Over 750 members of the US military have been injured since the Iran war began, according to data published the department of defence’s website.
More than 50 soldiers were added to the Pentagon’s casualty database on Wednesday, bringing the total figures to 757 injured and 18 killed.
Iran has dismissed President Donald Trump’s declarations of an “Economic D-Day”, threatening sanctions on any nation offering a lifeline to the Middle Eastern country.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that it would only bring “further defeat” to the US and said the leader was using it as a “diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs.”
Trump had warned in a Truth Social post on Wednesday: “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.”
“This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat.”
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Key Points
- Iran says Trump's 'Economic D-Day' will bring defeat to US
- Trump threatens 'tremendous economic consequences' for any nation that helps Iran financially
- Syria says Israeli strike on airbase had no justification
- Oil prices steady as investors assess US-Iran war outlook
- US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
- US reporter calls Trump's latest threats 'not practical'
Oman says lasting security in Strait of Hormuz requires regional peace
12:20 , Maira ButtOman said lasting security in the Strait of Hormuz required permanent peace in the region and rejected further escalation or conflict, its foreign minister told his Japanese counterpart on Thursday.
Iran has said a deal with Oman on new shipping lanes through the strait was in its final stages.
Oil flows tripled before ceasefire deal expired, according to analysis
11:50 , Maira ButtShip tracking data by Kpler reveals that oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz had nearly tripled before a 60-day ceasefire agreement expired.
Around 374 million barrels transited through the Gulf amounting to around 6.1 million barrels per day, according to a briefing published on Wednesday.
Before the MoU was signed this was around 2.3 million barrels. But despite the halting progress through the agreement period, numbers have not reached the heights of 15 million barrels a day prior to the conflict.
Trump officials worked with Iran on deportation lists as tensions exploded, emails reveal
11:20 , Maira ButtNewly disclosed emails show U.S. immigration officials worked directly with Iranian representatives to deport Iranian nationals in 2025, even as tensions between Washington and Tehran were escalating.
The records, obtained by the National Iranian American Council and released Tuesday, detail cooperation surrounding three removal flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026 that returned more than 100 Iranians.
The emails indicate Iranian representatives requested changes to proposed passenger lists and that U.S. officials sometimes accommodated those requests.
Trump officials worked with Iran on deportation as tensions exploded, emails reveal
Over 750 US service members wounded since start of Iran war
10:50 , Maira ButtOver 750 members of the US military have been injured since the Iran war began, according to data published the department of defence’s website and analysed by CNN.
More than 50 soldiers were added to the Pentagon’s casualty database on Wednesday.
The creation of a ‘Muslim Nato’ shows Trump is losing his grip in the Middle East
10:20 , Maira ButtAs Donald Trump continued his attacks on Iran earlier this month, a deal that could radically reshape security in the Middle East was quietly being done in Saudi Arabia.
On 7 August, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defence agreement, a Nato-style mutual defence pact that states an attack on any one of the group will be considered an attack on all.
The timing is significant. All three countries have been the target of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East since US-Israeli strikes killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February.
Why new ‘Muslim Nato’ shows Trump’s authority in the Middle East has collapsed
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
09:50 , Maira ButtThe Pentagon is considering reducing U.S. military presence in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Iran war, according to a report.
Troops could be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf, officials told The Washington Post, following months of attacks by Iranian forces that have targeted U.S. bases across the region since the war began in late February.
The Pentagon’s policy office is evaluating U.S. regional presence, with U.S. Central Command (Centcom) and Joint Staff also looking at the situation, a senior Pentagon official told the outlet.
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Two Pakistani sailors killed in Houthi attacks repatriated
09:20 , Maira ButtPakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday that the bodies of two sailors killed in Houthi attacks on a Tanzanian-flagged vessel have been repatriated.
Six sailors injured in the attacks have also safely returned to the country.
“Pakistan condemns the attack in the strongest terms and reiterates that the safety and security of seafarers must be ensured at all times,” he wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“We remain committed to extending all possible assistance to the injured sailors and the bereaved families.”
Watch: Trump sheds light on plan to increase Iran sanctions
08:50 , Maira ButtA quiet channel between ICE and Iran shaped deportation flights, newly released emails show
08:19 , Maira ButtU.S. immigration officials worked with Iran to deport Iranians in 2025, newly released emails show, revealing a working relationship between the U.S. and Iranian governments despite tensions mounting between the countries.
