Iran’s President Pezeshkian says the level of ‘interaction’ with new supreme leader is increasing day by day

The level ​of “interaction” with Iran’s ​Supreme Leader is increasing day by day, ​Iranian President ‌Masoud ⁠Pezeshkian said in ‌a video clip published ⁠on state media.

Mojtaba Khamenei ​has not been ‌seen in public since the US-Israeli air strike that ‌killed his father, ​Ali Khamenei, along with his wife and other close family members at the start of the Iran ​war.

Mojtaba Khamenei suffered ​severe facial ​and leg injuries ​in the attack, three people close to his inner circle ⁠told Reuters in April.

Houthis warn shipping companies to avoid loading or discharging at Saudi ports

Shipping ⁠companies should ​not load or discharge cargo at ​Saudi Arabian ports and such activity may result in being targeted “in any location” ​by ‌Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, according ⁠to an email sent to companies by the ‌Houthis.

“Vessels are banned from loading or ⁠discharging cargo at or from any Saudi ports,” the July ​20 email said, which was received ‌by multiple shipping companies.

“We strongly recommend that your company exercise due diligence ‌and the utmost care in all its ​dealings,” according to the email, which was sent to the multiple companies in the industry ​and seen by Reuters.

“Any such ​activity would expose the ​violating vessels to sanctions. Furthermore, they may be ​subject to targeting in any location within the operational reach of the Yemeni Armed Forces,” according to the email, ⁠which was sent by the Houthis’ Sanaa-based Humanitarian ⁠Operations ​Coordination Center.

The group said on Monday they would impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front in ​the war and raising the ‌threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.

Iranian official begins meeting with mediators in Pakistan

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, two officials said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

Authorities did not immediately release details of the meeting.

Momeni is also expected to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later on Tuesday.

Jordan military says it intercepted two Iranian attacks

The Jordanian military announced it had intercepted two Iranian attacks at midday.

The military’s “air defence systems intercepted and shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom at midday today”, the army said in a statement, adding that there had been no casualties or damage caused.

Earlier, the army had announced it had intercepted five drones launched by Iran, with no casualties reported then either.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the first of the attacks, claiming in a statement that they had targeted a “complex housing US terrorist forces in the region of Rukban”.

Air raid sirens sound in Bahrain, interior ministry says

Bahrain sounded sirens after the country’s military had said it intercepted Iranian attacks.

“The siren has been sounded, Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the interior ministry said in a statement on X.

Bahrain military says it intercepted Iranian attacks

Bahrain’s military said it had intercepted a number of Iranian attacks.

“The air defences of the Bahrain Defence Force intercepted and destroyed a number of Iranian aerial aggressions,” the military said in a statement on X.

Jordan neutralised five Iranian drones, state news agency reports

The Jordanian military announced it had intercepted five Iranian drones.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the attack, claiming in a statement that they had targeted a “complex housing US terrorist forces in the region of Rukban”.

Iran’s military says it targeted US military lodging sites in Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain

Lebanese army deploys to ‘pilot zones’ in south, military source tells AFP

The Lebanese army deployed on Tuesday to “pilot zones” in part of the country that had been under Israeli occupation following a deal sponsored by Washington, a military source told AFP.

The source said soldiers “have begun deploying to the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya” in the Nabatieh region, following Israel’s invasion of parts of the south during their war with militant group Hezbollah.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they targeted Amazon infrastructure in Bahrain

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they launched an attack on a US military site in Jordan

Iran Guards say hit US military targets in Bahrain, Kuwait

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they hit US military targets including air defence systems in Bahrain and Kuwait, state news agency IRNA reported.

The Guards said they struck two air defence systems and a radar installation at two different US outposts in Bahrain, as well as missile defence systems and radars and satellite reception systems in Kuwait.

“With this radar sweep, the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks,” the Guards said in a statement carried by IRNA.

The announcement came as the United States said it struck Iranian military command centres, air defence systems and missile launch sites in overnight attacks.

Iran’s army said it targeted “three major US bases in Kuwait” with kamikaze drones.

US military says struck Iran military command centers, maritime capabilities

The US military said Monday night it had completed its latest round of strikes against Iran, targeting various sites to counter Tehran’s ability to attack ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

“US forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

US military completes its latest strikes on Iran, marking the 10th successive night of attacks

The US military said late on Monday it ​finished its latest round of strikes on Iran, saying it hit Iranian military command centers, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities and ​air ‌defense systems.

The US Central Command made the announcement ⁠in a post on social media website X.

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ alert for citizens over Mideast tensions

The US State Department on Monday issued an alert urging American citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution” over the war with Iran.

The alert said that “due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.”

“Americans outside the Middle East should reconsider travel to and through the region,” it said, while warning of the heightened possibility of attacks targeting US diplomatic facilities “or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world.”

Lebanon’s Aoun to meet Trump as pressure builds to disarm Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to meet with his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, as pressure builds for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, Israel’s key condition before withdrawing from south Lebanon.

It comes a day after the United States, which has sponsored negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, announced the start of the implementation of an agreement granting the Lebanese army control over “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon.

These zones are primarily located just outside lands Israel occupied after Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March.

Aoun, who has staunchly criticised Hezbollah’s decision to pull Lebanon into war, is now hoping Trump will further pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese lands.

Israel has nonetheless consistently refused to pull out as long as Hezbollah remains armed — a demand echoed by Washington.

Iran army says targeted US base in Kuwait

The Iranian army said early Tuesday it had targeted a US base in Kuwait with missiles, as President Masoud Pezeshkian said the conflict had morphed into a “full-scale war”. 

“The army’s ground forces targeted the HIMARS missile systems of the US terrorist army stationed at the Arifjan base in Kuwait with surface-to-surface missiles,” state news agency IRNA said, quoting the army’s public relations officials.

“HIMARS is a mobile missile system with the ability to move quickly against ground targets, which, when targeted, causes damage to the offensive and defensive layers and reduces the enemy’s missile power in aggressive crimes,” it said.

Camp Arifjan, located south of Kuwait City, accommodates elements of the US Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

UKMTO says tanker reports being struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz

The ⁠United ​Kingdom Maritime ​Trade Operations agency said it had ​received ‌multiple ⁠reports that ‌a tanker had reported ⁠over VHF Channel 16 that ​it ‌had been struck by an unknown ‌projectile in ​the Strait of Hormuz.

UKMTO said the ​incident was ​reported ​8 nautical miles northeast ​of Oman’s Limah and that authorities ⁠were investigating.

New strikes as Trump warns Iran will pay for US troop deaths

US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Monday that it would pay “many times over” for every American soldier killed as a top Iranian leader said the conflict has escalated into a “full-scale war.”

As the United States announced a new round of strikes against the Islamic Republic, Tehran’s Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, threatened to broaden the war even further by announcing they would blockade Saudi ports.

Such a move by the Houthis would put at risk Riyadh’s ability to bypass the flashpoint Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports and have major repercussions on the global economy.