Donald Trump has threatened to “blow the entire nation up” in another bombastic rant against the Iranian regime, amid concerns the US is planning to scale up its war in the region.
Speaking to Fox’s Trey Yingst, the US president said the “question” was “if and when” it would be required to “blow the entire nation up” if Tehran failed to agree to his demands.
“They better behave,” Yingst said the president told him of Iran’s government, adding that the choices included “wiping them out, letting Iran rot economically, or making a deal”.
It comes after Tehran warned the US and Middle East regions they will be targeted by “painful strikes” if they make “any mistake” against Iran.
It comes as the US State Department issued a security alert warning Americans in the Middle East that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen had the “potential to escalate rapidly”.
At least 11 US embassies in the region issued a warning that travel disruptions are possible.
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Key Points
- Trump cuts shorts Camp David stay to return to White House
- Iran informed that US plans to resume action, state media reports
- Inside Iran’s petrol crisis: How war with the US has taken its toll
- Tehran lays out fresh conditions for ending war, says security chief
- Black smoke seen near Riyadh airport after Tehran-backed Houthis vowed revenge
- Trump says he faces 'big decision' on whether to resume major attacks on Iran
Iranian state actors targeting UK dissidents, activists and journalists with spyware
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBritish intelligence has issued a warning after finding Iranian spies have targeted dissidents with spyware that can enable tracking of their movements.
Dissidents, activists and journalists were targeted by state actors that impersonated their contacts on messaging apps to trick them into downloading spyware called Chosen Brick, the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, warned.
The malware gave agents access to the person’s contacts, emails and social media messages as well as a device’s microphone and content on the screen.
Iranian state actors targeting dissidents and activists with spyware
Iran informed that US plans to resume action, state media reports
01:30 , Alex CroftIran has received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, was preparing to resume actions against Iran, the country's central military command said in a statement on Sunday, according to state media.
Reuters reported that the military said any US attack would trigger sustained strikes on US bases and interests in the region, the report added.
It warned that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran would be considered parties to the conflict.
Arab and Muslim nations condemn Houthi attack on Riyadh
00:00 , Alex CroftEgypt, Jordan and Kuwait said the Houthi attack on Riyadh was a threat to regional security and stability and a violation of international law.
The nations in separate statements said their governments stand with Saudi Arabia in support of its sovereignty and protection of its civilians.
The Muslim World League also condemned the attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure as a violation of “all religious values as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.”
It was the first time the Saudi capital has been targeted since the escalation in fighting with the Iran-backed rebels opened a new front in the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia said the attack was intercepted.
Some residents in Riyadh heard an explosion, and later some saw a plume of smoke near the airport.
There were no reports of casualties or damage.
Watch: US Air Force officer recalls 'free-falling' to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran
23:00 , Alex CroftTourists turn to the Balkans and Brazil: How the Middle East conflict has redrawn our holiday map
22:00 , Shweta SharmaTurkey, Romania and Hungary are out – while Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia are in.
Reading the latest Eurocontrol numbers on travel to Europe, it seems that western Balkans countries are proving increasingly attractive to travellers this summer, while many turn away from nations to the east. Europe’s air traffic management coordinator Eurocontrol released data last week showing that Europe experienced record air traffic this summer – with an average of 35,959 daily flights – but that that traffic distribution was “influenced throughout summer 2026 by the Middle East crisis”.
How war in the Middle East has changed the way we travel
Iran mobilisation drive extends to children under 15
21:01 , Alex CroftThe spokesman for Iran’s mass mobilisation campaign has said children under 15 could be introduced to military concepts, according to Iran International.
While the main organisation of volunteers would be based around adults over the age of 18, younger people would be brought into the initiative, a spokesman for the Janfada campaign told Iranian news agency ILNA.
“The stronger their value system is formed from childhood, and the more familiar they become with concepts such as patriotism and self-sacrifice, the more significant the impact can be on their future,” Sasan Zare said.
US Central Command estimates Iran war cost at $43.6 billion
20:02 , Alex CroftUS Central Command has said the cost of the war with Iran reached about $43.6 billion as of 3 September, according to a new assessment submitted to members of Congress and reported by Associated Press.
The estimate represents the latest assessment of the costs of the conflict.
According to the report, the cost of weapons and munitions used by US forces increased by more than $6 billion in just over a month, reaching about $28.1 billion, compared with $21.7 billion in a previous estimate.
The reported costs include the operation of warships, aircraft and military bases, as well as equipment losses and medical support for US forces.