Hundreds of emails exchanged between U.S. immigration officials, which were obtained by the National Iranian American Council and made public Tuesday, offer the most transparent play by play yet of how the two countries worked together to arrange for more than 100 Iranians to be flown back to Iran on three separate immigration flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026.
The emails show that Iranian officials had some influence over which Iranian immigrants in the U.S. were sent back to their home country, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials apparently heeded some last-minute changes to deportation lists at the request of Iran.
A quiet channel between ICE and Iran shaped deportation flights, newly released emails show
Iran executes man over charges related to January protests, state media says
07:40 , Maira ButtIran executed a man on Thursday over charges related to January's nationwide protests, state media reported.
State media identified the person as Qaem Hosseini, a foreign national, who, it said, took part in events that led to the killing of security force members during the protests.
Iran says Trump's 'Economic D-Day' will bring defeat to US
07:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi this morning said Donald Trump's "Economic D-Day" on Iran will only bring "further defeat" to the US.
“The so-called ‘Economic D-Day’ is a diversion from America's own crisis: unprecedented debt & surging interest costs,” he wrote in a post on X on Thursday alongside screenshots of news headlines and graphs pointing to trouble in the US economy.
“Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat—and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide.”
Trump yesterday declared an “Economic D-Day” against Iran and threatened sanctions on any nation offering a lifeline to the Middle Eastern country.
“Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are," Trump said in a post on X.
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim Hormuz has reopened
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarShipping through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively slowed to a halt again despite President Donald Trump claiming the route is open, according to new data.
On Tuesday, the US leader declared the vital waterway “new US territory” in a bizarre post on Truth Social accompanied by a map.
“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect,” he continued on the platform. “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”
More here.
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the Strait of Hormuz has reopened
Israel says Erdogan is 'dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria'
06:41 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsraeli defence minister Israel Katz said today that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria" and that his country would not "allow any entity to threaten its security", in a post on X.
Turkey firmly rejected what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel regarding its military position in Syria, after Israel bombed a Syrian air base near the Turkish border and said Syria was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there.
Syria says Israeli strike on airbase had no justification
06:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSyria's foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani has condemned the Israeli airstrike on Abu al-Duhur airbase this week and rejected Israel's claim that the site was being used by the Turkish military.
“There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site,” he told Axios.
The base was "largely empty”, he said, adding that work there “was limited to rehabilitating the airfield and its facilities that were damaged during the war” for use by the Syrian Air Force.
Farage accused of using Christianity to channel 'anti-Muslim feeling'
05:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe former Archbishop of Canterbury has accused Nigel Farage of asserting the UK’s Christianity to “channel anti-Muslim feeling”.
Rowan Williams, who served as the Church of England’s leading bishop for 10 years until 2012, acknowledged there is an “inevitable scepticism these days about some claims to religious conviction”.
More here.
Ex-Archbishop accuses Farage of using Christianity to channel anti-Muslim feeling
Iraqi Airways resumes flights to Iran
05:24 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIraqi Airways has resued flights to Iran after a suspension since the beginning of the US and Israel's war on Iran, which prompted the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
The airline began operating nine weekly flights to Rasht yesterday after receiving approval from Iranian authorities, Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said.
Flights to Tehran and Mashhad will resume next week, according to officials.
Australia summons Israeli ambassador over Gaza aid worker death
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAustralia summoned Israel's ambassador and expressed outrage at a decision by its military not to pursue criminal proceedings over the death of an Australian aid worker in a 2024 airstrike in Gaza.
The Israeli military said it had found no basis to investigate the killings of seven aid workers with the World Central Kitchen charity, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, after a fact-finding and assessment procedure.
"This decision falls far short of the accountability we expect," foreign minister Penny Wong said, adding that Australia was outraged by the decision. "Democracies seek and accept higher standards. The Australian government will not stop pressing Israel for justice for Zomi and her colleagues."
Oil prices steady as investors assess US-Iran war outlook
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices steadied in early trade this morning as investors assessed the outlook for the US-Iran war and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures for October delivery rose 25 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $91.87 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September slipped 2 cents to $85.81 a barrel.
