Al Jazeera

By Zaid Sabah, Umut Uras and Alex Milan Durie

    US bombs Iran for an 11th consecutive night as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the cost of the war has reached $37.5bn.

    US President Donald Trump threatens to attack a suspected Iranian nuclear site called Pickaxe Mountain “pretty soon, and very heavily”, prompting Tehran to threaten an expansion of the war in the region.

    Mediators step up efforts to end the hostilities as Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni holds talks with senior Pakistani officials, including Army Chief Asim Munir, in Islamabad.

    Trump meets Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and promises to broker peace with Israel, but will not say when Israeli troops might withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Funeral procession held for newly identified Minab primary school strike victims

    A funeral procession is under way in Minab as residents gather to honour the newly identified victims of the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School attack, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

    The school was destroyed on February 28 by a missile strike on the opening day of the war, killing more than 170 children and teachers.

    According to Tasnim, large crowds assembled for the mourning ceremony, carrying portraits of the victims and offering prayers as the procession moved through the streets.

US attacks hit electrical substation near Bushehr nuclear plant

    We have more details of the US attacks on the Iranian city that hosts the country’s only nuclear power plant.

    The deputy governor for security affairs of Bushehr province told Fars news agency that two explosions occurred in the city of Bushehr and a third took place near Khormoj. He said the attack resulted in no loss of life or injuries.

    He said power was temporarily knocked out in Bandar-e Gah village after missiles struck an electrical substation near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant but was restored within two hours.

Hamas’s Zaher Jabarin congratulates new leader al-Hayya

    In a statement released on Hamas’s Telegram page, senior Hamas member Jabarin said: “I congratulate the mujahid brother Dr Khalil al-Hayya (Abu Osama) on gaining the trust of our brothers, the members of the General Shura Council and his election as head of the movement’s Political Bureau.”

    Jabarin, who leads Hamas’s operations in the occupied West Bank, also extended “sincere greetings” to Khaled Meshaal, “highly appreciating his pioneering journey and continuous contributions to leading the movement and serving its path of resistance, and affirming the continuation of his prominent role and high standing within the leadership and national action”.

    He concluded: “We affirm our complete support for Brother Abu Osama, pledging to the masses of our great people and our nation to remain united in confronting the challenges and imminent dangers.”

    On Monday, al-Hayya replaced Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in combat with Israeli forces in October 2024 as Hamas fought a full-scale, two-year war with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

    Al-Hayya, a former deputy chairman of the Palestinian group and one of five members of its leadership council, won an internal ballot in a run-off against former political leader Meshaal, Hamas said in a statement on Monday.

US strikes multiple Iranian cities in ‘yet another night of escalation’

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    It was yet another night of escalation and exchange of fire between Iran and the US, as we witnessed the continuation of air strikes targeting cities across Iran.

    First and foremost, we know that sounds related to the activation of the air defence system here in the capital were heard. In Tabriz, located in the northwest of the country, attacks were reported targeting a military base. We also know that, in Khuzestan province, in the three cities of Omidiyeh, Mahshahr and Behbahan, explosions were reported.

    Moving on, explosions were heard in the city of Sirik, which is very important as it oversees the Strait of Hormuz. Further strikes were also reported in Chabahar and Konarak in the southeastern Sistan province.

    Similarly, air strikes were reported in the cities of Bushehr, Kangavar, Kabudarahang and in areas in the vicinity of the city of Baneh in Kurdistan province for the very first time.

    In response, the Iranian side is warning about the possibility of the war being extended beyond the region. Most recently, we’ve got two statements – one from the IRGC saying that they are going to continue their operations to “punish the aggressor”; the army also issued a statement confirming a retaliatory strike on US military assets, specifically in Kuwait.

    But, after days of speculation, Mamdani says New York does not have the power to arrest Netanyahu.

Democrats slam Trump administration over funding for the war on Iran

    We have more on the heated questions the US defence secretary has faced from Democratic senators over the Trump administration’s request for billions of dollars in additional military funding.

    Speaking at the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Senator Patty Murray questioned the Trump administration’s war strategy, saying: “The president is threatening escalation and war crimes, and suggesting this could be another forever war. He has told us over 40 times now that a deal is near and the war will be over soon. But now, he is asking for $70bn more. And for us to just trust him, it’ll work out fine.”

    Senator Kirsten Gillibrand meanwhile criticised Hegseth over his call for Congress to approve a proposed $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget for 2027, accusing the administration of seeking “unlimited money for bombs” while neglecting healthcare, food, housing and farmers.

    In another tense exchange, Senator Gary Peters accused Hegseth of lacking a strategy or long-term plan to win the war.

    Hegseth called that characterisation “reckless” and “irresponsible” and accused Democrats of refusing to fund US troops.

    “It’s not a question of money,” Peters replied. “It’s a question of leadership.”

If you’re just joining us

    Here’s what happened overnight:

    The US has attacked Iran for an 11th straight night with Iranian media reporting explosions in cities that include Bushehr, Tabriz and Chabahar and in the provinces of Kurdistan and Ilam.

