US president Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday with Iran, characterising the talks positively, while also threatening to hit the country "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
During his cabinet meeting, Trump told reporters that the Strait of Hormuz was “going to be open very soon”. But he warned if that did not happen, Iran would be hit hard.
Iran had previously claimed Trump could “ignite the spark of World War III” after the US warned it was Tehran’s “last chance” to make a deal. The US president claimed the Iranian regime had “begged” for negotiations and that talks are currently ongoing.
“We will not allow a second corridor to be opened in the Strait of Hormuz, and any warship or military force that approaches it will be hit,” Mohsen Rezaei, an advisor to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, told Iranian television, according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
Key Points
- Trump says US having 'very good discussion' with Iran
- Iran warns Trump could 'ignite World War III' after latest threats
- Trump warns Tehran has ‘last chance’ to make deal
- Iran says talks with Oman have been positive
- Ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz and in Red Sea
Spike in antisemitism in UK after Iran war began - report
06:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Antisemitism in the UK spiked in the immediate aftermath of the US and Israel launching their war on Iran and following a double stabbing of two visibly Jewish men in London, according to a report.
Data from the Community Security Trust (CST), showed there were 1,926 antisemitic incidents recorded across the UK in January to June of 2026 – up by a fifth on the first half of last year from 1,598.
It is the second-highest total reported to CST in the first six months of any year, exceeded only by the 2,019 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024.
The statistics have been branded “appalling” by policing and crime minister Sarah Jones, who said each incident represents “people living in fear just for being who they are”.
Trump says 'all-day negotiation' was held with Iran yesterday
05:31 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US president Donald Trump said there was an "all-day negotiation" yesterday with Iran, characterizing the talks positively while also threatening to hit Iran "really hard" if a deal was not reached.
Oil prices slip below $80 a barrel
05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices fell below $80 a barrel after US official said there was progress in talks with Iran and Oman about ships moving through Strait of Hormuz.
However, US secretary of state Marco Rubio yesterday said a final agreement had yet to be reached. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent earlier said that a deal with Iran to reopen the strait could come as soon as yesterday or today.
Brent crude futures fell $4.41, or 5.3 per cent, to settle at $79.36 a barrel, the lowest since 13 July.
US West Texas Intermediate futures dropped $4.57, or 5.7 per cent, to settle at $75.77 a barrel, also a three-week low.
Ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz and in Red Sea
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A cargo ship reported being "hit by an unknown projectile" while traversing the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center.
The center said the reported strike damaged the vessel at around 2 am local time while it was about 37km northeast of Al Khasab, a port city in Oman.
On the Red Sea, meanwhile, an Indian-flagged commercial ship sank off Yemen after being struck by an explosive-laden boat, Yemeni and Indian authorities said.
Yemen's coast guard rescued the crew, which included 13 Indians and a Yemeni.
India's foreign ministry condemned the attack, though no one immediately claimed responsibility. Iran-backed Houthi militants have repeatedly struck ships traversing the Red Sea near Yemen.
Trump says US having 'very good discussion' with Iran
04:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has claimed that the US was having a "very good discussion" with Iran after issuing a "last chance" warning to Tehran to bring them back to the negotiating table.
Trump told Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz "will open very soon" or Iran "will take a very hard hit".
"They called me and asked very politely, 'Please, can we talk?'" Trump claimed.
US military says it has helped over 1,000 ships transit Strait of Hormuz
04:25 , Rachel Dobkin
US Central Command has said it has helped more than 1,000 ships transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past three months.
CENTCOM claimed the key oil waterway in the Middle East “remains free and open,” but maritime traffic remains muted.
The southern route through the Strait of Hormuz remains free and open for all commercial vessels seeking to transit the international waterway. Over the past three months, U.S. forces have assisted more than 1,000 vessels in successfully transiting the strait despite unwarranted… pic.twitter.com/TcszH0GimG
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 4, 2026
Yemen's Houthis fire at airport in Saudi Arabia
04:36 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A Yemeni military spokesperson for the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, said a drone hit a "sensitive target" at the airport in the southwestern city of Najran, without providing evidence.
Brig Gen Yahya Saree said the attack was in response to what he described as a Saudi breach of Yemen's airspace over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis recently announced a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that leads to the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia led an international coalition and imposed an air and sea blockade against the rebels after they seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen in a civil war that began in 2014. Major fighting ended in a truce in 2022.
