Iran war live: Tehran attacks Gulf states, Jordan; 2 Hormuz tankers on fire
IRGC says it targeted US assets in the Middle East after 10th consecutive night of US attacks with ships in Hormuz hit.
Live updates,
A series of explosions rocked multiple Iranian cities, including Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Chabahar, and Konarak, as the United States initiated a fresh wave of airstrikes.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been a flashpoint in the escalating confrontation between Iran and the United States.
Published On 21 Jul 2026
- The US has bombed Iran for a 10th consecutive night, with explosions reported near Sirik and in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Chabahar and Konarak.
- Iran continues retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, with the IRGC saying it targeted US assets in Bahrain and Kuwait in recent hours. It says “massive fires” have also broken out on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
24 Updates
45s ago
(03:00 GMT)
Iran insists vessels must coordinate with it before transiting Hormuz Strait
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
The latest statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps came after two vessels were reportedly hit by explosions while trying to use a route different from the one designated by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has warned that alternative shipping lanes remain unsafe due to the presence of mines and other hazards.
Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly clear: Tehran says control over the waterway remains in Iranian hands and that vessels must coordinate with it before attempting to transit.
Iranian officials also say consultations are under way with Oman over a possible bilateral arrangement for managing the strait. But they continue to insist that ships must follow a route close to the Iranian coast.
Multiple ships and oil tankers have faced similar incidents over the past several nights.
Iran maintains that the strait is closed, contradicting the US position. Tehran says the closure followed Washington’s failure to honour the Memorandum of Understanding intended to address shipping through the waterway and wider tensions.
The dispute is also tied to the US naval blockade of Iran and the broader confrontation between Tehran and Washington.
5m ago
(02:55 GMT)
Explosions heard in Iran’s Abdanan
The Mehr News Agency says several explosions have been heard this morning in the city of Abdanan in Iran’s western Ilam province.
It cited Abdanan Governor Behzad Nourmohammadi.
The governor told Mehr that a facility in the Dinar Kuh area was targeted.
“Fortunately, this incident did not result in any casualties, and the responsible agencies are investigating the dimensions of the issue,” he said.
30m ago
(02:30 GMT)
Residents of Yemen’s Sanaa say they don’t want war with Saudi Arabia
As we’ve been reporting, the Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia due to Riyadh’s “unjust and oppressive siege” on Yemen.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has promised to respond to the threat “firmly”.
We’ve been speaking to residents of the Houthi-controlled capital, Sanaa, about the latest developments.
One resident said: “All Yemeni people want to end the Saudi blockade on Yemen in all its forms, to import food items and medicine, and to allow airports to operate again for sick people and other travellers.
“We are neighbours with Saudi Arabia, and we wish them well, but they want war. We are ready for it, but we don’t want war.”
Another man echoed the sentiment.
“We tell Saudi that we are peaceful people, and we don’t want war. End your blockade, and we will end ours. But if you want war, we are for it,” he told Al Jazeera.
40m ago
(02:20 GMT)
Israeli forces kill 5 in Gaza, including 3 children
An Israeli air attack on a house in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City has killed five people, including three children, a source at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital has told Al Jazeera.
We will bring you more as soon as we have it.
45m ago
(02:15 GMT)
WATCH: Lebanon’s military starts ‘pilot zone’ takeover in south
The Lebanese army is set to take charge of security in three “pilot zone” villages in southern Lebanon, according to Washington.
The US State Department said the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar el-Gharbiya will be the first areas to trial the implementation of the US-mediated framework agreement.
Under the plan, the Israeli military is set to perform a phased retreat from the locations it occupies in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese military will then take over security arrangements and oversee the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Watch below:
1h ago
(02:00 GMT)
Oil prices ease amid reports of US-Iran mediation efforts
Oil prices have dipped following reports of mediation efforts between the US and Iran, even as the two launched new strikes and Yemen’s Houthis threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.
Brent crude futures fell 35 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $88.87 a barrel as of 00:52 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for September delivery held steady at $82.47 a barrel.
