Fresh US hits on Iran, despite Trump saying a deal with Tehran 'possible' Several areas in south western Iran’s city of Omidiyeh were hit by US projectiles, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported. The fresh US salvo is the latest escalation in spite of remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting that a deal with Tehran was still possible. Earlier, Trump told reporters: "Yeah, I think a deal is possible.
Iran warns it would not allow US to 'interfere' in Hormuz Strait Iran's military said that it would not allow the United States to "interfere" in the management of the Strait of Hormuz as hostilities with Washington resumed. The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya military command, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, said in a video message also warned Gulf countries that any cooperation with Washington would be considered an "act of war". Iran's military warned that it would not allow the United States to “interfere” in the management of the Strait of Hormuz as hostilities with Washington resumed.
Business executives making 'contingency plans' for UAE-Saudi Arabia feud Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 21:04 Some law firms are selecting work that avoids antagonising the two rivals, while investors are navigating a new environment This picture, taken on 31 March 2026, shows the King Abdullah Financial District in the Saudi capital, Riyadh (Fayez Nureldine/AFP) Off Business executives are making contingency plans in case a growing feud between Saudi Arabia and the UAE escalates in the oil-rich Gulf region, amid signs that the two neighbours are embroiled in an economic war of attrition. Bloomberg reported on Monday that some global investment banks are worried they will have to decide between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Some businesses have begun making contingency plans for separate logistics.
US to reimpose Iran blockade on JCPOA anniversary The US says it will reimpose its naval blockade of Iran on Tuesday, on what would have been the 11th anniversary of the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The landmark nuclear deal was finalised in Vienna on 14 July 2015 after being agreed by Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US. Under the terms of the deal, Iran scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and pledged not to pursue nuclear weapons.
Pen America chief resigns, accuses literary institution of erasing Palestinians Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 18:26 Dinaw Mengestu cited Pen's anti-BDS stance, arguing that boycotts of Israeli creatives is a form of protected free speech Former Pen America president Dinaw Mengestu speaks on stage during the organisation's 2026 spring literary gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, on 14 May 2026 (Craig Barritt/Getty Images via AFP) Off After just seven months in the role, the president of one of the foremost US literary organisations resigned last week over what he described as the unfair treatment of Palestinians compared to Israelis and Jewish Americans. Dinaw Mengestu, a celebrated Ethiopian-American novelist , exited the top job at Pen America on Thursday after the group published a report about the emotional toll on Israeli and Jewish-American writers after the fallout from Israel's nearly three-year-long genocide in Gaza. Many reported losing jobs or career opportunities.
US citizen found guilty of violating Iran sanctions An American citizen has been found guilty of violating US sanctions on Iran by a federal jury in Boston. Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi was charged with conspiring to unlawfully export electronic components to Iran and was also accused by prosecutors of helping an Iranian business associate circumvent US export control laws two years ago. The Massachusetts resident had worked at Analog Devices before his arrest in December 2024.
Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted Houthi missiles The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says it intercepted ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards the kingdom's Southern Region. Mohammad al-Bukhaiti, a political bureau member of the Houthis, has said the group will target Saudi Arabia's "vital infrastructure" in retaliation for the attack on Sanaa airport, according to local media.
IMO says Hormuz should remain free of tolls The International Maritime Organisation has called for the Strait of Hormuz to "remain free of any tolls and charges, in accordance with international law". "We have always been consistent on our stance on fees. IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation," an IMO spokesperson said.
Rubio says US will dismantle ICC 'brick by brick' Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 18:59 Secretary of State issues broadside against the court that issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a trilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (not pictured) on the sidelines of the Nato Summit in Ankara, on 7 July 2026 (Yves Herman/Pool/AFP) Off US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the Trump administration is working to “dismantle the [International Criminal Court] brick by brick”, throwing down a public gauntlet to the court that issued an arrest warrant in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The ICC’s interfering with American military and law enforcement operations isn’t just only a grave overreach of its purported authorities. It would mean the death of the US as a sovereign and independent nation,” Rubio wrote in an opinion article published by The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
EU ministers largely back Israeli settlement trade ban, Kallas says EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says foreign ministers largely favoured the idea of banning trade with Israeli settlements during a meeting today. The officials met in Brussels to discuss a response to increasing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. "Everybody agrees that the situation in the West Bank is really intolerable," Kallas said at the start of the meeting.