Watch: Trump offers soundbite to recap US shooting down Iranian missiles
04:02 , Rachel Dobkin
Israel discusses withdrawal from Lebanon
03:58 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Rome yesterday to continue talks on implementing a US-mediated deal to draw down the Israeli military from southern Lebanon and disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
A diplomat familiar with the negotiations said Lebanon had asked for the next "pilot zone" — where Israeli forces would withdraw and the Lebanese army would take control — to be either in the town of Khiam or Bint Jbeil. Both areas saw heavy fighting in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war and are currently occupied by Israeli forces.
But US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa suggested ahead of the three-day talks that no new pilot zones would be immediately implemented, saying that "moving too quickly risks jeopardizing the very civilians this process is meant to protect."
Did Trump reveal a weak hand in reported crowdsourcing memo seeking ‘creative’ ways to punish Iran?
03:00 , Harriette Boucher
The U.S. military has asked combat experts to think outside the box in a desperate bid for new ideas to end President Donald Trump's war against Iran, according to a report Monday.
In an email last week, an officer in the intelligence branch of U.S. Central Command asked a broad group of military analysts for suggestions, CNN said, citing an unidentified source.
"We are looking for new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran,” the email reportedly read.
Military officials said the effort to crowdsource a solution to the war by email was highly unusual, CNN reported.
The move came as Trump is considering dramatic, "fireworks"-style airstrikes against Iran that could hit the same or similar sites that the U.S. bombed last year when targeting the nation’s suspected nuclear weapons program, a source told CNN.
Did Trump reveal a weak hand in reported memo seeking ‘creative’ ways to punish Iran?
ICYMI: Hormuz deal could be reached in next two days
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
The US has said a deal aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz could be reached with Iran in the next two days.
US secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC: “We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict.”
Donald Trump said the global shipping route could be open as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Big oil companies continue to post banner profits as fighting in Iran drives costs higher
01:00 , Harriette Boucher
Big oil companies continue to post banner profits as fighting in Iran drives costs higher
Trump says canceled Iran attack would have been the biggest 'since WWII'
Wednesday 5 August 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
Talks with Oman have been positive - Iranian foreign ministry
Tuesday 4 August 2026 23:00 , Harriette Boucher
Iran has said talks with Oman over transit through the Strait of Hormuz have been positive and focused on establishing safe shipping lanes.
State media reported that Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the route being negotiated was aimed at ensuring the sovereign rights and national security of both Iran and Oman.
Two regional officials told The Associated Press that, under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman.
Service fees would be charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, the officials said, adding that the final agreement could take place in a different form.
Millions join Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq amid regional tensions and fears of US-Iran escalation
Tuesday 4 August 2026 22:00 , Harriette Boucher
Millions of Shiite Muslims observed the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage Tuesday in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, under the shadow of ongoing regional tensions and fears of another round of escalation in the U.S.-Iran war.
Arbaeen is held 40 days after Ashoura, which commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and members of his family, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.
The operations command overseeing the Arbaeen pilgrimage at the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces said on Monday that more than 4.88 million pilgrims had entered Iraq since the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which includes Ashoura and the period leading up to Arbaeen, with arrivals from various countries ongoing for what is considered one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.
Millions more pilgrims typically come from different regions of Iraq to Karbala for the occasion.
Among the highest- profile foreign visitors was Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in the Iraqi city of Najaf Monday and continued on to Karbala to take part in the pilgrimage.
Read more here:
Millions join Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq amid regional tensions and fears of US-Iran escalation
Houthis say they hit Saudi target in Najran Airport
Tuesday 4 August 2026 21:00 , Alex Croft
Yemen's Houthis rebel group said on Telegram on Tuesday that they hit a target at Saudi Arabia's Najran Airport.
The Iran-aligned group said the strike was in response to alleged Saudi drone incursions into the airspace over the Saada and Hajjah governorates in northwestern Yemen.
The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
US military accused of killing family after dropping 900kg bomb on civilian house in Iran - report
Tuesday 4 August 2026 20:01 , Alex Croft
The US military has been accused of killing a young family with a huge 907kg bomb during renewed strikes on Iran’s fortress Qeshm Island last week, according to a new analysis, raising more questions about its conduct in the five month conflict.
