Iran has threatened retaliation after accusing Ukraine of a missile strike on a tanker in the Caspian Sea.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the reported strike on a commercial vessel “cannot go unanswered” in call with the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Kyiv’s forces struck a Russian warship and vessels used for transporting Iran-linked military cargo in the Caspian Sea, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.
Tehran said that Kyiv had attacked an Iranian commercial vessel and killed a sailor, describing the incident of an act of aggression and accusing Ukraine of trying to expand the Russia-Ukraine war.
The latest flare up came despite the US pausing attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, according to the US ambassador to the UN.
Mike Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
Donald Trump's advisers had told him before the climbdown that they were running out of targets and expressed worries about depleting the US arsenal.
Read MoreQuiet change to Pentagon website adds 142 wounded US service members to Iran war casualty count
Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Trump says ‘I trust’ Putin and Xi — contradicting Hegseth about Iran war allies
Key Points
- Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
- Pentagon website adds 142 wounded US service members to Iran war casualty count
- Iran accuses US of protecting Netanyahu from prosecution
- UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target
- Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
The latest: Trump halts attacks and Ukraine strikes in Caspian
11:00 , James Reynolds- An Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that Iran would halt its attacks so long as the US does the same.
- That development comes as the United States pressed pause on its bombing campaign after president Donald Trump's advisers told him they were running out of targets and expressed worries about depleting the US arsenal.
- Axios reported that the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended that the US stop bombing Iran “because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness”, citing two unnamed sources.
- Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell on Sunday after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz stayed low over the weekend, shipping data from Kpler showed on Monday.
- Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that talks with Oman about the future control of the Strait of Hormuz were positive, but that the waterway remains closed. He also said Iran would not allow the US to determine the end of the war.
- Iran on Sunday said that Ukraine had struck an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a soldier. The foreign ministry said that the attack “cannot go unanswered”
- Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his military had carried out “long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship”.
Iran still receiving messages from mediators, but not talking to the US - Baghaei
10:30 , James ReynoldsIran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Iran is still transmitting and receiving messages from the US via mediators, but not communicating directly.
Iran has not asked for resumption of talks with US, Iranian spokesperson says
10:14 , James ReynoldsIran has not asked to resume talks with the United States to end the war, and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has not changed, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Monday.
European shares climbed nearly 1% on Monday, as a pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities over the weekend sent oil prices lower and boosted risk appetite, while investors braced for a pivotal week of earnings from major U.S. tech companies.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.8% at 649.34, as of 07:06am GMT.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran would halt attacks if the U.S. does the same, after Washington paused its bombing campaign amid concerns about depleting its arsenal.
Brent crude futures dropped 6% to around $90 a barrel, with energy stocks losing 2%, joining utilities as the only declining sectors in the STOXX 600.
Travel and leisure stocks led broader gains, up 2.4%, as lower oil prices boosted the outlook for airlines. Shares of Lufthansa and IAG gained 3.7% each, while Ryanair added 3.4%.
Recap: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
09:27 , James ReynoldsNetanyahu set to leave for Washington
09:00 , James ReynoldsBenjamin Netanyahu is set to take off for Washington DC for a meeting with Donald Trump at the White House.
The office of the Israeli prime minister told The Times of Israel that he would set off at 11am local time (9am UK time).
He is expected to meet Trump tomorrow and to attend a funeral service for the late senator Lindsey Graham, before flying home on Thursday.
ICYMI: Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting
09:00 , James ReynoldsThe four American troops killed during renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran in recent weeks are no longer listed as part of the Iran war death toll in the Pentagon’s official casualty count but have been placed in a new, separate category.
The Defense Casualty Analysis System, which Pentagon officials have repeatedly pointed to as the definitive source on the numbers of dead and wounded from the conflict, removed the four fallen soldiers as well as dozens of wounded troops from its Iran war tally last week.
Read the full story:
Pentagon's official Iran war death toll no longer lists 4 troops killed during renewed fighting
Iran says Ukrainian attack 'cannot go unanswered'
08:30 , James ReynoldsIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel "cannot go unanswered".
His comments came in calls with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Araqchi posted on X.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his military had carried out “long‑range strikes in the Caspian Sea – including vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran, as well as a warship”.
Zelenskyy has attacked an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor. A blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel's behest to drag Europe into its war.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 26, 2026
In calls with EU High Rep Kallas and FM Lavrov, made clear that what the freeloader in Kyiv did CANNOT GO UNANSWERED.
Egypt praises Irish ban on imports from Israeli settlements
08:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarEgypt has welcomed Ireland's law banning the import of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The foreign ministry said Ireland's move reflects a commitment to international law and international legitimacy resolutions.
Egypt renewed its call on EU member states and the wider international community to adopt similar legal and practical measures to ensure that no direct or indirect support is provided to illegal settlements or their continued expansion.