The more active October WTI contract gained 14 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $84.53.
US reporter calls Trump's latest threats 'not practical'
04:30 , Rachel DobkinAlex Ward, a national security reporter for The Wall Street Journal, called Donald Trump’s new economic threats against Iran and countries that give them a lifeline “not practical”.
The US president warned that any nation that financially helps Tehran will face “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”.
“Trump is calling for every nation and business to cease economic ties with Iran. It’s not practical on Trump’s quick timeline and would be immensely hard to monitor”, Ward wrote on X.
“But further confirmation that Trump, for now, is choosing economic over military pressure”, he added.
Watch: Trump says Strait of Hormuz remains open despite ‘effective’ naval blockade
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRead Trump's full Truth Social post about new economic pressure on Iran
04:01 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump has issued a new threat to any nation that helps Iran financially, putting more economic pressure on the Middle Eastern country as the war drags on for more than five months.
Read the US president’s full Truth Social post:
“No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it. Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!
“This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale. Their navy is gone, their air force is destroyed, their military factories are now rubble, their currency is worthless, and their country is hanging by a thread.
“Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.
“Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are.
“This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat.
“These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”
Watch: Trump unveils White House helipad as he obsesses over renovations amid Iran war: 'I love construction'
03:00 , Dan HaygarthIraqi parliament speaker asks Iranian counterpart for special status on Hormuz oil exports
02:00 , Dan HaygarthIraq's parliament speaker Haibat al-Halbousi called for special status for Iraqi oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz during talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf in Baghdad on Wednesday, his office said in a statement, without providing further details.
Israeli military announces criminal investigation into killing of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza
01:00 , Dan HaygarthThe Israeli military has confirmed for the first time that it fired on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and her family.
It also announced that it has launched an investigation into her killing in a statement on Wednesday.
A separate probe will investigate the killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics in Gaza in May 2025, but the military said it would not launch an inquiry into three other high-profile attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders.
Read more:
Israeli military announces criminal investigation into killing of Hind Rajab
Trump threatens 'tremendous economic consequences' for any nation that helps Iran financially
Thursday 20 August 2026 00:19 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump has threatened “tremendous economic consequences” for any nation that helps Iran financially as the war drags on.
“ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”, the US president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.
“Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are”, he added.
Iran war inflation continues to impact prices in UK, chancellor says
Wednesday 19 August 2026 23:59 , Dan HaygarthIn response to the UK’s latest inflation figures, published on Wednesday, chancellor John Healey said: “Iran war inflation continues to impact prices here at home, but Britain’s economy is resilient.
“We have cut VAT on electricity bills and capped bus fares at £2 – to give breathing space to those feeling the strain.
“There is more to do to restore hope and build a stronger economy where prosperity is shared more fairly across Britain.”
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
Wednesday 19 August 2026 22:00 , Dan HaygarthThe Pentagon is considering reducing U.S. military presence in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Iran war, according to a report.
Troops could be withdrawn from the Persian Gulf, officials told The Washington Post, following months of attacks by Iranian forces that have targeted U.S. bases across the region since the war began in late February.
The Pentagon’s policy office is evaluating U.S. regional presence, with U.S. Central Command (Centcom) and Joint Staff also looking at the situation, a senior Pentagon official told the outlet.
While no formal review has been ordered by U.S. defence secretary Pete Hegseth, “decisions are going to have to be made on some of this stuff,” the official told The Post.
Read more:
US military presence in Middle East could be cut back after Iran war ends: report
US warns Siemens devices can be hacked amid fears Iran is breaching water plants
Wednesday 19 August 2026 21:30 , Dan HaygarthSeveral US government agencies warned that unidentified hackers are trying to breach devices made by Siemens that are used to monitor and operate water facilities and other critical infrastructure systems, according to a cybersecurity advisory published on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
The warning comes amid widespread cyber incidents targeting local water systems in multiple states in recent weeks in attacks cybersecurity experts suspect are linked to Iran.
