President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
His statement comes as the US and Iran paused their attacks for a second straight day Sunday, as efforts continued to bring them back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire.
Waltz also told CBS that dialogue with Iran was “continuing at every level, from working-level staff to the highest ranks”. CNN previously cited a source to say Trump’s military operations were “on a hold.”
Meanwhile, an oil tanker exploded after hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency said.
Tasnim said the tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway. There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
Oman and Iran had reportedly taken part in “productive” talks surrounding the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Key Points
- Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
- Oil slips 5% as US and Iran pause fighting
- Oil tanker explodes after hitting mine in Hormuz
- Oman-Iran talks over Strait of Hormuz were 'productive', says Tehran
- UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
- Iran accuses Ukraine of attacking its commercial vessel in Caspian Sea
Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
He told Fox News that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
Asked whether Trump had decided against escalation, Waltz told NBC: "I wouldn't go that far at all. The president is keeping all options on the table."
Iran accuses US of protecting Netanyahu from prosecution
04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran's deputy foreign minister has accused the US of protecting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu from the International Criminal Court.
Kazem Gharibabadi said Netanyahu, who has an arrest warrant issued against him by the ICC, claimed that the US secretary of state promised to take action against the court.
"They call the ICC 'corrupt' because it dared to pursue Washington's preferred criminal," Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X.
Oil slips 5% as US and Iran pause fighting
04:19 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices tumbled 5 per cent this morning after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend after two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that would de-escalate the conflict.
Brent crude futures fell $4.89, or 5.05 per cent, to $91.89 after briefly slipping under the key support level of $90 earlier in the session.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.64 a barrel, down $4.67, or 5.23 per cent.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
03:58 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Americans are not buying Donald Trump’s predictions that the Iran war is nearing its end, nor do they believe that Iran has lost the will or the means to keep fighting.
And one of his top advisers is no longer sticking to that timeline, either.
UN ambassador Mike Waltz appeared on NBC, and unlike other senior Trump administration officials who’ve appeared on the Sunday circuit previously, the ambassador would not commit to the war ending before the end of 2026.
"I'm not going to put some kind of timeline on it,” said Waltz.
More here.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
U.S. gas prices will continue climbing for weeks — and maybe months — due to the resumption of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, experts warn.
Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said Friday on social media that while oil prices were “taking a breather for today” after recently surging by $20 a barrel, he’s still expecting the national average cost of a gallon of gas to soon reach $4.20 to $4.30.
Read more here:
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Recap: US pauses attacks on Iran for a second day
01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US paused its its attacks on Iran for a second day on Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too.
It was not clear why the US has paused attacks after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions.
“President Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
“It would be wise for Iran to work toward a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen.”
Since the US has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday.
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Monday 27 July 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Saturday that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, said in a prerecorded statement that the attack targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense said alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities, but the Kingdom hasn't commented further.
Read more here:
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Watch: Trump inflates Vietnam war dead number by 142,000 as he defends Iran deaths
Sunday 26 July 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Israel’s Netanyahu welcomes ICC prosecutor’s removal
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the removal of International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan.
In a post on X Netanyahu said: “I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. This decision exposes the truth.”
Karim Khan, was removed from office after the court’s governing body concluded in June that he had committed serious misconduct in connection to allegations of sexual abuse.
Khan has repeatedly denied all the allegations against him.
In May 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 26, 2026
This decision exposes the truth.
Karim Khan was accused of sexually harassing women who worked under him.
It was precisely as… pic.twitter.com/0wDsGE2ND5
Republican senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
A prominent GOP senator is splitting with Donald Trump over his plans for a controversial nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, the latest sign that the White House’s Middle East policy is dividing the Republican Party.
The deal signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright is designed to streamline the development of a civilian nuclear program for Saudi Arabia, which does not currently possess nuclear weapons and is considered one of the U.S.’s main strategic allies in the region. Just hours later, Trump himself confirmed that the normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a factor on which the deal was contingent.
Now, a key Republican senator who has previously stopped from going as far as publicly condemning the president’s Middle East strategy is doing just that.
Read more here:
GOP senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Watch: Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US has released new footage of forces boarding a commercial tanker in Iran as the blockade continues.