A mother, a father and their two-year-old son were reportedly killed as American forces dropped a Mark 84 bomb and hit a populated neighbourhood on Thursday, leaving a 30ft wide crater in the ground, according to evidence reviewed by the New York Times.
The newspaper said that the couple’s other two children were pulled from the rubble alive after a review of photographs, video footage and satellite imagery by weapons experts.
Analysis suggests the location and timing of the strikes, destroying several structures in the Chah-Tangu neighbourhood, was consistent with where the US military was operating at the time.
Senior reporter James Reynolds reports:
US military accused of dropping 900kg bomb on civilian house in Iran
Iran says it called off strikes after Ukraine issues apology
Tuesday 4 August 2026 19:01 , Alex Croft
Iran decided against launching retaliatory strikes on Ukraine after Kyiv offered an apology for attacking an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, a top military adviser said.
Mohsen Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces were prepared to strike three sites in Ukraine before the operation was called off.
Projectile sinks Indian-flagged ship in Yemeni waters
Tuesday 4 August 2026 18:37 , Harriette Boucher
An Indian-flagged vessel has capsized near Yemeni waters after being hit by projectile, shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
All 14 people on the Indian MSV Faize Noore Oliya were safely rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and and brought to the Port of Mokha.
Mr Sonowal wrote on X: “India strongly condemns this unprovoked attack on the defenseless mechanised sailing vessel.”
“I have instructed the Director General Maritime Administration (DGMA) to take immediate steps in coordination with all agencies to ensure the absolute security of Indian seafarers in the region and provide all necessary assistance to the rescued crew.”
Israel-Lebanon talks have begun, says US state department
Tuesday 4 August 2026 18:18 , Harriette Boucher
Iran will 'not tolerate' Trump's naval blockade, says official
Tuesday 4 August 2026 18:00 , Alex Croft
A military adviser to Iran's supreme leader has warned Donald Trump over America's continued naval blockade against Iranian ports.
“If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties,” Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X.
“The US must change its behaviour – or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.
Iran and Oman make progress on Strait of Hormuz deal
Tuesday 4 August 2026 17:36 , Harriette Boucher
Iran and Oman have moved closer towards a deal aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, regional officials have said.
The two countries have continued negotiations on Tuesday as they look to reach an agreement that could help wind down the conflict in the region.
Two regional officials told The Associated Press that, under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman.
Service fees would be charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment.
The officials added that the final agreement could take place in a different form, but said any deal would be linked to lifting the US blockade on Iran’s ports.
The US could seek to block the deal given that any agreement formalising Iran’s control of the strait would mark a significant strategic victory for Tehran.
Iran's president says Tehran doesn't want war expansion
Tuesday 4 August 2026 17:29 , Alex Croft
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has said this morning that Tehran is defending its borders but does not seek an expansion of the war with the US.
“Conflict, whether in a neighbourhood, a city, a country or between countries, is a disease that has emerged. We will defend our boundaries, but we are not seeking to expand the war or continue it,” he said, according to state media.
“We must work under these circumstances to build a healthy society so that the enemy is not tempted to enter it, tear apart our social fabric and destroy it,” he added.
Syrian and Iraqi leaders discuss security concerns
Tuesday 4 August 2026 17:00 , Alex Croft
Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa and Iraq's Kurdish regional president met yesterday in Damascus to discuss ways of improving mutual cooperation and contributing to regional security.
The meeting between al-Sharaa and Nechirvan Barzani came amid regional tensions as Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups carried out multiple drone strikes targeting American interests across Iraq, including the country's Kurdish region.
Syrian state media reported last month that authorities at the country's border with Iraq thwarted an attempt in June to smuggle weapons believed to have been headed to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Hezbollah denied the charges.
In pictures: Mass funeral for Palestinians whose bodies were recovered after nearly three years
Tuesday 4 August 2026 16:46 , Harriette Boucher
Hundreds of Palestinian mourners have attended a funeral ceremony for 112 members of the extended Al-Hassayna family.
Their remains were recently recovered from the rubble of residential buildings in the al-Sabra neighbourhood which were struck by Israeli bombardments in November 2023.
