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Three boys play in the shallow waters of the Strait of Hormuz, as a plume of smoke rises from an explosion in the background, off Bandar Abbas, Iran. (ISNA via AP)Sweden has condemned Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and the group’s attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, a route used by the country to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for their energy export.
“We strongly condemn Houthi threats against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard wrote on X.
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War enters 13th consecutive night.
The Iran war entered its 13th consecutive night of US strikes on Thursday, with forces hitting Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. ET in an effort to hold Iran accountable and reduce threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping. Tensions spread further across the Gulf as US President Donald Trump warned he was weighing a “massive attack” on Iran, “bigger than ever before,” and said he was close to a decision. Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait reported fresh Iranian missile and drone strikes, including one on Kuwait’s Al-Abdali border crossing with Iraq, Al Jazeera reported. Meanwhile, oil topped $100 a barrel for the first time since May after Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to choke off another oil export route alongside the near-shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.
What has Trump said?
Trump signalled he was not yet ready to discuss a new ceasefire with Iran, saying “they need more of the same” after days of renewed strikes, CNN reported. He also said any damage to ships or cargo in the region would be paid for using frozen Iranian funds.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran was keen for a deal but not ready to commit to one, speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Manila.
latest developments
- US forces began another night of strikes on Iranian military targets at 6:45 p.m. ET, marking the 13th consecutive night of attacks aimed at holding Iran accountable and reducing threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping.
- Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait reported retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks after a 12th straight day of US strikes.
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said a tanker was on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, while Yemen’s Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
- More than 4,200 right-wing Israeli activists stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
- Oil prices crossed $100 a barrel for the first time since May, as the Houthi attacks threatened a second major oil export route.
Follow The Indian Express Global Desk live coverage for the latest updates on the conflict from West Asia and the US.
Live Updates
Sirens sound in Bahrain
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior has urged people “to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place” as sirens sound.
28 Indian crew members safe after LPG tanker attacked in Iranian waters, Embassy confirms
The Indian Embassy in Tehran on Friday confirmed that all 28 Indian crew members aboard the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA are safe after the vessel came under attack in Iranian territorial waters.
In an official statement issued on Friday, the embassy said it was aware of the attack on the LPG tanker, identified by IMO No. 8818219, which took place earlier in the day.
Read full report here
Iran, Oman foreign ministers discuss regional security and Strait of Hormuz navigation
The foreign ministers of Iran and Oman held a telephone conversation to discuss the latest regional and security developments, with a particular focus on maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, according to an official statement. Reuters
Pakistan expresses concern over recent tensions in West Asia, calls for dialogue and de-escalation
Pakistan on Friday expressed concern over the recent West Asia tensions and called for dialogue, restraint and de-escalation by all sides to achieve peace in the region.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said this in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, the Foreign Office said.
Pakistan, which previously mediated a ceasefire between the US and Iran, is making efforts to prevent the collapse of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed last month between the two countries.
The Islamabad MoU is a 14-point interim peace deal aimed at ending the war between Iran and the US.
The two countries have engaged in hostilities over the past week with the US attacking Iran and Tehran targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz and American assets in the region According to the Foreign Office, the two ministers reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and reviewed the evolving regional situation. PTI
Omani delegation arrives in Iran for talks on Strait of Hormuz shipping
An Omani diplomatic delegation has arrived in Iran to discuss mechanisms for managing ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media. The discussions are expected to focus on coordinating maritime navigation in the strategically important waterway.
Iran says SCO members have condemned US actions
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) have explicitly condemned what Tehran describes as US aggression against Iran, as well as Washington's unilateral actions and alleged violations of international law.
According to the Iranian foreign minister, the SCO member countries expressed their opposition to the US actions and reaffirmed their support for adherence to international law.
Tanker switches Asia voyage via Suez amid Houthi warnings, owner says
The Danish-flagged oil products tanker Torm Innovation will sail to Asia via the Suez Canal with its cargo, the vessel's owner Torm said on Friday, following Houthi threats to shipping in the southern Red Sea.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis declared on Monday a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the U.S. in the Iran war and expanding the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.
"Given the security situation in the southern part of the Red Sea, the vessel is sailing via the Suez (Canal) and around the Cape to Asia. This reflects our cautious approach to crew safety, which remains our highest priority," a Torm spokesperson said.