Oil tankers sail in the Gulf, off the coast of Kuwait City, on June 27, 2026 [Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP] 1h ago
(01:56 GMT)
IRGC claims more attacks on US military assets in Kuwait
The IRGC has issued a second statement claiming additional strikes against US military targets in Kuwait.
In a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed its forces hit and destroyed an early warning radar, a missile defence radar system, an FPS-117 radar, a Patriot defence system, and an air defence satellite communication system at the Ahmed Al-Jaber base.
The group added that the operation was intended to clear radar coverage in the region ahead of further missile and drone strikes.
1h ago
(01:50 GMT)
Crew abandons tanker in Strait of Hormuz after attack
The UK Maritime Operations (UKMTO) agency says it has received multiple reports that a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Limah, has been struck by an unknown projectile.
“The CSO of the tanker has reported to UKMTO that the crew have abandoned the vessel and are currently embarked in a lifeboat”, it added.
The report came shortly after Iran’s IRGC said “massive fires” had broken out on two oil tankers that attempted to “pass through the unsafe southern route in the Strait of Hormuz” following an explosion.
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1h ago
(01:45 GMT)
Top US Democrat demands end to Iran war, pledges new Senate vote
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for an end to the war on Iran, saying Democrats will force Republicans to vote on halting military operations.
“Every second Trump prolongs his war in Iran is another second our service members remain in danger,” Schumer wrote on X. Senate Democrats will “force Senate Republicans to take another vote to end this war and bring our troops home”, he said.
“Enough is enough. End this war,” he added.
The US House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution on June 3, directing the president to halt hostilities against Iran unless explicitly authorised by Congress.
The concurrent resolution passed the Senate on June 24 when four Republicans voted with Democrats to approve the measure. It marked the 10th time the Senate had voted on the measure.
Every second Trump prolongs his war in Iran is another second our service members remain in danger.@SenateDems will force Senate Republicans to take another vote to end this war and bring our troops home.
Enough is enough. End this war.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 20, 2026
1h ago
(01:40 GMT)
What does the Houthis’s maritime blockade mean for Saudi Arabia?
Reporting from Sanaa, Yemen
For Saudi Arabia, this naval blockade means they will no longer be able to use Bab al-Mandeb to export oil to East Asia.
This will have a tremendous impact on Saudi Arabia’s yearly oil revenue.
It also means that any nation, any shipping company, will not be able to export to Saudi Arabia. If they attempt to export, if they attempt to trade with Saudi Arabia through Bab al-Mandeb, then they will be prevented and turned away at Bab al-Mandeb.
The big question now is, however, how will Saudi Arabia decide to respond to the declaration of a naval blockade? Will they engage militarily, or will they perhaps give negotiations a try?
Now, the good news is, there is currently an Ansar Allah Houthi delegation in Oman, and they are engaged in peaceful dialogue with Saudi officials. However, the Ansar Allah Houthi group has made it very clear that if Saudi Arabia decides to engage militarily, then their next set of options will include Saudi Aramco oil facilities as targets.
1h ago
(01:40 GMT)
Iran claims attack on US military assets in Kuwait
The IRGC says it targeted and destroyed several US military assets in Kuwait during a recent strike.
In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said the strikes hit a long-range radar site, a telecommunications centre, satellite receiving systems, and a missile defence radar of the US military in Kuwait.
The group also claimed to have struck an MQ-9 drone hangar at the Ali Al Salem airbase, destroying or severely damaging several unmanned aircraft.
1h ago
(01:35 GMT)
US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans amid tensions in Middle East
The US State Department has advised Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution, citing heightened tensions in the Middle East and the risk of further escalation.
Americans currently in the Middle East, in particular, “should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions”, it said.
It also urged Americans outside the Middle East to reconsider travel to or through the region.
The department warned that Iran and groups supporting Tehran could target US interests, diplomatic facilities or locations associated with Americans overseas.
1h ago
(01:30 GMT)
US says latest wave of strikes on Iran now over
US Central Command says it has completed another round of strikes against Iran as part of the campaign to degrade the country’s “ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz”.
It said in a statement that US forces targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems” in the latest wave.
CENTCOM added that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains ongoing. Since early May, US forces “have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil”, it said.
“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” it added.