Gaza official urges Israel to halt attacks
Tuesday 4 August 2026 16:31 , Alex Croft
A top official overseeing Gaza’s postwar transition met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in part to press him to halt military attacks on the territory.
Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the Board of Peace, also discussed with Netanyahu the need to decommission all weapons in the enclave, the international body established by the US said in a statement.
An Israeli strike last evening hit a car in Gaza City, killing two men, according to Shifa Hospital.
Over the weekend, Israeli attacks left at least 17 people dead, including children, according to hospitals in Gaza.
Trump’s Iran desperation is revealed in crowd-sourcing memo seeking ‘creative’ ways to punish the enemy: report
Tuesday 4 August 2026 16:01 , Alex Croft
The U.S. military has asked combat experts to think outside the box in a desperate bid for new ideas to end President Donald Trump's war against Iran, according to a report Monday.
In an email last week, an officer in the intelligence branch of U.S. Central Command asked a broad group of military analysts for suggestions, CNN said, citing an unidentified source.
"We are looking for new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran,” the email reportedly read.
Military officials said the effort to crowdsource a solution to the war by email was highly unusual, CNN reported.
Read more here:
Did Trump reveal a weak hand in reported memo seeking ‘creative’ ways to punish Iran?
Rubio: Progress made in Iran-Oman discussions but no final agreement
Tuesday 4 August 2026 15:30 , Alex Croft
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said on Tuesday there has been progress made in discussions with Iran and Oman on getting more ships through the Strait of Hormuz but no final agreement has been reached.
"There's been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We're hoping that will happen very shortly," Rubio told reporters at the State Department.
Garamendi accuses Trump of hiding Iran war details
Tuesday 4 August 2026 15:06 , Alex Croft
Democrat John Garamendi has accused US president Donald Trump of shielding details of the Iran war by using classified briefings.
"Trump is the biggest liar on the Iran war. When he wants to tell the truth he usually gives updates to Congress in classified hearings," he wrote on X.
"That way members of Congress aren't allowed to share the truth."
This is how the Pentagon hides information from Congress: classified hearings.
— John Garamendi (@RepGaramendi) August 3, 2026
Trump is the biggest liar on the Iran war. When he wants to tell the truth he usually gives updates to Congress in classified hearings.
That way members of Congress aren't allowed to can't share the… pic.twitter.com/VrdmMyuMzr
US has exhausted ‘virtually all’ long-range missiles during Iran war amid fears of wider conflict
Tuesday 4 August 2026 14:39 , Alex Croft
The US Army has significantly depleted its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its five-month conflict with Iran, according to three individuals familiar with the data. This raises serious concerns regarding the military's readiness for potential future engagements.
The depleted munitions primarily consist of the Army's crucial surface-to-surface weapons: the Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM). Two of the sources indicated that "virtually all" of these specific weapons have now been utilised.
The extent of this depletion of ATACMS and Precision Strike Missiles, vital for delivering accurate strikes from a safe distance, has not been previously reported, highlighting a significant development in the military's operational capacity.
Read the full report:
US exhuasts ‘virtually all’ long-range missiles in Iran war amid wider conflict fears
Watch: Trump claims US and Iran are "in talks" while the Strait of Hormuz is set to open tomorrow
Tuesday 4 August 2026 14:15 , Alex Croft
Tehran 'unlikely to change position' on Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 4 August 2026 13:50 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, Tehran is proposing total control over inbound shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with Oman.
We can now bring you some more on the proposals.
Iran would retain the ability to intervene in shipping if necessary, under a temporary plan being discussed with Oman to reopen the strategic waterway, a senior Iranian source told the Reuters news agency.
The source, who is involved in the talks, said this is "the general idea currently being discussed", and specified that the outbound lane would follow a route between Iran and Oman, with exit clearance granted through Oman after notifying Iran.
"Tehran is unlikely to change its position," the source added, saying that Tehran has already shown flexibility by moving from its initial position of seeking full control over traffic in both directions in the strait.
Last month, Iran rejected an Omani proposal for an equal division of transit routes between the two countries, which Tehran said failed to address the country's security concerns until long-term regional stability is achieved.