The advisory describes an "active threat" to all Siemens S7 Series programmable logic controllers across multiple critical infrastructure sectors, including manufacturing, energy, water and wastewater, chemical, food and agriculture facilities, according to the warning issued by the National Security Agency, FBI, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Depending on specific circumstances, compromises of these devices could lead to the disruption of critical processes, safety incidents, downtime or equipment damage, the compromise of sensitive data, compliance violations and cascading impacts across interconnected systems, the government warned.
Siemens did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to the advisory, the hackers are using AI to dramatically reduce the technical expertise and time required to develop exploits that can successfully compromise the systems, the agencies said.
CISA warned on 30 July of a significant increase in hackers targeting programmable logic controllers, following on a 22 July advisory warning of Iranian-affiliated hackers exploiting such devices manufactured by Siemens, Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric.
Federal officials have stopped short of formally linking Iran to the recent attacks on local water systems, while president Donald Trump said on 31 July that he did not believe Iran was involved.
Instead, he blamed it on Minnesota, the first state to report a wave of at least 30 water-related cyber incidents that occurred on 26 July and 27 July.
Watch: Trump unveils White House helipad as he obsesses over renovations amid Iran war: 'I love construction'
Wednesday 19 August 2026 21:00 , Dan HaygarthStrait of Hormuz tracker: The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the route has reopened
Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:30 , Dan Haygarth
The maps and charts that debunk Trump’s claim the Strait of Hormuz has reopened
Houthis planning to seize Bab al-Mandeb Strait, says Yemeni minister
Wednesday 19 August 2026 20:00 , Suha KidwaiThe information minister of Yemen’s internationally recognised government has warned that Iran-backed Houthi rebels are planning to seize the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea.
Ordinarily, around six per cent of the global total of oil moves through the Strait — enough to inflict significant damage if the supply is cut off.
Information minister, Moammar al-Eryani told AFP that the Houthis are “working to create the conditions for seizing control of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait” by expanding their presence along the western coast and attempting to control islands in the Red Sea.
Turkish government accuses Netanyahu of planning to destabilise region ahead of elections
Wednesday 19 August 2026 19:30 , Suha KidwaiTurkey has rejected Israel’s explanation for its latest strikes on Syria, calling the claims “untenable” and “unlawful.”
Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, saying Syria was close to allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the facility and that this would threaten an existing security arrangement.
The Turkish government has strongly disputed that justification, labelling the claims part of Netanyahu’s “intent to pursue expansionist and destabilising policies in the region ahead of the elections in Israel.”
U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack has described the strike as an “unnecessary escalation,” saying that the United States is working on a deconfliction mechanism between Turkey, Israel and Syria to prevent further confrontation.
In pictures: Israeli strikes on Gaza
Wednesday 19 August 2026 19:00 , Suha Kidwai
Israeli strikes designed to 'spread chaos,' says Gaza interior ministry
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:30 , Suha KidwaiGaza’s interior ministry has called on international mediators to act to “stop the dangerous Israeli escalation and the massacres committed against the police force,” after Israeli attack in Nuseirat targeted a police station on Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry has accused Israel of trying to “dismantle the police force in order to spread chaos” and making baseless claims to “justify its crimes.”
The Israeli military has maintained that the strikes were targeting members of Hamas.
US-Iran tensions add further pressure on Washington's bond market
Wednesday 19 August 2026 18:00 , Suha KidwaiThe economic fallout from the escalating U.S.-Iran standoff is being reflected in U.S. financial markets, as uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz heightens.
The 30-year U.S. Treasury yield has climbed to around 5.32 per cent —its highest level in nearly two decades.
Higher yields stand to increase Washington’s borrowing costs and can tighten financial conditions across the U.S. economy.
This pressure is compounded by oil-market uncertainty, where disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could push energy prices higher, prolonging inflation, and potentially limiting the Federal Reserve’s ability to cut interest rates.
Saudi escalation will be met with escalation, say Houthis
Wednesday 19 August 2026 17:30 , Suha KidwaiSince announcing a ban on Saudi maritime navigation on July 20, Houthi forces have barred 48 of the Kingdom’s oil vessels from passing through various locations in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean.
Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree, has warned Saudi Arabia against escalation, saying: “Any comprehensive escalation will be met with comprehensive escalation.”
He said Riyadh’s only option remains lifting the Saudi-led blockade, withdraw foreign forces and leave Yemen’s resources to the Yemeni people.