It does not include damage to US bases in the Middle East from Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
Inflation too high across US economy amid war, says Federal Reserve chief
19:01 , Alex CroftInflation in the US is too high across all sectors of the economy, not just in rising oil prices, Minneapolis Federal Reserve president Neel Kashkari said on Sunday.
Crude oil prices soared after hostilities intensified with the US and Iran attacking and sinking some oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia closing its vital East-West pipeline due to aerial attacks in the widening Middle East war.
"So even if we strip out energy, which is really volatile, and strip out food - they matter a lot - but in terms of where the economy is going, inflation is still too high," Kashkari told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."
He supported the unanimous vote last week to raise interest rates by a quarter percentage point to 3.75 per cent-4 per cent.
Kashkari was one of three officials to dissent at the Fed's prior meeting in favour of a hike when the majority of the Federal Open Market Committee then opted to leave rates unchanged.
Iran informed that US plans to resume action, state media reports
18:00 , Alex CroftIran has received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, was preparing to resume actions against Iran, the country's central military command said in a statement on Sunday, according to state media.
Reuters reported that the military said any US attack would trigger sustained strikes on US bases and interests in the region, the report added.
It warned that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran would be considered parties to the conflict.
Full report - Stressed Trump’s stark warning on Iran: ‘If and when do I blow the entire nation up?’
17:14 , Alex CroftDonald Trump once again issued a grave threat to destroy the “entire country” of Iran during a phone call with a Fox News reporter on Sunday.
The president told Fox’s Trey Yingst that for him, the “question” was “if and when” it would be required to “blow the entire nation up” if Iran’s government did not submit to his demands.
It’s at least the second time the president has directly threatened to target Iran for widespread carnage, presumably affecting civilians. U.S. forces have already been criticized for strikes that have hit civilian areas, including a girls’ school in Minab in February, which killed 120 school children.
It comes as the president is facing staggeringly low polling on the war itself and is watching both his own popularity and the Republican Party’s sink like a stone as a result. A Fox News poll out this weekend found that 71 percent of Americans think that Trump lacks a plan to end the war altogether and new escalating conflicts between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia threaten to further disrupt the region.
The Independent’s Washington correspondent John Bowden reports:
Stressed Trump’s stark warning on Iran: ‘If and when do I blow the entire nation up?’
Strait of Hormuz crisis could delay QatarEnergy expansion projects, says CEO
16:34 , Alex CroftThe crisis over the Strait of Hormuz could delay some QatarEnergy expansion projects because critical equipment is unable to reach Qatar, its CEO Saad al-Kaabi said on Sunday.
He said that QatarEnergy was currently producing only a "very minute" volume of liquefied natural gas.
A few LNG trains under QatarEnergy's North Field East (NFE) expansion are due to start up in 2027, with the North Field South (NFS) expansion set to begin production in 2028, Kaabi said at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York.
'When do I blow the whole nation up?' Trump warns he is in 'deciding mode' about Iran war
15:44 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Trump has said he is in “deciding mode” about his next step with Iran, including whether he wants to “blow the whole nation up”, according to reports.
The US president told Fox News chief foreign correspondent that "very big things" are going to happen in the near future regarding Iran.
Trey Yingst spoke to Trump by phone Sunday morning.
He told Fox News: “The president described the current choices on the table as 'wiping Iran out, letting them rot economically, or making a deal.’ He added, 'my question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up, they better behave.'”
CIA chief visits Egypt and meets with its president
15:20 , Maryam Zakir-HussainCentral Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe was in Egypt meeting with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, the president's office said.
The statement said el-Sissi expressed support for a deal to resolve the Iranian crisis and ensure the freedom of shipping navigation.
He also rejected any aggression against Arab countries.
Last week, Egypt's president hosted Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, who was seeking support against attacks by neighboring Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
El-Sissi also urged for the full implementation of the second phase of the U.S. ceasefire plan for Gaza. Egypt has been a key mediator and borders the Palestinian territory.
Watch: Trump says high cost of gas is 'a very inexpensive price to pay' for Iran war
15:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran threatens Trump with 'painful strikes' amid reports US preparing fresh attacks
14:53 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran has warned the US and Middle East regions they will be targeted by “painful strikes” if they make “any mistake”.
Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters were responding to the latest intelligence that Washington has decided to resume actions against Tehran, with the backing of certain regional countries.