Control of the strait, the narrow waterway between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean that is the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods, has been a main sticking point in efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
US treasury secretary says a Hormuz deal could be reached in next two days
Tuesday 4 August 2026 13:26 , Alex Croft
US secretary Scott Bessent said there could be a deal reached with Iran on the reopening of the Hormuz Strait by Tuesday or Wednesday.
"We are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict," Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
Tehran has denied that they are talking with the US, stating that they are instead in talks with Oman.
BP slammed as profits more than double during Iran war
Tuesday 4 August 2026 12:55 , Alex Croft
BP has faced criticism after revealing its strongest quarterly profits in four years, a surge boosted by volatile energy prices amid the Middle East conflict.
The FTSE 100 company's preferred profit measure – underlying replacement cost profit – soared by approximately 78 per cent to 5.7 billion US dollars (£4.2 billion) for the second quarter of 2026, compared with the previous three months.
This sharp jump, exceeding analyst predictions, stemmed from its refining and trading business benefiting from rising prices during the Iran war.
New chief executive Meg O’Neill stated she is taking "urgent action" to create more value for shareholders, announcing plans to sell off its US biogas business, Archaea.
Rivals such as Shell and ExxonMobil have also reported stronger profits, similarly boosted by the conflict. Campaigners have accused BP of "profiteering" from a "climate crisis".
Read more here:
BP slammed as profits more than double during Iran war
Talks ongoing for US-Iran resolution, says Qatar
Tuesday 4 August 2026 12:40 , Alex Croft
We’ve just heard from Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, who said that efforts are ongoing to seek a diplomatic resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
Mediators including Qatar, Pakistan and Oman are coordinating closely to facilitate negotiations and exchange drafts between both sides, he said.
We’ll bring you more on the talks as they come in.
Houthis say they hit Saudi target in Najran Airport
Tuesday 4 August 2026 12:06 , Alex Croft
Yemen's Houthis rebel group said on Telegram on Tuesday that they hit a target at Saudi Arabia's Najran Airport.
The Iran-aligned group said the strike was in response to alleged Saudi drone incursions into the airspace over the Saada and Hajjah governorates in northwestern Yemen.
The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea since last month in response to what they described as a Saudi siege on Yemen, an allegation Riyadh has denied.
Iran proposes full control over inbound shipping through Hormuz in deal with Oman: Reuters
Tuesday 4 August 2026 10:50 , Alex Croft
We’ve just heard from an senior Iranian source speaking to Reuters news agency about a temporary plan being discussed between Tehran and Oman for the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
The plan would give Iran full control over all inbound shipping through the strait, the source claimed.
Outbound shipping would follow a route between Iran and Oman, it added. Oman would clear the ships for exit before notifying Tehran under the plan.
Tehran would remain visibility across the Strait and retain the power to intervene if necessary, the source declared.
The regime, they added, is unlikely to accept any alternative proposal for reopening the waterway.
Tehran appears to be seeking to bypass the US in negotiations over the Strait, following repeated failures to come to a deal.
Vessel struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz near Oman's coast
Tuesday 4 August 2026 10:45 , Alex Croft
A dry bulk ship has been struck by a projectile near Oman’s coast while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security sources have told the Reuters news agency.
The crew of the Liberia-flagged ship, Minoan Pioneer, abandoned the vessel and one seafarer remains missing.
"The projectile reportedly struck the engine room, while a fire broke out in the accommodation area. The crew are fighting the fire and require assistance, while the third engineer is reported missing," British maritime risk management group Vanguard said separately.
The vessel’s Greece-based operator Modion Maritime Management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
US military accused of killing family after dropping 900kg bomb on civilian house in Iran - report
Tuesday 4 August 2026 10:29 , Alex Croft
The US military has been accused of killing a young family with a huge 907kg bomb during renewed strikes on Iran’s fortress Qeshm Island last week, according to a new analysis, raising more questions about its conduct in the five month conflict.
A mother, a father and their two-year-old son were reportedly killed as American forces dropped a Mark 84 bomb and hit a populated neighbourhood on Thursday, leaving a 30ft wide crater in the ground, according to evidence reviewed by the New York Times.
The newspaper said that the couple’s other two children were pulled from the rubble alive after a review of photographs, video footage and satellite imagery by weapons experts.
Analysis suggests the location and timing of the strikes, destroying several structures in the Chah-Tangu neighbourhood, was consistent with where the US military was operating at the time.
