Wednesday, 12 August 2026

Middle East

US, Israel Halt Planned Iran Attack as Draft Framework Reached: Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States and Israel had agreed to suspend their planned attacks on Iran at the request of Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, claiming the two allies had reached a draft framework for an agreement aimed at ending the war.

Trump Says ‘Good Talks’ Underway With Iran, Oil Prices Slide

US President Donald Trump said talks with Iran were progressing well and that there was a strong chance of reaching a deal to ease the conflict between the two countries, while warning that US attacks would resume if the negotiations produced no result, according to Reuters.

Houthis claim attack on 2 Saudi oil tankers

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have claimed an attack on two Saudi oil tankers transiting through the Red Sea. “We targeted two Saudi oil tankers, named Encelia and Layla, for their violation of the blockade decision issued by the armed forces,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Wednes

US military launching new strikes against Iran

The United States announced Saturday it was launching new airstrikes to punish Iran for attacks against US forces in Jordan after its first military deaths since renewing its hostilities with Tehran.

US Strikes Oil Tanker in Hormuz, Hits Tehran for First Time as Iran Targets Bahrain–Kuwait

The United States struck an empty oil tanker heading towards Kharg Island in the Hormuz Strait and launched fresh attacks on Iranian military sites, including Tehran for the first time, while Iran retaliated by targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, according to a Reuters report published on Thursday. The es

Trump Reimposes Naval Blockade on Iranian Ports, Threatens Strikes

Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump reimposed a naval blockade on all Iranian ports and threatened attacks on power plants and bridges next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations. The United States also said it had resumed military strikes aim

Trump backs down on levy on Hormuz ships

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was scrapping a planned levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz a day after he announced it, and replacing the fee with trade deals with Gulf allies. Trump said his sudden decision to withdraw the toll -- which he imposed amid fresh clashes with Iran

Iran Strikes US-Linked Bases in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait After American Attacks on Coastal Sites

A sharp military escalation has broken out between the United States and Iran in the Middle East, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and army launching retaliatory attacks on US-linked targets in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait after US strikes on Iranian coastal military bases. The confrontat

Qatar's former leader Hamad bin Khalifa dies

The Qatari government on Sunday announced the death of former leader Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, who led the country from 1995 to 2013. "With hearts steadfast in faith in God's decree and destiny, the Bureau of the Emir mourns the great loss to the nation of the late -- may God have mercy on

Ali Khamenei Buried at Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad After Six Days of State Mourning

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme religious leader, was buried on Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace and one of Shia Islam’s holiest cities, after six days of state mourning. According to a Reuters report, Mashhad’s main roads and alleyways began filling with members of

US Strikes 170 Targets in Iran Over Two Days; 14 Killed

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated sharply following a series of military exchanges over the past 48 hours. Tehran officials stated that U.S. airstrikes targeting five Iranian provinces have killed at least 14 people and injured 78 others. Concurrently, Iran claimed to have l

Trump says Iran ceasefire 'is over'

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the ceasefire with Iran was "over" after the two sides traded fire, but added that negotiators could keep talking to Tehran. Trump blasted Iran as "scum" and "cuckoo" after Washington launched strikes on the Islamic Republic overnight and Iran's Guards said

US launches strikes on 80+ Iranian targets near Strait of Hormuz amid funeral

The United States has launched a massive wave of offensive airstrikes against Iranian military targets near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, officials said on Wednesday, significantly escalating tensions as millions of Iranians gather for the multi-day funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Two blasts near Damascus hotel

Two explosions took place in central Damascus on Tuesday near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night, a Syrian security source told AFP. One of the bombs was placed in a dumpster and the other in a vehicle near the Four Seasons Hotel, the source said. The French president

Millions gather as Khamenei funeral procession begins in Tehran

Vast crowds gathered for the funeral procession of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Monday, with authorities estimating millions were on the streets in numbers that could rival those of his predecessor's farewell nearly four decades ago. Authorities have yet to give an official

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Coffin Displayed as Iran Begins Week-Long State Funeral

Iran has begun a week-long series of funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose coffin was placed on public display at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on Friday, marking the start of what authorities expect to be one of the largest state mourning events in the country's history. Kha

Flowers and a raised fist: Tehran's Grand Mosalla readies for Khamenei farewell

At the entrance to the vast religious complex where Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's body is set to lie in state from Saturday, dozens were hard at work under an intense heatwave to prepare for the slain supreme leader's grand funeral. Security was on high alert ahead of the start of the funerary activities

Cathay Pacific to resume Middle East flights

Hong Kong's flagship airline Cathay Pacific announced Thursday that it will resume flights to the Middle East, as the United States and Iran signal that efforts to end the war remain viable. Following the two sides' indirect discussions in Doha on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump, as well as me

Hezbollah rejects deal with Israel, which expects 'extended stay' in Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Saturday accused the Lebanese government of surrendering sovereignty in its agreement with Israel and declared the deal null and void, as Israel told its troops to prepare for an "extended stay" in Lebanon. The agreement, which includes a process aimed at disarming He

Iran warns against Hormuz crossings without Authorisation

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Thursday warned against any crossings of the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation, saying vessels not complying "will be dealt with". The future of the strait, a vital route for energy shipments that was blockaded by Iran during the war, is a key sticking point in ne