It warned that if the United States makes any mistake against Iran, all its bases and interests in the region would be targeted by "continuous, effective and painful strikes without any limitation or reservation."
Iran war’s cost grows to $43.6 billion in new US military estimate
14:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe U.S. military's price tag for the Iran war has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3, according to a new estimate provided this week to lawmakers.
The figure from U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, offers the most up-to-date cost for the conflict since it was launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28.
A Congressional Budget Office report released Tuesday said the war had cost $38 billion through Aug. 1 and will continue to rack up expenses of around $3 billion a month depending on the conflict's intensity.
Iran war’s cost grows to $43.6 billion in new US military estimate
Six French accused of being members of the Islamic State stand trial in Iraq
14:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSix French nationals in Iraq suspected of being members of the extremist Islamic State group have stood trial, Iraqi judicial and security officials told The Associated Press.
The officials, who said it could take several proceedings before a verdict is issued, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with the media.
The six are among 47 French nationals held in Iraq who were part of thousands of people with suspected links to the IS, and who were repatriated from neighboring Syria early this year.
Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen's Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile
13:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSaudi Arabia on Saturday confirmed that Yemen’s Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile, the first targeting of Riyadh since the escalation in fighting with the Tehran-backed rebels that has opened a new front in the Iran war.
The statement by the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis came long after the dawn attempt, which the coalition said was intercepted. Some residents in Riyadh heard an explosion. Later, some saw a plume of smoke near the airport. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
The statement also said the Houthis tried to attack civilian infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu — where a key Saudi pipeline ends — and in Taif, Baysh and Farasan but they were thwarted, giving no further details.
Saudi Arabia confirms Yemen's Houthi rebels tried to attack its capital with a ballistic missile
Arab and Muslim nations condemn Houthi attack on Riyadh
13:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainEgypt, Jordan and Kuwait said the Houthi attack on Riyadh was a threat to regional security and stability and a violation of international law.
The nations in separate statements said their governments stand with Saudi Arabia in support of its sovereignty and protection of its civilians.
The Muslim World League also condemned the attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure as a violation of “all religious values as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.”
It was the first time the Saudi capital has been targeted since the escalation in fighting with the Iran-backed rebels opened a new front in the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia said the attack was intercepted.
Some residents in Riyadh heard an explosion, and later some saw a plume of smoke near the airport.
There were no reports of casualties or damage.
Five children a day killed or injured by explosives around world – as AI and drones increase threat
12:42 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe growing use of drones and artificial intelligence in conflict is exposing children to new threats at a time when more than five a day are already being killed or injured by explosives around the world.
Children accounted for nearly half of civilian casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war between 2020 and 2025, according to new research by Save the Children (StC). More than 12,000 were killed or injured.
Now rapidly evolving military technology is changing civilian exposure to conflict at a time when rights groups say the international norms designed to protect children and their families are being weakened.
5 children a day killed or injured by explosives – as AI and drones increase threat
Turkey pulls license of Iranian bank suspected of Revolutionary Guard links
Saturday 19 September 2026 16:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTurkey's banking watchdog, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, revoked the operating license for the Istanbul branch of Iran's Bank Mellat.
The agency said Saturday that it made the decision to protect depositors or the stability of the Turkey's financial system.
The announcement comes as the United States is demanding other countries tighten economic measures against Iran.
Bank Mellat has been subject to Western sanctions for years and was named in 2019 as having links to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The U.S. Treasury Department earlier this month imposed sanctions on a Turkish investment bank and two subsidiaries over alleged ties to Iran.
Trump says he is banning media outlets CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House
Saturday 19 September 2026 15:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump said on Friday he is banning three major news outlets – CNN, MS NOW and Politico – from the White House in his latest threat to the independent press.
The move is almost certain to face legal challenges as free speech experts said it conflicts with the US Constitution's First Amendment protections for free speech and a free press.
Trump accused the outlets of "reporting FAKE NEWS" in a social media post, and said they "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States."
Trump added, "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."
Representatives of all three outlets could be seen working in the White House on Friday afternoon following Trump's post.
The White House was informing all three they would be banned from the White House grounds as of Saturday, Fox News reported, citing an unnamed senior White House official.
Trump said there was no specific incident that prompted the ban, telling reporters in the Oval Office, "It's really just cumulative stories over the past few years."
Trump added, "I don't have to let them into my, into the people's house." When asked what he meant by others "to follow," Trump mentioned the New York Times and the Washington Post as what he called "fake news."