Torm had suspended transits through the southern part of the Red Sea since January 2024, and "only after careful case-by-case assessment we had a few vessels transiting this summer", the spokesperson said. Reuters
EU imposes sanctions on Iranian judges over human rights violations
The European Union has imposed new restrictive measures on Iranian judges accused of being responsible for serious human rights violations, the EU's foreign policy chief said.
Jordan says it intercepted 7 Iranian missiles, 6 drones
Jordan's Armed Forces said they intercepted and shot down seven Iranian missiles and six drones, according to state television. The military did not immediately provide further details on the interceptions or any damage caused. Reuters
Iran's Ghalibaf calls Israel 'primary enemy' of Islamic countries
Iran's official news agency IRNA reported that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described Israel as the "number one enemy of all Islamic countries" during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi in Tehran on Thursday.
According to IRNA, Ghalibaf also said that closer cooperation between Iran and Iraq would help preserve the unity of Islamic nations in the face of what he described as the Zionist regime.
Bahrain says it intercepted Iranian attack
The Bahrain Defence Force said it successfully intercepted an Iranian attack on Friday, according to an official statement. No further details about the attack or any damage were immediately provided. Reuters
VIDEO | IRGC uses advance super-heavy drone to strike US ammunition depots, sheds
Video clips show IRGC's advanced super-heavy drone strike against American ammunition depots and personnel sheds.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsImages Show Advanced Super-Heavy Drone Striking Enemy Positions
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) July 24, 2026
Images show IRGC's advanced super-heavy drone strike in wave 27 of Operation Nasr 2 against American ammunition depots and personnel sheds. pic.twitter.com/XIbGQBcUtt
Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir used IRGC oil venture to broker Iran-Saudi deal: Report
The Times of Israel, citing three officials familiar with the matter, reported that Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir helped broker an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia under which Tehran agreed to halt attacks against the Gulf kingdom.
According to the report, the understanding was reached in late March during the early weeks of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. The officials reportedly told The Times of Israel that Munir used a joint oil transport venture involving Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Ahmad Vahidi to facilitate the agreement.
The report further said that after the deal was concluded, Saudi Arabia was largely spared from repeated Iranian attacks that had affected it and other countries in the region during the initial phase of the conflict.
Explosions are heard near a US base in northern Iraq as US-Iran fighting escalates
A series of explosions sounded near a military base hosting U.S. forces in northern Iraq and sirens rang out in Bahrain on Friday, hours after the American military said it finished its 13th night of strikes against Iran.The conflict has flared again over the past week, as the U.S. has pounded Iran while Tehran has attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted U.S. assets and allies in the region. AP
Report claims warehouses linked to US Consulate in Iraq targeted
Several reports claimed that warehouses associated with the US Consulate in Erbil, in northern Iraq, were targeted in an attack, the Tasnim News Agency reported. The reported target was identified as storage facilities linked to the diplomatic mission.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsUS Consulate Warehouses in Erbil Targeted
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) July 24, 2026
Some sources announced that the target of an attack in Erbil was warehouses of the United States consulate in Erbil located in northern Iraq. pic.twitter.com/6eo7xFB3g4
Middle East crude premiums surge, Asian refiners seeking alternatives
Spot premiums for Middle Eastern crude benchmarks hit their highest in two months as attacks on two tankers in the Red Sea triggered a rerouting of some Saudi oil shipments via a route that circles Africa, further disrupting supply flows.
The attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis came after renewed U.S. and Iran strikes in the Middle East and shipping blockades on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz again choked oil shipments through that crucial waterway, slowing crude oil and fuel exports to Asia.
Spot premiums for Middle East benchmark Dubai to swaps doubled on Thursday to $12.74 a barrel, while Oman's premium climbed to $12.62, Reuters data showed. Both premiums are the highest since end-May.
Consultancy Energy Aspects said in a note on Thursday that it expects premiums to rise further and the spread between Brent and Dubai to narrow as the ship attacks will prompt more cargo diversions and deter shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, the strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Brent's premium to Dubai settled at $13.22 per barrel on Thursday, the highest since May 4, according to LSEG data.