1h ago
(01:25 GMT)
IRGC claims attack on US air defence systems in Bahrain
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it destroyed a US air defence system and radar in Bahrain’s Muharraq area during its latest military operation.
In a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster, the IRGC also claimed that a a coordinated missile and drone attack destroyed a US Patriot air defence system in Bahrain’s Al-Riffa.
The IRGC said the strikes were intended to clear the way for further operations.
1h ago
(01:20 GMT)
IRGC reports ‘massive fires’ on two oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says “massive fires” have broken out on two oil tankers that attempted to “pass through the unsafe southern route in the Strait of Hormuz” following an explosion.
In a statement carried by the IRIB state broadcaster, the IRGC said rescue teams were evacuating the crews of the vessels.
It again warned shipping companies to safeguard the health of their crews, not to trust “false information from the US military”, and avoid routes it described as dangerous.
“It is obvious that as long as America’s evils continue in the region, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed, and not even a drop of oil, gas, or a package of chemical fertiliser will be exported from the region,” it added.
1h ago
(01:15 GMT)
WATCH: Houthis announce maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
Observers have described the announcement as a “significant military move” that threatens global trade.
Watch below:
2h ago
(01:00 GMT)
Qatar seeks compensation for Iranian attacks
Reporting from Doha, Qatar
Qatar has sent letters to the UN Security Council and the UN secretary-general, detailing what it describes as repeated Iranian attacks on the country.
The letters cite the July 7 attack on the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat and a missile attack on Qatar on July 12, which Doha says its armed forces repelled.
Qatar says the attacks violated international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. It is seeking compensation for the resulting damage and says it reserves the right to respond.
The letters come as tensions continue in the Strait of Hormuz. UK Maritime Trade Operations reported another incident involving a vessel near Oman, the second such case in about 24 hours.
The vessel was travelling close to what is known as the southern route. Iran says ships using that route without coordinating with Tehran violate the memorandum of understanding governing traffic through the strait.
Tehran accuses the United States and other countries of promoting the route to weaken Iranian control over shipping, keeping the waterway at the centre of the escalating confrontation.
2h ago
(00:45 GMT)
Explosions heard in Iran’s Shiraz
Explosions were heard in the southwestern city of Shiraz at about 1am local time (21:30 GMT), Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster reports.
It said a location in the east of the city and another in the west “were attacked by the enemy”.
IRIB also cited the deputy governor of Isfahan province as saying there was no “enemy aggression or explosions” in the city of Isfahan or the wider province, denying an earlier report from the semi-official Mehr news agency.
The governor of Bushehr, meanwhile, told IRIB that the sounds of explosions in the province were “related to the activity of defence systems”.
2h ago
(00:30 GMT)
Diplomacy ‘takes a back seat’ as US prioritises military strikes on Iran
Reporting from Washington DC, US
There are signs of diplomacy, but they are taking a back seat right now to the US’s primary objective. And according to the White House, that objective is making Iran pay – not only for what it calls acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, but also violations of the memorandum of understanding (signed last month).
The US also says that Iran will pay for the deaths of the three US soldiers who were killed over the weekend.
In a statement to Al Jazeera, the White House said the strikes will continue until the president decides otherwise. But it ended that statement by saying that diplomatic talks between the two nations are ongoing.
Earlier on Monday, the US president laid out a policy of retaliation in a post on his Truth Social platform. He said the US will hit any target in Iran 20 times harder, and that retaliation for the deaths of American service members will be many times over.
The president is making the case that while diplomacy may be happening, the priority right now is security operations, specifically combat operations in Iran.
2h ago
(00:20 GMT)
Israeli forces carry out large demolition in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that Israeli forces carried out a large demolition in the town of Kfar Tebnit in southern Lebanon.
At the same time, intermittent Israeli artillery shelling targeted the nearby town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, it said.
Iran's assertion of control over the strait directly challenges US-led efforts to ensure freedom of navigation. The dispute has heightened fears of disruptions to global energy supplies, with oil markets closely watching for any escalation. Meanwhile, diplomatic channels remain open as Oman attempts to mediate between the two sides.
Original source: Al Jazeera
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