Senior reporter James Reynolds reports:
US military accused of dropping 900kg bomb on civilian house in Iran
Iran will 'not tolerate' Trump's naval blockade, says official
Tuesday 4 August 2026 10:02 , Alex Croft
A military adviser to Iran's supreme leader has warned Donald Trump over America's continued naval blockade against Iranian ports.
“If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties,” Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X.
“The US must change its behaviour – or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.
Watch: Trump says canceled Iran attack would have been the biggest 'since WWII'
Tuesday 4 August 2026 09:45 , Alex Croft
Iran warns Trump could 'ignite World War III' with latest threats
Tuesday 4 August 2026 09:17 , Alex Croft
Iran has claimed Donald Trump could “ignite the spark of World War 3” after the US warned it was Tehran’s “last chance” to make a deal.
"We have thwarted an American plan for a ground attack after it attacked the bridges of the Hormuzgan province in the south of the country,” said Mohsen Rezaei, an advisor to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, told Iranian television according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
“We will not allow a second corridor to be opened in the Strait of Hormuz, and any warship or military force that approaches it will be hit. Trump's moves could ignite the spark of World War III.”
Iran says it called off strikes after Ukraine issues apology
Tuesday 4 August 2026 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran decided against launching retaliatory strikes on Ukraine after Kyiv offered an apology for attacking an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, a top military adviser said.
Mohsen Rezaei said Iran’s armed forces were prepared to strike three sites in Ukraine before the operation was called off.
Cargo ship reports strike in Strait of Hormuz
Tuesday 4 August 2026 07:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” at 2am local time while it was 37km northeast of Al Khasab in Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said.
The UKMTO did not provide further information on the ship, including what flag the vessel was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo.
The town of Al Khasab sits on the tip of the Arabian peninsula that juts into the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the war.
Iran's president says Tehran doesn't want war expansion
Tuesday 4 August 2026 07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has said this morning that Tehran is defending its borders but does not seek an expansion of the war with the US.
“Conflict, whether in a neighbourhood, a city, a country or between countries, is a disease that has emerged. We will defend our boundaries, but we are not seeking to expand the war or continue it,” he said, according to state media.
“We must work under these circumstances to build a healthy society so that the enemy is not tempted to enter it, tear apart our social fabric and destroy it,” he added.
US military asks for 'unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran
Tuesday 4 August 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US military has been crowdsourcing ideas for “creative and unconventional” ways to “punish” Iran, according to a report, after both sides reached an impasse over how to end the unpopular five-month war.
A senior officer at the US Central Command’s intelligence branch is said to have written to military analysts last Wednesday asking for new ideas to “pressure and punish Iran”, according to CNN, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
More here.
US military asks for ‘creative and unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran
Gaza official urges Israel to halt attacks
Tuesday 4 August 2026 06:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A top official overseeing Gaza’s postwar transition met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in part to press him to halt military attacks on the territory.
Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the Board of Peace, also discussed with Netanyahu the need to decommission all weapons in the enclave, the international body established by the US said in a statement.
An Israeli strike last evening hit a car in Gaza City, killing two men, according to Shifa Hospital.
Over the weekend, Israeli attacks left at least 17 people dead, including children, according to hospitals in Gaza.
Garamendi accuses Trump of hiding Iran war details
Tuesday 4 August 2026 06:23 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Democrat John Garamendi has accused US president Donald Trump of shielding details of the Iran war by using classified briefings.
"Trump is the biggest liar on the Iran war. When he wants to tell the truth he usually gives updates to Congress in classified hearings," he wrote on X.
"That way members of Congress aren't allowed to share the truth."
This is how the Pentagon hides information from Congress: classified hearings.
— John Garamendi (@RepGaramendi) August 3, 2026
Trump is the biggest liar on the Iran war. When he wants to tell the truth he usually gives updates to Congress in classified hearings.
That way members of Congress aren't allowed to can't share the… pic.twitter.com/VrdmMyuMzr
Iran’s top delegates head to Iraq and Pakistan
Tuesday 4 August 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived yesterday in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf to participate in the Arbaeen commemorations, an annual pilgrimage for Shia Muslims, his office said on social media.