Oman and UAE discuss regional developments
07:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe UAE's foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi, to discuss regional developments as the US and Iran halted overnight strikes.
The diplomats discussed “developments in the Middle East, regional updates, and ongoing efforts to achieve lasting security and stability in the region”, the Emirati foreign ministry said.
“The two sides also reviewed the fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries and explored ways to enhance cooperation in a manner that serves the interests and prosperity of their peoples,” it added.
Oil prices ease after US and Iran pause their attacks
07:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices eased in early trading, falling further from a two-month high set last week, after the United States and Iran refrained from launching military strikes in the Persian Gulf for a second straight day.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil to be delivered in September dropped 4.9 per cent to $92.02 shortly after trading resumed. The decline followed a 3.9 per cent drop on Friday.
More here.
Oil prices ease after US and Iran pause their attacks
Netanyahu 'fully' backs Trump's efforts
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News he "fully" backs Donald Trump's efforts to weaken Iran and press it to end its nuclear program, adding: "If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that's fine. Why not?"
The prime minister indicated he would not present new information to "our good friend" Trump and instead would listen to "what he has in mind, because I think in many ways, it's his decision".
But Netanyahu warned that if Iran again attacks Israel, directly or with armed proxies, "it will make a terrible mistake".
Shipping traffic through Strait of Hormuz at three-week low
06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarCommercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was at a three-week low, a maritime body overseen by the US Navy said.
It said traffic remained steady through the Bab el-Mandeb.
Iran yesterday said it continued to speak with Oman about managing the safe passage of ships on the Strait of Hormuz, which passes between the countries. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said talks had made progress and continued.
Baghaei also said the strait's status remained unchanged. Tehran has asserted that the interim deal with the US allows it to manage shipping on the waterway for now, and it has objected to US efforts to support a route through the strait that passes close to Oman instead.
The strait was considered an international waterway before the war. The US military on Saturday said its recently reimposed naval blockade against Iran continued, with a dozen commercial ships redirected, two disabled and two boarded. US forces "remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," it added.
US-Iran peace deal hinges on Israel's attacks on Lebanon, says ayatollah
06:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said peace between Tehran and Washington depends on Israel ending its attacks on Lebanon.
"Iran has designated the preservation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity, and the absolute, unconditional termination of the Zionist regime’s aggression as the primary condition for any agreement to ending the imposed war against the aggressive US," he wrote in a post on X.
Syrian president rules out military intervention in Lebanon
06:04 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSyrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa has ruled out military action in Lebanon but said he is prepared to offer the Lebanese state several options to address its challenges.
“We are not considering military intervention, but Syria has several cards that it can offer the Lebanese state to use as it sees fit,” he told Al Jazeera.
His statement comes as Israel has continued its attacks on southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire deal.
He said Damascus is discussing “a range of solutions” with the Lebanese government that could help bring the country to safety.
The Syrian president said instability in Lebanon would spill over into Syria, making Lebanon’s stability a shared security interest.
Watch: Envoy says Trump keeping 'all options on the table' on Iran
05:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPentagon website adds 142 wounded US service members to Iran war casualty count
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Pentagon acknowledged an additional 142 service members wounded in president Donald Trump's Iran war by quietly adding a new category to its online database of US military casualties.
The change also resulted in the restoration of four fatalities that had been removed from the Defense Casualty Analysis System, triggering outrage among military families, veterans and lawmakers.
The new category, titled "Overseas Operations," tallies casualties — including the deaths of 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, Pvt. Isabella Gonzales and Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton —inflicted by Iran since 7 July, when fighting resumed following a fragile ceasefire that began 8 April.
More here.
Quiet change to Pentagon website adds 142 wounded to Iran war casualty count
Trump's UN envoy says president paused Iran attacks for talks
04:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels, said US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz.
He told Fox News that Trump was "giving talks some space; he's giving it a little bit of room".
Asked whether Trump had decided against escalation, Waltz told NBC: "I wouldn't go that far at all. The president is keeping all options on the table."
Iran accuses US of protecting Netanyahu from prosecution
04:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran's deputy foreign minister has accused the US of protecting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu from the International Criminal Court.
Kazem Gharibabadi said Netanyahu, who has an arrest warrant issued against him by the ICC, claimed that the US secretary of state promised to take action against the court.
"They call the ICC 'corrupt' because it dared to pursue Washington's preferred criminal," Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X.
Oil slips 5% as US and Iran pause fighting
04:19 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices tumbled 5 per cent this morning after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend after two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that would de-escalate the conflict.
Brent crude futures fell $4.89, or 5.05 per cent, to $91.89 after briefly slipping under the key support level of $90 earlier in the session.