The US military said it boarded a tanker in the Arabian Sea on Saturday (July 25) as part of its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to reports.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said US forces have so far redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled two vessels that failed to comply, and boarded two ships for verification.
A Centcom spokesman said: “American forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Pope Leo calls for attacks in Middle East to stop
Sunday 26 July 2026 20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pope Leo XIV has renewed his called for peace in the Middle East, warning against escalating violence that is endangering lives.
“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” he said in a post on X.
“At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion,” he added.
I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the #HolyLand, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 26, 2026
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Sunday 26 July 2026 19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
An oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a naval mine.
The tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway, Iran's `semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
US pauses attacks on Iran for a second day
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US paused its its attacks on Iran for a second day on Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too.
It was not clear why the US has paused attacks after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions.
“President Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
“It would be wise for Iran to work toward a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen.”
Since the US has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday.
Whale 'supergroups' show numbers are rebounding from hunting. But Iran war holds dangers for them
Sunday 26 July 2026 17:30 , Maira Butt
A South African couple found themselves in a rare situation when they witnessed a humpback whale “supergroup” consisting of nearly 300 of the giant marine mammals gathering together.
It's an indication, scientists say, of how some whale species numbers have strongly rebounded in the southern hemisphere oceans decades after an international whale hunting ban came into effect in 1986.
Chris and Monique Fallows said they were used to seeing bigger and bigger groups of humpback whales off the west coast of South Africa but weren't prepared for what they saw one morning last December. Plumes of whale breath and spray burst into the air one after the other from blowholes, and the husband and wife found their boat in the midst of what's known as a supergroup.
Whale 'supergroups' show numbers are rebounding from hunting. But Iran war holds dangers for them
Watch: Trump says Iran war 'going extremely well' but warns regime has 'evil intentions'
Sunday 26 July 2026 17:00 , Maira Butt
Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the waterway
Sunday 26 July 2026 16:30 , Maira Butt
Port operator DP World is in talks to develop new facilities in the coastal area of Fujairah to take pressure off its flagship Jebel Ali port, according to the Financial Times.
Jebel Ali, built in 1977, has made the UAE a hub of finance and trade, but weeks ago it was set alight by a piece of fallen debris from an Iranian missile. Since then, Dubai International Airport, US military bases and other facilities have come under direct attack.
The UAE has been the hardest hit of all the Gulf countries with the FT reporting that almost 3,000 drones and missiles have hit it since US-Israeli attacks began on Iran on 28 February.
How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the Strait of Hormuz
UN Ambassador claims Iranian government can no longer afford to pay its military
Sunday 26 July 2026 16:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
UN Ambassador Mike Waltz has claimed the Iranian government can no longer afford to pay its own workers or military.
Speaking on Fox News he said: "What you have seen in the last 13 days are strikes particularly focused on Iran's terrorist activities; attacking civilian shipping... the Iranian regime is isolated, economically devastated, militarily devastated... and we're starting to see the Iranian government even not be able to pay its own workers, and even its own military."
Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the waterway
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:45 , Maira Butt
Port operator DP World is in talks to develop new facilities in the coastal area of Fujairah to take pressure off its flagship Jebel Ali port, according to the Financial Times.
Jebel Ali, built in 1977, has made the UAE a hub of finance and trade, but weeks ago it was set alight by a piece of fallen debris from an Iranian missile. Since then, Dubai International Airport, US military bases and other facilities have come under direct attack.
The UAE has been the hardest hit of all the Gulf countries with the FT reporting that almost 3,000 drones and missiles have hit it since US-Israeli attacks began on Iran on 28 February.
How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the Strait of Hormuz
US naval blockade in 'full effect' as troops board tankers
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:30 , Maira Butt
US Central Command has said that an American blockade is still in “full effect” as it shared details of measures taken to ensure compliance.
“The US naval blockade against Iran remains in full effect,” read a statement released late on Saturday.
:As of July 25, CENTCOM has redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 2 that didn't comply, and boarded 2 to ensure total compliance.
“Earlier today, U.S. forces completed a verification boarding aboard Comoros-flagged M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea, and the tanker is now continuing its journey. CENTCOM forces disabled Mozambique-flagged M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman, July 24, after the crew attempted to violate the blockade multiple times and ignored repeated warnings.