Araghchi’s trip comes as Iraq has been walking a tightrope between Iran and the US, an act that has only grown more fraught since the US and Israel went to war with Iran in February.
Meanwhile, Iran’s minister of industry, mines and trade, Mohammad Atabak, headed to Pakistan for a two-day visit expected to focus in part on ways to ease transit bottlenecks and move more Iranian containers through Pakistani ports during the US naval blockade.
Trump’s whiny Truth Social tirade against Iran reads like a bitter breakup text
Tuesday 4 August 2026 05:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Not even the president can answer why his latest efforts to reach a deal with Iran will go any differently. Monday’s outburst suggests that he’s too angry to care, writes John Bowden.
Trump’s whiny Truth Social tirade against Iran reads like a bitter breakup text
Iran will 'not tolerate' Trump's naval blockade, says official
Tuesday 4 August 2026 05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A military adviser to Iran's supreme leader has warned Donald Trump over America's continued naval blockade against Iranian ports.
“If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties,” Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X.
“The US must change its behaviour – or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz," he added.
Trump says Tehran has ‘last chance’ to make deal
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:58 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has insisted that talks with Tehran are happening after the Iranian side denied any discussions were taking place.
Speaking from the Oval Office, the US president told reporters that it was Iran’s last chance to make a deal.
“This is a last chance for them to sign a good document,” he said.
“[The talks] are going on, they're going on right now. “For some reason, when they're talking, they don't like saying that they're talking.
“So I say, ‘We're in talks’. Big deal, we're in talks. And they'll sometimes deny it, even though they spend hours and hours together talking.”
He said the Iranian side had asked for talks after the US had planned the biggest attack since the Second World War.
Syrian and Iraqi leaders discuss security concerns
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa and Iraq's Kurdish regional president met yesterday in Damascus to discuss ways of improving mutual cooperation and contributing to regional security.
The meeting between al-Sharaa and Nechirvan Barzani came amid regional tensions as Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups carried out multiple drone strikes targeting American interests across Iraq, including the country's Kurdish region.
Syrian state media reported last month that authorities at the country's border with Iraq thwarted an attempt in June to smuggle weapons believed to have been headed to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Hezbollah denied the charges.
Oil prices rise to $84 a barrel
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:25 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices rebounded slightly this morning on concerns that Middle Eastern supply remains at risk as a diplomatic resolution to the US-Iran war that has disrupted shipments still seems unlikely.
Front-month Brent futures rose $0.62, or 0.7 per cent, to $84.39 a barrel as of 0055 GMT after dropping 7 per cent in the previous session to a three-week low.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was $0.61, or 0.7 per cent higher at $80.95 after falling over 5 per cent in the previous session to its lowest in nearly a week.
Trump’s Iran desperation is revealed in crowd-sourcing memo seeking ‘creative’ ways to punish the enemy: report
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:15 , Bruce Golding
The US military has asked combat experts to think outside the box in a desperate bid for new ideas to end President Donald Trump's war against Iran, according to a report Monday.
In an email last week, an officer in the intelligence branch of US Central Command asked a broad group of military analysts for suggestions, CNN said, citing an unidentified source.
"We are looking for new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran,” the email reportedly read.
Military officials said the effort to crowdsource a solution to the war by email was highly unusual, CNN reported.
The move came as Trump is considering dramatic, "fireworks"-style airstrikes against Iran that could hit the same or similar sites that the US bombed last year when targeting the nation’s suspected nuclear weapons program, a source told CNN.
Read on...
Trump’s despair over Iran revealed in memo seeking new ideas for war: report
Cargo vessel 'hit' by projectile near Oman
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:03 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it had received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman's Al Khasab, after a cargo vessel broadcast over VHF channel 16 that it had been hit by an unknown projectile.
Watch: Trump says canceled Iran attack would have been the biggest 'since WWII'
Tuesday 4 August 2026 04:02 , Rachel Dobkin
Recap: US military asks for ‘creative and unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran after Trump’s ‘despair’ over strategy
Tuesday 4 August 2026 03:00 , James Reynolds
The US military has been crowdsourcing ideas for “creative and unconventional” ways to “punish” Iran, according to a report, after both sides reached an impasse over how to end the unpopular five-month war.
