 17:00 , James Reynolds
Israel and Lebanon have agreed on Britain, Italy, Switzerland and Indonesia as potential contributors to a proposed mechanism that could see foreign troops deployed to Lebanon to verify Hezbollah's disarmament, people familiar with the matter said.
The shortlist emerged from US-mediated talks in Rome last week, the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on implementing a June agreement that ties Israel's phased withdrawal from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The countries could help define the mechanism's scope, provide personnel to oversee its implementation or contribute troops to observe or take part in inspections verifying disarmament, three sources said.
A Lebanese official told Reuters on Friday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed on a list of potential countries that could send troops to verify disarmament, but declined to identify them, saying the US would decide which of them would take part.
The Israeli prime minister's office, the Lebanese presidency and the British, Italian, and Indonesian foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Switzerland's foreign ministry had no immediate comment.
Tui profits dip as travellers avoid flying during Middle East conflict
Wednesday 12 August 2026 16:00 , James Reynolds
Holiday operator Tui has seen its quarterly earnings drop sharply as cautious consumers continue to delay booking their trips until the last minute amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Iran war.
Pre-tax profits for Europe’s largest travel company fell 43 per cent to €153.4 million (£131 million) during its third quarter to the end of June.
The business was hit by escalating fuel costs caused by the Middle East conflict, alongside pressure to drop prices due to subdued demand and heightened competition.
Tui profits dip as travellers avoid flying during Middle East conflict
In full: Trump suggests US could 'keep' Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:44 , James Reynolds
In his latest rant on Truth Social, Donald Trump suggested the US could “keep” the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has been negotiating with Oman over the future control of the waterway, which was unconstrained before the US and Israel attacked in February.
With Iran now demanding compensation from the US before they release their hold on the strait, Trump has publicly insisting the US is still in control.
Trump says US may "keep" Strait of Hormuz in latest rant
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:39 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump has doubled down on his assertion that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and may “keep it” as Iran insists on compensation to reopen the vital waterway.
“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz, I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!” the US president said on Wednesday afternoon.
“Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, “A WALL OF STEEL,” and there is nothing Iran can do about it.”
He went on: “They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their “Leadership” is uncertain, at best! They have No Money - Their country is “shot.” All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse!
“Iran is all talk and no action, the Bully of the Middle East No Longer. Praise be to Allah! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Hitmen, personal toilets and secret plane swaps: The foreign plots to kill Donald Trump
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:30 , Maira Butt
he world’s most powerful and polarising politician will inevitably attract threats from his opponents. Donald Trump has faced several credible assassination plots since returning to office, partly triggered by a more aggressive foreign policy approach in his second term.
Just this week it emerged that the US leader was smuggled out of Air Force One in a catering truck to escape an Iranian assassination threat when he visited the Nato summit in Ankara last month.
Trump has faced several attempts on his life within his own country too, including during his election campaign in 2024 and during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April this year.
Below we look at all the credible threats the president has faced from foreign-affiliated actors.
Hitmen, personal toilets and secret plane swaps: The foreign plots to kill Trump
EU and other nations joint in condemning Iran's executions of protestors
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:12 , James Reynolds
The EU and 26 countries condemned Iran's executions of protesters in a joint statement, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday.
The countries called on Iran to listen to its people, take meaningful steps toward ensuring respect for human rights, immediately end use of the death penalty and release those arbitrarily detained.
Desperate US sailors trying to jump overboard on extended Middle East deployment, families say
Wednesday 12 August 2026 15:01 , Alex Croft
Desperate sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have tried to jump overboard during an extended deployment in the Middle East, their families say.
The aircraft carrier, crewed by around 5,000 sailors and Marines, has been deployed since November 21 but more lately has been supporting U.S. military operations in the war with Iran. The deployment had been expected to end in May but has been extended with no current return date, families told The Military Times.
Annabelle Loma, the wife of a sailor serving on the Abraham Lincoln, told the publication her husband is now on medical hold after trying to jump from the carrier.
“He’s scared,” Loma said. “He thinks he’ll get a dishonorable discharge and, just because he was burnt out, his 13-year career is ruined, just like that.”
Read more here:
US sailors trying to jump overboard amid Middle East deployment, families say
Israel criticised at UN meeting over West Bank violence
Wednesday 12 August 2026 14:30 , Alex Croft
Five European nations on the Security Council called a meeting as Britain's new UN ambassador Sarah MacIntosh condemned escalating violence across the West Bank, calling settler attacks on Palestinian villages, some alongside Israeli soldiers, "appalling".
Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour said Israeli annexation of Palestinian territory is already "underway - brutally and relentlessly".
He urged international action to chart a path for Palestinian self-determination and "freedom."
Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon responded by saying: "Israel condemns all violence against Israelis and Palestinians" and "does not tolerate extremism — we confront it".
Danon said "extremist attacks" by Israelis are declining and accused council members of ignoring "rising" attacks by Palestinians.
Pakistan says three sailors killed in Red Sea attack
Wednesday 12 August 2026 13:29 , Alex Croft
At least three Pakistani nationals were killed in an attack on a ship in the Red Sea, the foreign ministry said.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a non-combatant commercial vessel,” the foreign minister said on X.
The alleged attack comes as Iran-backed Houthis have been accused of increasing attacks on vessels near the waters of Yemen.
No discussions to extend Iran-US ceasefire, says senior source
Wednesday 12 August 2026 13:00 , Alex Croft
Iran and the US have not held discussions to extend the ceasefire, a senior Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday.
The source said to was because, from Tehran's perspective, the deal had no start date and therefore there was nothing to extend.
US ambassador claims Iranian regime weakest since 1979
Wednesday 12 August 2026 12:31 , Alex Croft
The US ambassador to Israel has claimed that the Iranian regime is the "weakest they have been since they took over in 1979” amid Donald Trump's war on Tehran.
“The operation between the United States and Israel did an enormous level of damage,” Mike Huckabee told Newsmax, praising the US president's bid to “bankrupt them”.