“The ship is no longer transiting to Iran. American forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
Iranian oil minister says it sold $18 billion of oil during war and ceasefire
Sunday 26 July 2026 15:00 , Maira Butt
Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said Iran sold $11.5 billion worth of oil during the war and a further $6.5 billion during a ceasefire, when lower risks to tanker traffic helped increase exports and enabled the sale of part of around 100 million barrels of stored crude oil and gas condensate.
The sales generated more than 60 per cent of the oil revenue forecast in Iran's annual budget, Paknejad said.
Netanyahu to meet Trump on Monday
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:30 , Maira Butt
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to travel to the US on Monday to meet president Donald Trump at the White House and attend the funeral of senator Lindsey Graham.
“Tomorrow I will travel to Washington to meet, at his invitation, with President Trump,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“After that, I will participate in a ceremony honouring a great friend of Israel, Senator Lindsey Graham.
“I must say that he has been one of Israel's greatest friends since the establishment of the state, and it is only fitting that we pay him this honour. I will meet with President Trump to discuss all the issues currently on the agenda, including the situation in Iran.”
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Sunday 26 July 2026 14:06 , Maira Butt
The future of the global economy once again rests on an 100-mile strip of water sandwiched between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
Each side blames the other for violating the ceasefire – and it all comes down to a single shipping lane.
Read the full story below
How a vague clause in Trump’s peace deal led to anarchy in the Strait of Hormuz
Why are there two shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz?
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:55 , Maira Butt
An oil tanker appears to have exploded after hitting a mine whilst travelling through a non-Iranian approved route in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
The vital waterway is made up of two shipping corridors. One is a southern passage that runs along the Omani coast, which was traditionally used for inbound ships.
The second lane, generally for outbound vessels, runs along the Iranian coast. Throughout the conflict, the corridors have been used for both inbound and outbound commercial traffic.
In the days leading up to Iran’s attacks this week, tensions had been mounting as commercial traffic appeared to increase through the route along the Omani coast.
Iran said that any ships not using its approved route would face an “immediate and powerful response” and the IRGC has used various techniques, including small boats “swarming” commercial vessels.
Oil tanker explodes after hitting mine in Hormuz
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:41 , Maira Butt
An oil tanker has exploded after hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency said on Sunday.
Tasnim said the tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway. There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
Watch: Dramatic footage shows US forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:30 , Maira Butt
Iran says Ukrainian attack on vessel in Caspian Sea killed sailor
Sunday 26 July 2026 13:00 , Maira Butt
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned on Saturday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying it resulted in an explosion that killed one sailor and injured another.
Throughout the war in Ukraine, Kyiv has had to counter Iranian-designed drones deployed by Moscow. Kyiv has offered its drone interception expertise to countries in the Middle East that have suffered strikes from Iran.
Tehran described the attack on its vessel as an act of aggression and said it would defend its national interests and security, while accusing Kyiv of seeking to expand the war in Ukraine.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran to convey its protest over what it described as a "hostile and criminal" attack, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
The Iranian denunciation coincided with comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Kyiv had noted Russia was passing on its satellite observations in the Middle East to Iran to enable it to direct strikes in the region.
Zelensky had earlier said that Ukraine's forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iranian-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea.
Russian satellites helping Tehran direct strikes in Middle East, says Zelensky
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:30 , Maira Butt
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia was passing on its satellite observations in the Middle East to Iran to enable it to direct strikes in the region.
“Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and US military facilities located there. These images subsequently appear in Iran,” Zelensky said in comments on X.
“At the same time, there is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes – both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to assess the damage inflicted.”
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Sunday 26 July 2026 12:00 , Maira Butt
Wes Streeting says UK 'ready to respond' to Iran attacks after threats
Sunday 26 July 2026 11:30 , Maira Butt
British defence secretary Wes Streeting has said the UK is not intimated by Tehran’s “sabre-rattling” after the IRGC warned the country could become a “definite and legitimate target” if it supports the US.
“We stand ready to respond to any attacks Iran wishes to wage against this country or our allies and we will continue to do that,” he told the BBC.