    Iran claims retaliatory attacks on US military assets at Kuwait’s Camp Doha as oil rises to $92 a barrel.

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington is willing to hold talks with Iran and accuses Tehran of not being serious about negotiations.

    New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says his administration lacks the legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city.

    The US says a third soldier is believed to have been killed in an Iranian attack on Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base on Friday, taking the US military’s death toll to 18 since the war on Iran began.

    Amnesty International calls on Ireland, Luxembourg and other EU countries to bar Israel from issuing bonds and raising funds across European markets, warning that inaction risks complicity in its genocidal war in Gaza.

UN says 400,000 people still displaced in Lebanon

    The UN has said that more than 400,000 people are still displaced in Lebanon, with many families unable to “return home safely due to continued attacks”.

    Thousands of families still living in shelters have said they are experiencing “worsening shelter conditions, reduced access to water and hygiene services, and limited opportunities to earn an income,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

    “Many also said they are increasingly relying on borrowing funds to meet basic needs, including the purchase of essential medicines,” Dujarric said.

    Their “repeated attempts to return home have often been reversed due to insecurity, damaged infrastructure and limited access to basic services back in their home areas”, he added.

Vessel traffic in Strait of Hormuz falls further

    Only three commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, down from four on Monday, according to data from shipping analytics firm Kpler cited by Reuters.

    No very large crude carriers (VLCC) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers were visibly recorded passing through the strait, it said.

    The decline came as the US military said it had carried out another round of attacks on Iran, marking the 11th consecutive night of US attacks. Shipping disruption is also spreading to the Red Sea, where two tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia reversed course while approaching the Bab al-Mandeb Strait following threats from Yemen’s Houthis.

Oil prices climb to $92 a barrel

    Oil prices are continuing their upward trajectory, with Brent crude futures gaining $1, or 1.1 percent, to $92.01 per barrel as of 03:30 GMT.

    US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude went up 82 cents, or 1.0 percent, to trade at $85.16.

    The gains came after oil settled at a five-week high on Tuesday, according to Reuters, in the wake of US forces attacking targets in southern and western Iran, and Iran striking US facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.

    Brent futures closed at $91.01 per barrel on Tuesday, while WTI settled at $84.91.

Rubio says Iranians ‘not serious about talks’

    We can now bring you more from the secretary of state’s comments at the ASEAN ministers meeting, when he said the US was still willing to negotiate with Iran.

    “The United States is always committed to diplomacy. We are open-minded and always willing to engage in negotiated settlements of differences. And that remains true in the case of Iran.”

    “Unfortunately, so far, even though we have reached agreements, they have not kept their commitments… The problem we’re having right now is that they’re not serious about talks. If they’re serious, we’re serious. If they’re not, then we will do what is necessary to protect our interests and also the interests of our allies.

    “If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region.”

    “So what is at stake here is not simply the issue of what’s happening in the Straits of Hormuz. There’s a very fundamental principle about freedom of navigation. And if that is threatened, then I think the global economy is threatened, and the rules which have underpinned 150 years of international trade and commerce are also threatened. And that cannot be allowed to happen.”

    With electricity and running water scarce, and the price of wood and strings soaring amid the war, he has turned to improvisation to keep his craft alive.

    Many instruments have been damaged and music institutes destroyed or shut down, yet Abu Shawish continues his work, describing music as “the language of the world and a language of peace” that runs through Palestinian heritage.

AOC calls bill to integrate US-Israeli militaries an ‘existential threat’

    US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has urged members of Congress to vote no on provisions to integrate the US and Israeli militaries in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

    “Tomorrow, the House will vote on the NDAA, which includes a provision to merge parts of our military with the [Israeli military],” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X.

    “This amendment is an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy. Every member of Congress must vote NO.”

    The Council on American-Islamic Relations has warned that Section 219 of the NDAA, currently before the House, would permanently embed Israeli defence technology, intelligence sharing, weapons development and military planning within US defence institutions. The group says this goes beyond traditional military assistance, creating a lasting framework for joint weapons production and operational cooperation that future administrations would find difficult to unwind.

Amnesty urges Luxembourg, EU states to block sale of Israel bonds

    Amnesty International has urged Luxembourg, Ireland and other European Union states to block Israel’s ability to sell bonds and raise money in European markets, warning that failure to do so risks complicity in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

    “Israel has become increasingly reliant on foreign investments to finance its genocide, apartheid and unlawful occupation, and to bankroll its crimes against Palestinians,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s regional director for Europe.

    “Israel Bonds increase the funds available to the government and thereby help finance Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.”

    According to Amnesty, Israel has sharply increased issuance of the bonds since October 2023 to help fund its military. The bonds are currently regulated by Luxembourg, after Ireland previously hosted the programme. With Luxembourg’s prospectus set to expire on August 31, Amnesty has called on Luxembourg to reject its renewal, and on all EU states, including Ireland, to refuse to host or approve the bonds going forward.