A senior officer at the US Central Command’s intelligence branch is said to have written to military analysts last Wednesday asking for new ideas to “pressure and punish Iran”, according to CNN, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Centcom spokesperson Captain Timothy Hawkins said: “US Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways. [Centcom commander] Admiral [Brad] Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible.”
In full:
US military asks for ‘creative and unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran
Trump’s Iran war is becoming a political disaster, new poll shows
Tuesday 4 August 2026 02:00 , Holly Evans
A new AP-NORC poll suggests Americans are growing increasingly skeptical of the war with Iran, with about two-thirds saying the conflict has not been worth fighting and support for President Donald Trump's handling of the war slipping.
The survey, conducted July 23-27, found just 28% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of Iran, down from 34% last month. Support also dipped among Republicans, with 61% approving, compared with 71% in June, though the poll's margin of error means the decline is modest.
Read the full article here:
Trump’s Iran war is becoming a political disaster, new poll shows
In pictures: Iran's foreign minister attends Arbaeen commemoration in Iraq on Monday
Tuesday 4 August 2026 01:00 , James Reynolds
The Arbaeen pilgrimage commemorates 40 days of mourning after the martyrdom in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Recap: MTG and Tucker Carlson announce new ‘movement’ in photo packed with MAGA renegades
Tuesday 4 August 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Marjorie Taylor Greene announced a new political “movement” with a group of MAGA stalwarts who have broken with President Donald Trump over the ongoing Iran war.
On August 1, the former Georgia Republican posted a photo on X depicting her alongside media personality Tucker Carlson, Rep. Thomas Massie and Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Also pictured was conservative journalist Brian Glenn, whom Greene married in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
“We said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise,” Greene wrote. “But he’s betrayed us all. Our commitment is America First for all Americans, right, left, and center,” she continued.”
In full:
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MTG and Tucker Carlson announce new ‘movement’ in photo packed with MAGA renegades
Recap: Trump says there ‘will be a deal on Hormuz’ as peace talks to resume
Monday 3 August 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
US military asks for ‘creative and unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran
Monday 3 August 2026 22:00 , James Reynolds
The US military has been crowdsourcing ideas for “creative and unconventional” ways to “punish” Iran, according to a report, after both sides reached an impasse over how to end the unpopular five-month war.
A senior officer at the US Central Command’s intelligence branch is said to have written to military analysts last Wednesday asking for new ideas to “pressure and punish Iran”, according to CNN, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Centcom spokesperson Captain Timothy Hawkins said: “US Central Command has a long history of thinking and working in innovative ways. [Centcom commander] Admiral [Brad] Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible.”
Military officials nonetheless told the outlet it was unusual to appeal for ideas like that by email. One of the sources told CNN that Centcom was reviewing all of its options, acknowledging the need to re-evaluate its current strategy.
Read the full story:
US military asks for ‘creative and unconventional ideas’ to punish Iran
Analysis: Trump’s whiny Truth Social tirade against Iran reads like a bitter breakup text
Monday 3 August 2026 21:46 , Harriette Boucher
Not even the president can answer why his latest efforts to reach a deal with Iran will go any differently. Monday’s outburst suggests that he’s too angry to care, writes John Bowden:
Trump’s whiny Truth Social tirade against Iran reads like a bitter breakup text
Senator tells Trump to ditch his ‘real estate buddy’ in Iran talks
Monday 3 August 2026 21:00 , James Reynolds
A Democratic senator and veteran once again took aim at the Trump administration over the Iran war on Sunday, claiming that the president’s chosen diplomats Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are not up to the task.
Sen. Mark Kelly was on CBS’s Face the Nation as he implored the president to put more experienced diplomatic representatives in charge and ditch his “real estate buddy” Witkoff, as well as his son-in-law.
Both men have helmed negotiations between the U.S. and Iran for months as the Trump administration has struggled to get out of a war it promised would only last for a few weeks.
"I would suggest to him, though, that the solution is not to do the same thing that he's been doing — not to have his real estate buddy and his son-in-law in charge of a negotiation,” said Kelly.
Read the full story:
Democratic senator tells Trump to ditch his ‘real estate buddy’ and Jared Kushner
Watch: Trump humiliated after Tehran denies his claim of new peace talks
Monday 3 August 2026 20:00 , James Reynolds