“I think we shouldn't put too much stock in the sabre-rattling of Iran, and we certainly shouldn't be intimidated by what the regime has said this week.”
Why a new Houthi threat could widen the Iran war and cut off another key oil supply
Sunday 26 July 2026 11:00 , Maira Butt
While Saudi Arabia, a host nation for US forces, has not yet formally requested military assistance from Washington, Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that any Houthi obstruction of shipping in the Red Sea – a crucial corridor for global trade – could draw the United States into the conflict. "If something like that happens, we'll take care of it. We've done that with the Houthis before," he told reporters.
Why a new Houthi threat could widen the Iran war and cut off another key oil supply
The four Iranian nuclear plants in Trump’s sights after president’s threat to hit Pickaxe Mountain
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:30 , Maira Butt
With the US-Iran ceasefire in tatters, Donald Trump has issued new threats against Tehran’s nuclear facilities in what would represent a significant escalation in the conflict.
The president’s latest target is Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, or “Pickaxe Mountain,” a suspected underground facility that lies on the south side of Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment site, one of those bombed by the US and Israel in June 2025.
Named Operation Midnight Hammer, the countries launched a series of attacks on several nuclear and military facilities more than one year ago. as part of a long-running ambition to thwart Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme.
The Iranian nuclear plants in Trump’s sights after threat to Pickaxe Mountain
Wes Streeting declines to say whether he trusts Donald Trump
Sunday 26 July 2026 10:00 , Maira Butt
Britain would be target if it supports US in war, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:30 , Maira Butt
A spokesperson for Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that Britain would become a "definite and legitimate target" if it supported the US in any war with Tehran, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
The spokesperson said any country, including Britain and Gulf states, that backed the US in a conflict would be considered a legitimate target, adding that US bombers had recently used British airfields.
Iran war spreads to Red Sea and Caspian, Gulf quiet as US forgoes strikes
Sunday 26 July 2026 09:00 , Maira Butt
The Iran war broadened over the weekend despite a pause in US strikes, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast and Iran accused Ukraine of targeting one of its vessels in the Caspian Sea.
The U.S. military said on Saturday its naval blockade against Iran "remains in full effect" but did not explain why it halted a streak of 13 nights of escalating strikes.
There were also no weekend reports of attacks by Iran on neighbours, similar to its daily rejoinders to the US attacks.
Asked about the pause, a senior official in President Donald Trump's administration said Trump "has always been clear that his preference is diplomacy, but he has shown Iran what will happen if they fail to come to the table in a serious way."
US military boards tanker in Arabian Sea
Sunday 26 July 2026 08:15 , Namita Singh
The US military said it boarded a tanker in the Arabian Sea on Saturday as part of its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to reports.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said US forces have so far redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled two vessels that failed to comply, and boarded two ships for verification.
Oman-Iran talks over Strait of Hormuz were 'productive', says Tehran
Sunday 26 July 2026 07:45 , Maira Butt
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson has said that Tehran has discussed operation of the Strait of Hormuz with Oman this weekend and that the talks were “productive”.
They added that “technical and political consultations between the two sides are ongoing”.
CNN says Vance, Caine raised concerns about escalating war in Iran
Sunday 26 July 2026 07:30 , Namita Singh
US vice president JD Vance and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Dan Caine, both raised concerns about escalating the war in Iran during a White House meeting on Friday, the CNN reported, quoting a source familiar with the matter and a US official.
Gen Caine raised concerns about the US munitions stockpile and other potential negative implications, according to CNN.
War threatens to spread to Yemen
Sunday 26 July 2026 06:45 , Namita Singh
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group struck sites belonging to Saudi state oil company Aramco in the cities of Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday.
A large column of smoke rose from the direction of the Aramco refinery in Jizan, near the Yemeni border, video on social media verified by Reuters showed.
The refinery can process up to 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily. Two Asia-based trading sources said they had been informed of potential damage to fuel and oil storage sites at Jizan. Aramco did not respond to requests for comment.
In Yanbu, two missiles aimed at oil installations were intercepted. Yanbu, Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil port, has become a key route for Saudi oil skirting the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blockaded.