Sudan court sentences RSF commander to death over West Darfur killings Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 18:55 Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and fifteen others have been convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide Sudan's Rapid Support Forces commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, along with 15 other defendants, were sentenced to death in absentia by a state court in Port Sudan, on 12 July 2026 (Ashraf Shazly/AFP) Off On Sunday, the anti-terrorism and crimes against the state court in Port Sudan sentenced Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and 15 other defendants to death in absentia. According to the Sudan Tribune, they were convicted for their roles in the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdullah Abakar, crimes against humanity, war crimes, prohibited warfare, and genocide in el-Geneina. Presided over by special judge Mohamed al-Amin, the ruling constitutes the first judicial conviction of the paramilitary group’s leadership since the outbreak of Sudan’s war on 15 April 2023.
Brent crude jumps as US-Iran fighting continues The price of Brent crude has jumped more than three percent while gold prices slumped further as fighting between the US and Iran continues. Brent was trading at just under $78 a barrel at midday after Trump announced the resumption of the blockade on Iran. Gold prices dropped almost three percent to $4,005 per ounce at 15:00 GMT.
Iranian foreign minister says Tehran will remain 'guardian' of Hormuz Iran's foreign minister says the country has "always been the guardian of the Strait and will remain so forever". The comments came after Trump announced that the US would levy a charge on vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. "POTUS is absolutely right.
At least 24 killed in Iran since latest US strikes began At least 24 people have been reported killed in Iran since the latest round of US strikes began, including four so far today. US missiles hit three locations in the city of Abadan, in the western province of Khuzestan, killing two people and wounding three, Mehr news agency reported. One person was killed in a US attack on a military base in the city of Nain, according to the deputy governor of Isfahan province.
Hormuz tanker traffic falls to lowest level in two months The number of tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz has fallen over the past 24 hours to its lowest level in two months, as renewed fighting between the US and Iran and attacks on vessels heighten safety concerns. Shipping industry sources said vessels are increasingly switching off their public AIS tracking transponders, making it difficult to determine how many ships are moving. But according to tracking analysis from Kpler, oil and gas tanker traffic fell to its lowest level since 25 May.
Iranian official says Tehran will keep fighting for Hormuz Mohammed Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, says Tehran will continue to fight for the Strait of Hormuz after Trump pledged to take full control of the crucial trade route. "We defend it so that in the future, for the passage of our ships, we are not forced to pay tribute to the enemy," he wrote on X. "Retreating from this vital matter has no place in the mind of any friend of Iran," he added.
UK police arrest 12 over far-right terror plot targeting major Muslim gathering Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 17:46 Counter-terrorism police said the UK Ijtima, organised by Tablighi Jamaat, ended early after officers uncovered what they described as a 'potential serious threat' A file photo of Shrubland Hall where the Ijtima event took place. British Counter-Terror Police said it had arrested 12 people in connection to a terror plot targeting the event (Wikimedia) Off Britain’s Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) said it had arrested 12 people in connection with an alleged right-wing terror plot targeting an Islamic event attended by around 15,000 people. Police said the UK Ijtima event at Shrubland Hall was forced to end early after officers identified what they described as a "potential serious threat" to the gathering.
Tehran repairs homes damaged in US-Israeli attacks Reconstruction is under way on tens of thousands of homes damaged by US-Israeli attacks on Iran's capital. More than 95 percent of the nearly 50,000 units with minor or moderate damage have received repairs, Tehran's Disaster Prevention and Management Organisation told ISNA news agency. Progress has also been made on roughly two-thirds of the 2,135 units that require demolition, ISNA reported.
Israeli attack critically wounds several Palestinians near Gaza City Israeli forces bombed a group of Palestinians near Gaza City, critically wounding several people, according to Wafa news agency. Medical sources told Wafa the attack took place in the al-Twam area, northwest of Gaza City. One man was also seriously wounded after being shot by Israeli forces in the central Gaza Strip, the agency reported.
Yemen government says it attacked Sanaa airport to block Iranian aircraft Yemen's internationally recognised government says its forces carried out an attack on Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. In a statement, Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, said he had directed "that the scope of the confrontation not be expanded in order to prevent Iran from dragging Yemen into wars that serve its interests". "In the future, we will not allow any aircraft to violate Yemeni airspace, whether it be Sanaa airport or any other airport," he added.