US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $84.64 a barrel, down $4.67, or 5.23 per cent.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
03:58 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAmericans are not buying Donald Trump’s predictions that the Iran war is nearing its end, nor do they believe that Iran has lost the will or the means to keep fighting.
And one of his top advisers is no longer sticking to that timeline, either.
UN ambassador Mike Waltz appeared on NBC, and unlike other senior Trump administration officials who’ve appeared on the Sunday circuit previously, the ambassador would not commit to the war ending before the end of 2026.
"I'm not going to put some kind of timeline on it,” said Waltz.
More here.
Majority of Americans think Trump’s Iran war will last months or even years
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerExperts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerU.S. gas prices will continue climbing for weeks — and maybe months — due to the resumption of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, experts warn.
Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said Friday on social media that while oil prices were “taking a breather for today” after recently surging by $20 a barrel, he’s still expecting the national average cost of a gallon of gas to soon reach $4.20 to $4.30.
Read more here:
Experts warn the real pinch from the Iran war is about to strike
Recap: US pauses attacks on Iran for a second day
01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe US paused its its attacks on Iran for a second day on Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too.
It was not clear why the US has paused attacks after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions.
“President Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies," White House communications director Steven Cheung said.
“It would be wise for Iran to work toward a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen.”
Since the US has halted attacks for the past two nights, Iran has as well, its army spokesperson told Iran’s state TV on Sunday.
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Monday 27 July 2026 00:00 , Rebecca WhittakerYemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Saturday that they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on the strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida, in another escalation over vital shipping routes in the Middle East while the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesman, said in a prerecorded statement that the attack targeted facilities in the Red Sea cities of Yanbu and Jizan that belong to Aramco, the world’s largest oil company.
Saudi Arabia's civil defense said alerts sounded multiple times early Saturday in both cities, but the Kingdom hasn't commented further.
Read more here:
Houthis fire missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to strikes on a Yemeni city
Watch: Trump inflates Vietnam war dead number by 142,000 as he defends Iran deaths
Sunday 26 July 2026 23:00 , Rebecca WhittakerIsrael’s Netanyahu welcomes ICC prosecutor’s removal
Sunday 26 July 2026 22:00 , Rebecca WhittakerIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the removal of International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan.
In a post on X Netanyahu said: “I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. This decision exposes the truth.”
Karim Khan, was removed from office after the court’s governing body concluded in June that he had committed serious misconduct in connection to allegations of sexual abuse.
Khan has repeatedly denied all the allegations against him.
In May 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
I welcome the decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of countries, to remove Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 26, 2026
This decision exposes the truth.
Karim Khan was accused of sexually harassing women who worked under him.
It was precisely as… pic.twitter.com/0wDsGE2ND5
Republican senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:30 , Rebecca WhittakerA prominent GOP senator is splitting with Donald Trump over his plans for a controversial nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, the latest sign that the White House’s Middle East policy is dividing the Republican Party.
The deal signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright is designed to streamline the development of a civilian nuclear program for Saudi Arabia, which does not currently possess nuclear weapons and is considered one of the U.S.’s main strategic allies in the region. Just hours later, Trump himself confirmed that the normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a factor on which the deal was contingent.
Now, a key Republican senator who has previously stopped from going as far as publicly condemning the president’s Middle East strategy is doing just that.
Read more here:
GOP senator breaks ranks with Trump over controversial nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
Watch: Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Sunday 26 July 2026 21:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe US has released new footage of forces boarding a commercial tanker in Iran as the blockade continues.
The US military said it boarded a tanker in the Arabian Sea on Saturday (July 25) as part of its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to reports.
The US Central Command (Centcom) said US forces have so far redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled two vessels that failed to comply, and boarded two ships for verification.
A Centcom spokesman said: “American forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
Dramatic footage shows U.S. forces boarding commercial tanker amid Iran blockade
Pope Leo calls for attacks in Middle East to stop
Sunday 26 July 2026 20:00 , Rebecca WhittakerPope Leo XIV has renewed his called for peace in the Middle East, warning against escalating violence that is endangering lives.
“I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person,” he said in a post on X.
“At the same time, I urge the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, especially those that violate the respect for and the status quo of the holy places of every religion,” he added.
I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the #HolyLand, where, in recent days, many civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza, have once again fallen victim. I make a heartfelt appeal for a return to negotiations to achieve a just political…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) July 26, 2026
Watch: UK not intimidated by ‘sabre-rattling’ as Iran warns Britain could become target if it backs US
Sunday 26 July 2026 19:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz
Sunday 26 July 2026 18:30 , Rebecca WhittakerAn oil tanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with a naval mine.
The tanker struck the mine after leaving the route designated by Iran in the strategic waterway, Iran's `semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
There was no immediate official statement from Iranian authorities regarding the incident.