In Yemen, officials said the air force of the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government, which has opposed the Houthis for more than a decade, struck Houthi sites in the Marib and al-Jawf provinces.
The officials said both sides in Yemen's civil war were mobilising forces along the front. Saudi Arabia has led an Arab coalition battling the Houthis since the Iran-aligned fighters captured Yemen's capital, Sanaa.
Iran accuses Ukraine of attacking its commercial vessel in Caspian Sea
Sunday 26 July 2026 06:00 , Namita Singh
Iran's foreign ministry accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying one sailor was killed and another injured.
The ministry summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Tehran to protest over an attack it described as "hostile and criminal", state news agency IRNA said.
The Iranian denunciation coincided with comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Kyiv had noted Russia was passing on to Iran its satellite observations in ‘the Middle East, to enable it to direct strikes in the region.
Iran war spreads to Red Sea and Caspian but Gulf quiet as US forgoes strikes
Sunday 26 July 2026 05:15 , Namita Singh
The Iran war broadened over the weekend despite a pause in US strikes, as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast and Iran accused Ukraine of targeting one of its vessels in the Caspian Sea.
The US military said its naval blockade against Iran "remains in full effect" but did not explain why it halted a streak of 13 nights of escalating strikes.
There were also no weekend reports of attacks by Iran on neighbours, similar to its daily rejoinders to the US attacks.
Asked about the pause, a senior official in president Donald Trump's administration said Trump "has always been clear that his preference is diplomacy, but he has shown Iran what will happen if they fail to come to the table in a serious way".
Trump has decided, for now, to back away from plans to ramp up attacks on Iran, the New York Times said on Saturday, citing two people briefed on the discussion.
Trump went on expletive-laden rant against ‘scumbags’ in Iran as his frustration with war mounts: report
Sunday 26 July 2026 03:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
President Donald Trump unleashed an expletive-filled rant against Iran’s leaders as he appears to be increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in the war he started earlier this year, according to a report.
During a recent Oval Office meeting, the president called the Iranian leaders “scumbags” and “lunatics,” a person who overheard the remarks told The Wall Street Journal.
Roughly five months into the U.S.-Iran conflict, there has been limited progress on a peace deal, which has seen lengthy negotiations between the two sides.
Read more here:
Trump went on expletive-ladden rant against Iran amid frustration with war: report
Watch: Trump inflates Vietnam war dead number by 142,000 as he defends Iran deaths
Sunday 26 July 2026 02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Sunday 26 July 2026 01:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
US gas prices will continue climbing for weeks — and maybe months — due to the resumption of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, experts warn.
Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said Friday on social media that while oil prices were “taking a breather for today” after recently surging by $20 a barrel, he’s still expecting the national average cost of a gallon of gas to soon reach $4.20 to $4.30.
Read more here:
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Watch: Trump says Iran war 'going extremely well' but warns regime has 'evil intentions'
Sunday 26 July 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Pictured: Protesters in Seoul denouncing the US attacks on Iran
Saturday 25 July 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Recap: Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Saturday 25 July 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded statement that the attack targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense said alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities, but the Kingdom hasn't commented further.
Watch: Rubio says Iran suffering in US strikes despite ‘stupid Lego videos’
Saturday 25 July 2026 21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Saturday 25 July 2026 20:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Saturday that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Read more here:
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Who are the Houthis? How rebel group could disrupt global trade amid Strait of Hormuz chaos
Saturday 25 July 2026 20:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The Yemeni rebel group was formed in the 1990s as a political-religious Shia movement orchestrating a series of guerrilla wars against Yemen’s national army.
They currently control significant parts of northwestern Yemen, including its capital Sana’a, after seizing it following the country’s 2014 civil war when they forced the government to step down.
A Saudi-led, western-backed coalition took over, which the Houthis have spent years fighting with the assistance of Iran, before a UN-brokered deal in 2022. A Saudi and UAE bombing campaign against Houthi targets was launched in 2015 and drew criticism over civilian deaths, leading to calls for the UK to cease arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
Watch: US military says it completed 13th night of strikes against Iran
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Trump claimed dead US soldiers spoke of stopping an Iranian nuclear bomb. Widow says her husband just wanted to come home
Saturday 25 July 2026 19:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The widow of one of the four U.S. soldiers killed in the Middle East amid the recent escalation in the Iran war has told how her husband longed to return home to be with his family as the Iraqi base where he was stationed came under heavy bombardment.
Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, was killed on July 19 at the Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone, the Defense Department said, leaving behind his wife Jamiah Swinton and their four-year-old daughter.
President Donald Trump, whose bombing campaign began on February 28 and has so far claimed the lives of 18 U.S. service members, said Wednesday that the fallen soldiers shared his view that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
Read more here:
Widow of US soldier killed in Iran says her husband just wanted to come home
Pictured: Anti-war demonstration outside the main gate of RAF Fairford airbase
Saturday 25 July 2026 18:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
An anti-war demonstration took place at RAF Fairford on Saturday following a US airstrike on Iran carried out by a B-1 bomber allegedly stationed at the base.
Recap: Iran accuses EU of 'hypocrisy' over war
Saturday 25 July 2026 18:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson has hit out at the European Union’s Kaja Kallas after she expressed concerns about human rights in the country.
On Saturday, Esmail Baghaei, wrote in a post on X: “Kaja Kalals speaks of the European Union’s ‘human rights concerns’ regarding Iran.
“How can a professed commitment to human rights be so easily reconciled with providing logistical and technical support for lethal aggressions against the Iranian people — aggressions that deliberately target civilians and critical national infrastructure?
“All while refusing to condemn even the most blatant war crimes, and offering not a single word of sympathy for Iranian children slaughtered by American-Israeli bombs and missiles enabled by the EU’s own ‘logistical and technical support.’
“This is not merely a loss of credibility. It is the banality of evil — and the purest form of hypocrisy.”
The US and Israel deny committing war crimes.
.@Kajakallas speaks of the European Union’s “human rights concerns” regarding Iran. How can a professed commitment to human rights be so easily reconciled with providing logistical and technical support for lethal aggressions against the Iranian people — aggressions that…
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 25, 2026
US gradually expands the scope of its attacks on Iran
Saturday 25 July 2026 17:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
The United States has gradually expanded the scope of its attacks against Iran over the course of two weeks of punishing airstrikes that increasingly resemble the war’s opening salvos.
After a brief ceasefire in June following the signing of an interim deal to end the conflict, a battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz erupted, shattering the truce and pushing the countries back to the precipice of an all-out war across the Middle East.
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US gradually expands the scope of its attacks on Iran
Watch: Trump says he takes Russia's Putin and China's Xi at their word over aiding Iran
Saturday 25 July 2026 17:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Saturday 25 July 2026 16:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) spokesperson, Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a prerecorded statement that the attack targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense said alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities, but the Kingdom hasn't commented further.
The 'rockets and feathers' effect: Inflation eases but grocery bills do not
Saturday 25 July 2026 16:00 , Maira Butt
Economics has a term for what U.S. grocery prices have done in recent years: rockets and feathers.
Rockets, because the cost of food eaten at home zoomed up in the aftermath of the pandemic. Feathers, because once prices rise, they’re slow to come down.
That’s been frustrating for Americans hit with the sharpest increase in grocery prices in 50 years. While food price inflation peaked in 2022, when prices jumped 11.4%, prices have not reversed course. An acceleration inflation after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran has prolonged the aggravation.
The 'rockets and feathers' effect: Inflation eases but grocery bills do not
The four Iranian nuclear plants in Trump’s sights after president’s threat to hit Pickaxe Mountain
Saturday 25 July 2026 15:30 , Maira Butt
With the US-Iran ceasefire in tatters, Donald Trump has issued new threats against Tehran’s nuclear facilities in what would represent a significant escalation in the conflict.
The president’s latest target is Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, or “Pickaxe Mountain,” a suspected underground facility that lies on the south side of Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment site, one of those bombed by the US and Israel in June 2025.
Named Operation Midnight Hammer, the countries launched a series of attacks on several nuclear and military facilities more than one year ago. as part of a long-running ambition to thwart Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme.