    “Allowing these bonds to be sold in EU markets comes with an enormous ethical and legal cost. International law is clear: all states have an obligation not to aid or assist in genocide, and an obligation to prevent it,” Cockburn said.

Trump sees deal in Lebanon as key to settlement with Iran

By Alan Fisher

Reporting from Washington, DC, US

    Donald Trump would like to see a deal in Lebanon because he believes that will help in discussions with the Iranians.

    Iranians have made it very clear they would not enter discussions to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless the situation in Beirut is also addressed.

    For a long time, the Iranians were not prepared to get to the negotiating table because of Israel’s continued operations in southern Lebanon. Israel has actually frustrated Trump, because many times, just as he felt he was getting close to a deal with the Iranians, or at least getting them to the table, Israel took action in southern Lebanon, which he believed derailed attempts for peace.

    In fact, on several occasions, he said Netanyahu had to see the big picture.

    Trump is certainly keen to get some sort of negotiated settlement with the Iranians. He’s said Iran wants to talk, but he has said that before. And he’s made it clear he’ll continue the pressure. He’s been given options about what can happen next, including a much bigger military operation with more targets and greater intensity.

Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed urges diplomacy in calls with Bahrain, Omani ministers

    Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has received telephone calls from the top diplomats of Bahrain and Oman, according to a statement from his office.

    In separate calls with Bahrain’s Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Oman’s Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Sheikh Mohammed “underlined the importance of all parties committing to diplomacy”, the statement said.

    He called for the implementation of what has been agreed in the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, including “ensuring freedom of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz”.

    Sheikh Mohammed earlier spoke with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and made the same points.

Iran claims drone attacks on Kuwait

    Iran’s military claims to have launched drones at US military facilities at Camp Doha in western Kuwait.

    In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the Iranian military said its forces struck “ammunition depots” and “ground forces command logistics equipment” at the base in response to the US’s “repeated aggression”.

    “The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran – with sacred unity – stand ready to decisively counter any new conspiracy and adventurism by the enemy,” the statement added, describing Camp Doha as a major support hub for US personnel and equipment in the region.

US, Iran ‘trapped in a mechanical ratcheting of escalation’

    David de Roches, a former Pentagon director of Arabian Peninsula affairs, says both Washington and Tehran are widening their target lists in an attempt to force the other side to change course.

    “We’re kind of trapped in a mechanical ratcheting of escalation that is typical of relying only on air power,” de Roches told Al Jazeera, adding that air campaigns rarely achieve their objectives quickly.

    “Unless you achieve your ends very quickly with air power – which usually can only happen if you have a big state against a very, very small state – what you get is the campaign usually goes on and on, and the target list expands, the region expands, the type of targets you hit expands,” he said.

    De Roches argued that Trump was “trying to inflict damage on Iran to force them into good faith negotiations”. Tehran, meanwhile, appears to be “trying to inflict damage on US forces and on other Arab states – not Israel, oddly enough – to try to get them to force the United States to leave the region.”

    The analyst was sceptical of the US’s claim that the war has so far cost $37.5bn, calling the figure “a lowball estimate”.

    “The Department of Defense’s normal peacetime [expense] is roughly $2bn a day. The question you have to ask is what you consider to be an expense. For example, buildings destroyed on bases. Will those be rebuilt by the United States ” he said.

    “I’d say that a good ballpark estimate when you consider the cost of replacing weapons depleted is probably about four times that,” he added.

    Authorities say public conservation efforts have helped ease pressure on the grid as the country grapples with soaring demand.

UAE condemns Houthi threats against Saudi Arabia

    The UAE has condemned the Houthis’ threat to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, warning that it could undermine freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

    In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry called for the enforcement of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia.

    As we’ve been reporting, the latest escalation began when Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces struck the runway at Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack and responded by firing missiles and drones towards the kingdom’s Abha airport.

    The Houthis also announced that a blockade on Saudi shipping would take effect immediately, describing the move as a response to what they call a Saudi-imposed land, sea and air siege on Yemen. The group said it was applying a policy of “blockade for blockade”.

    Saudi Arabia has rejected those allegations, saying more than 300 vessels carrying food, fuel and other goods entered Houthi-controlled ports during the first half of 2026. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has promised to respond “firmly” and says it has begun measures to protect ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

    The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a major route for Saudi oil exports and international trade.

• US defence chief Hegseth puts Iran war cost at $37.5bn so far

    Latest cost comes as Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Caine seek a $1.5 trillion budget, including $70bn for Iran war.

Published On 21 Jul 202621 Jul 2026

    With every new round of attacks raising political cost of compromise, analysts warn the window for peace may be closing.

Published On 21 Jul 202621 Jul 2026

    People are facing mounting pressures, including rising living costs, electricity cuts and bombarded infrastructure.

Published On 21 Jul 202621 Jul 2026

    Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says his goal is to end ‘state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel forever’.