The premium for Abu Dhabi's flagship Murban crude surged to $19.04, the highest since April 7, on tight supply for light-sour crude as ship attacks in the Black Sea compounded the supply problems in the Middle East. Reuters
Swedish FM condemns Houthi Red Sea attacks
Sweden has condemned Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia and the group’s attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, a route used by the country to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for their energy export.
“We strongly condemn Houthi threats against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard wrote on X.
Israeli Minister demands army to act with 'iron fist' after West Bank clash that left and one Israeli settlers killed and 3 injured
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has urged the military to act with an “iron fist” against the village he said was responsible for a deadly shooting attack at the Havat Gilad settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank.
In a post on X, Smotrich said that the IDF (Israeli Defence Force should act with an " iron fist " against the 'village of murderers'
“I demand that the IDF [Israeli army] act with an iron fist against the village of the murderers and its surroundings and restore governance and deterrence,” he said.
Smotrich's reaction comes after one Israeli settler was killed and 3 were injured in a clash that also claimed four Palestinian lives
One Israeli settler killed, three injured in West Bank clashes: MDA
In a clash between Palestinian and Israeli settlers which claimed the lives of four Palestinians, one Israeli settler was also killed, leaving three others injured, as per the Israel’s national emergency service MDA’s spokesperson's message on Telegram.
Two of the settlers who suffered serious injuries were evacuated in a helicopter for further treatment.
Iran warns against ‘unilateralism’ at SCO meeting
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said Tehran views the SCO as a vital force for multilateralism amid growing unilateralism and violations of international law—language
He said, “Iran attaches great importance to the SCO and similar multilateral arrangements.”
Baghaei wrote on X from the Kyrgyz resort town of Cholpon-Ata, where he is attending an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting.
Iran became a full member of the SCO in 2023, the organisation that was initially founded by Russia and China.
Four Palestinians killed in Nablus: Palestine Health Ministry
The Palestinian health ministry said that four Palestinians have been killed and four others injured as Israeli settlers attacked the town of Till, southwest of Nablus.
Settlers attacked homes in the town and fired live rounds toward them this morning.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, 86 Palestinians have been killed across West Bank governorates since the beginning of the year, including 21 shot by settlers.
Iran at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting warns against ‘unilateralism’
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said Tehran views the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a vital force for multilateralism at a time of growing unilateralism and violations of international law language he has previously used to criticise the United States.
Writing on X from the Kyrgyz resort town of Cholpon-Ata, where he is attending an SCO foreign ministers' meeting, Baghaei said Iran attaches great importance to the SCO and similar multilateral arrangements, adding that aggressive unilateralism, breaches of inter-state agreements and the unlawful use of force are badly undermining the rule of law and the UN Charter-based legal order.
We are in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, to participate in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 24, 2026
Iran attaches great importance to the SCO and similar multilateral arrangement, which represent a vital force for… pic.twitter.com/CCGd7mxcL8
‘Bigger than ever’: Trump says he’s close to deciding on massive Iran attack
Twelve days into the latest round of fighting with Iran, President Donald Trump is weighing whether to go further still not just more strikes, but a return to full-scale combat on a scale he says would dwarf anything seen so far in this conflict, including the strikes carried out during Operation Epic Fury. Read more
Iran claims drone strikes on US facilities in Bahrain and Jordan
Iran’s military says it has launched a new wave of drone attacks targeting US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan.
In a statement carried by Iran’s Mehr news agency, the Iranian army said it used drones to target fuel storage tanks, equipment warehouses, and troop living quarters at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
The military added that aircraft hangars, maintenance facilities, and accommodation sites at the Muwaffaq Salti/Al-Azraq base in Jordan were also hit, warning that any actions against Iran’s interests would undermine regional security and economic stability.
Trump vows to punish Iran and Houthis for attacks in Red Sea
US President Donald Trump promised "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies after the Yemeni fighters struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending the Middle East war to a second major shipping chokepoint.
Fears that disruption could widen to block another sea route sent global oil prices surging in one of the steepest rises of the war. Brent crude rose more than 6%, piercing the level of $100 a barrel for the first time since May.
Two weeks since the effective collapse of an interim truce meant to end the war, the US military launched air strikes on Iran late on Thursday and early on Friday, for a 13th consecutive night of attacks, prompting Iran to fire at neighbouring Arab countries that host US bases.