The Iranian nuclear plants in Trump’s sights after threat to Pickaxe Mountain
Iran trolls ‘Little Marco’ with Lego clip after Rubio claims he’s never seen ‘their stupid videos’
Saturday 25 July 2026 15:01 , Maira Butt
Iran has trolled U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio after he hit out at the “stupid Lego videos” that have spoofed the war on social media.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Rubio acknowledged the viral clips – while he insisting he had never seen them – when he was asked about the current state of negotiations with Iran.
“They’re probably not ready to do a deal yet, but they will be soon because the price they’re paying is very high despite their tough talk and their flowery language and their stupid Lego videos they put out – I’ve never seen them, but they put these things out on social media,” he said.
“Despite all that bravado, they are suffering tremendously, and they’re going to suffer more until they come to their senses.”
Iran trolls Rubio with Lego clip after claiming he’s never seen the ‘stupid videos’
Watch: Trump inflates Vietnam war dead number by 142,000 as he defends Iran deaths
Saturday 25 July 2026 14:30 , Maira Butt
Trump White House had four killed soldiers taken off Pentagon’s list of Iran war dead, sparking backlash: report
Saturday 25 July 2026 14:00 , Maira Butt
In the last two days, the Pentagon reportedly reduced the announced U.S. service member death toll in the Iran war from 18 to 14.
Three military officials told The New York Times that the revision was in part because the most recent four deaths — three in Jordan and one in Iraq — came after President Trump declared an initial ceasefire in April.
“The administration seems to have a real hard time being honest about what is going on — not just about casualties, but about the whole war in general,” retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who served in the first Trump administration, told the paper.
Trump officials had four killed soldiers taken off Iran war death list: report
Mapped: Yemeni rebel Houthis threaten maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia
Saturday 25 July 2026 13:30 , Maira Butt
Trump says ‘I trust’ Putin and Xi — contradicting Hegseth about Iran war allies
Saturday 25 July 2026 13:00 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump on Friday said he does not believe the Russian or Chinese governments are providing military or intelligence assistance to Iran — based solely on the denials of their leaders — contradicting the assessment of his own defense secretary during a Senate hearing just days ago.
Taking questions in the Oval Office during an appearance focused on nuclear energy, Trump was asked to defend a Truth Social post in which he claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping had said “he would not, under any circumstances, give or sell Weapons to the Islamic Republic of Iran” and said Russia’s Vladimir Putin had promised, “he would not sell Weapons to Iran.”
He also wrote that in his view, both countries were “not participating” in Iran’s ongoing conflict with the U.S. while warning that “it would be very bad for them” if they did.
Trump says ‘I trust’ Putin and Xi — contradicting Hegseth about Iran war allies
Who are the Houthis? How rebel group could disrupt global trade amid Strait of Hormuz chaos
Saturday 25 July 2026 12:30 , Maira Butt
The Yemeni rebel group was formed in the 1990s as a political-religious Shia movement orchestrating a series of guerrilla wars against Yemen’s national army.
They currently control significant parts of northwestern Yemen, including its capital Sana’a, after seizing it following the country’s 2014 civil war when they forced the government to step down.
A Saudi-led, western-backed coalition took over, which the Houthis have spent years fighting with the assistance of Iran, before a UN-brokered deal in 2022. A Saudi and UAE bombing campaign against Houthi targets was launched in 2015 and drew criticism over civilian deaths, leading to calls for the UK to cease arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
Trump claimed dead US soldiers spoke of stopping an Iranian nuclear bomb. Widow says her husband just wanted to come home
Saturday 25 July 2026 12:00 , Maira Butt
The widow of one of the four U.S. soldiers killed in the Middle East amid the recent escalation in the Iran war has told how her husband longed to return home to be with his family as the Iraqi base where he was stationed came under heavy bombardment.
Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, was killed on July 19 at the Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone, the Defense Department said, leaving behind his wife Jamiah Swinton and their four-year-old daughter.
President Donald Trump, whose bombing campaign began on February 28 and has so far claimed the lives of 18 U.S. service members, said Wednesday that the fallen soldiers shared his view that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
But his heartbroken widow would not be drawn on that notion in an interview with The New York Times, and instead painted a picture of a devoted husband and father who just wanted to be reunited with his family in Spring Lake, North Carolina.
Widow of US soldier killed in Iran says her husband just wanted to come home