Iranian FM: Seizing nation’s assets to pay for future claims sets 'incendiary precedent'
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that seizing another nation's assets to cover unrelated future claims sets a dangerous precedent, cautioning in a post on X that once governments normalise confiscation, no one's assets remain safe and that the resulting chaos would not be peaceful.
His remarks came after President Trump said on Truth Social that any damage to ships or cargo would be paid for using Iranian funds the US holds and controls, calling it the fair and equitable thing to do despite the potentially substantial cost, following renewed attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saudi ships in the Red Sea and repeated Iranian strikes on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The unfreezing of Iran's assets had been a central demand in the June memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, an agreement neither side has honoured, and while the total value of Iran's frozen assets is hard to pin down given how widely they're spread across global financial networks, Iranian media and analysts estimate the figure at between $124 billion and $167 billion, according to CNN.
Iran flew IRGC commanders, missile gear to Yemen’s Houthis: Report
Iran sent IRGC commanders, military advisers and missile- and drone-related equipment to Yemen this month, according to four sources, in a move that suggests Tehran is seeking to strengthen the Houthis’ ability to threaten Red Sea shipping.
Four sources familiar with the matter including two Iranian sources, Yemen’s information minister and a regional security analyst — said Iran transferred the personnel and military equipment on a Mahan Air flight from Tehran to Yemen on July 13, a development not previously reported. Read more
Oil set for weekly rise amid Red Sea shipping attacks, Kazakhstan output cuts
US military launches new strikes on Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes
The US military announced the 13th night of strikes Thursday against Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes. The attacks came after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped USD 100 a barrel.
A short time later, Iranian state media reported explosions along the strait in Qeshm and Bandar Abbas, where two people were reportedly injured, as well as to the northwest near Andimeshk, Omidiyeh and Firuzabad.
Four killed, five injured in US missile strike near Iran’s Ahvaz
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that four people were killed in a US missile attack near the southwestern city of Ahvaz.
Five others were injured in the strike, according to local officials in Khuzestan province, according to the Tasnim report.
Explosions reported in cities across Iran
Iranian media are reporting explosions or attacks across multiple Iranian cities.
Oil set for weekly rise amid Red Sea shipping attacks, Kazakhstan output cuts
US military says it’s launching new strikes on Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes
The US military announced Thursday that it is conducting the 13th night of strikes against Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes. Earlier Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped $100 a barrel.
US Central Command said the latest attacks are designed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the Americans push to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping.
Iran activates air defence in Tehran to counter 'hostile' threat, state media reports
Iran's air defence systems were activated in Tehran to counter a "hostile" threat, according to Nournews, an outlet linked to Iran's state media. The claim has not been independently verified, and further details on the nature of the threat were not immediately available.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Trump vows to punish Iran for Houthi attacks in Red Sea; oil surges over $100
US President Donald Trump promised "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies on Thursday after the Yemeni fighters struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending the Middle East war to a second major shipping chokepoint.
Fears that disruption could widen further to block another sea route sent global oil prices surging in one of the steepest rises of the war. Brent crude rose more than 6%, breaking through $100 a barrel for the first time since May.
4 US troops killed in Iran war removed from Pentagon's casualties website
The Pentagon's casualty-tracking website has quietly dropped four service members from its count of Iran war deaths, cutting the official total from 18 to 14. This came even though the remains of four soldiers were returned to Dover Air Force Base in a dignified transfer just a day earlier three killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan and one in a controlled drone detonation in Iraq.
A Pentagon spokesperson attributed the discrepancy to "temporary data disruptions" that would soon be fixed, The New York Times reported. CNN, meanwhile, noted its own review of the Defense Casualty Analysis System has shown a pattern of delayed updates, even as a Pentagon official maintained the database is "regularly updated."
US military says it's launching new strikes on Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes
What you need to know
Multiple explosions reported in Ahvaz
Iran’s Fars news agency is reporting that multiple explosions have been heard in the capital of Khuzestan province, Ahvaz.
The exact location and origin of the explosions is currently unknown.
US launches 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran
The US military says its forces have launched another night of strikes against Iranian military targets to diminish threats to commercial shipping from the Revolutionary Guard.
US Central Command said that the strikes began at 6:45pm Eastern Time (22:45 GMT) on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of operations aimed at holding Tehran “accountable”.
What all happened so far
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