US-Iran war: Trump vows 'more pain' as strikes hit 13th night and Strait of Hormuz blockade tightens
Trump vows frozen Iranian funds will cover Gulf shipping damage
The US-Iran conflict is showing signs of shifting, with military pressure and diplomacy running in parallel. US Central Command completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets while tightening its naval blockade, redirecting 12 commercial vessels. President Donald Trump said frozen Iranian assets would pay for ships and cargo damaged in the conflict, declaring Iran "needs more pain" before abandoning its nuclear ambitions. Tehran hit back, accusing Washington of undermining diplomacy, while Germany's withdrawal of two naval vessels from the Red Sea signalled easing tensions following recent diplomatic progress. Follow our live coverage for the latest developments.
An overnight US attack on Iran's southwestern province of Khuzestan killed at least four people and injured several others, Iranian state media reported Friday.
"Following the missile attack by the terrorist US enemy on areas around the city of Ahvaz, four of our compatriots were martyred and five others were injured," Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor of the province, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
Britain has declared its armed forces ready to defend the homeland after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared British military installations hosting US operations, notably RAF Fairford, from which B-1 bombers have launched, as "legitimate targets." The deployment and launches of US B-1 Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire represent the first such use of British soil for strikes in this conflict, according to reports.
A senior British defence source told reporters that the armed forces "are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it's on our soil or from abroad." Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government has approved US access to bases in the UK for Iran operations.
Travellers flying to and from the UAE today are being urged to check their flight status before leaving for the airport after the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia renewed travel advisories warning that the security situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable and could lead to flight disruptions.
The updated advisories come as airlines across the region continue to adjust schedules.
Etihad Airways has extended cancellations on selected Bahrain and Kuwait routes, while flydubai has cancelled one Bahrain service.
Although operations at UAE airports remain largely normal, passengers are being advised to stay in close contact with their airlines and monitor the latest travel updates.
The United States launched fresh strikes on Iran Friday after Tehran-backed Houthi rebels attacked oil tankers in the Red Sea, marking an escalation that pushed crude prices past $100 a barrel.
The US military insisted that the Strait of Hormuz -- through which one fifth of the world's oil passed before the war -- was "open for transit" after Iran pressed on with attacks on tankers using the route in a bid to strongarm them into paying for safe passage.
But the Houthis opened a new front in the war this week when they attacked vessels in the Red Sea, intensifying fears over world crude supplies.
The international oil benchmark Brent crude surged past $100 a barrel on Thursday for the first time since May, up eight percent, as world leaders expressed alarm over the rebels' attacks.
Bahrain's Ministry of Interior said warning sirens have been activated, urging citizens and residents to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location and follow updates through official channels.
Tehran said Friday that US President Donald Trump's threat to pay for shipping damage with Iranian assets was an "incendiary precedent".
"Seizing another nation's assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X.
US Central Command said its forces completed a 13th straight night of strikes against Iran at 9pm ET on July 23 (5am Gulf time on July 24), targeting Iranian military command centres, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities. CENTCOM said the strikes aim to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The command said the waterway remains open despite recent attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with commercial vessels continuing to navigate the strait with US military support. More than 50,000 US service members are operating across the Middle East.
Germany will withdraw two naval vessels from the Red Sea after concluding that the ships are no longer required for a potential mine-clearing mission in the Strait of Hormuz, the Defence Ministry said, reflecting an easing of immediate operational requirements following recent diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran.
The vessels — a Fulda minehunter and the support ship Mosel — were deployed through the Suez Canal in June and stationed in Djibouti with about 140 personnel, including mine-clearance divers, autonomous underwater systems and force protection teams.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius had said any deployment into the Strait would depend on political and diplomatic developments, as well as the consent of regional states, including Iran and Oman.
The vessels were part of Germany's contribution to European efforts to safeguard freedom of navigation rather than a combat mission.
President Donald Trump said late on Thursday that the US would begin using frozen Iranian assets to pay for ships and cargo damaged by regime strikes in and around the Gulf.
"Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls," Trump said on Truth social.
"These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this ithe fair and equitable thing to do."
Trump, in a speech, also declared that Iran “needs more pain” before it will abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon, declaring the Islamic Republic has “evil intentions” and vowing it will “never” be allowed to obtain one.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused officials within the US administration of ignoring realities on the ground and prioritising domestic political calculations over diplomacy.
In a post on X late Thursday, he said “compromised individuals” in Washington were “burying their heads in the sand” and appeared focused only on the 2028 US elections.
He warned that continued support for “mindless aggression” would make it more difficult for US President Donald Trump to secure an agreement with Tehran. “The mindless aggression they advocate will only ensure that POTUS pays heavier price for deal he’s trying to achieve,” Araghchi wrote.
Kuwait’s air defence systems are intercepting hostile missile and drone attacks amid the ongoing Iranian aggression, the General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army said on Thursday.
In a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency, the military said any explosions heard by residents were caused by air defence systems intercepting incoming projectiles.
Authorities urged the public to remain calm and follow all security and safety instructions issued by the relevant agencies.
The Kuwaiti military said on Thursday that a new drone attack had been launched against one of its border crossings with Iraq.
"Al-Abdali border post was the repeated target this evening of enemy drone attacks that caused material damage but no casualties," army headquarters said in a statement posted on social media.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has redirected 12 commercial vessels and disabled one ship since resuming its naval blockade against Iran nine days ago.
In an update posted on X, CENTCOM said the enforcement actions were aimed at preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas as part of Washington's ongoing blockade.
The command has previously said commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains open for vessels not trading with Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left for Kyrgyzstan on Thursday at the head of a political delegation to attend a meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The two-day gathering is being held in the resort city of Cholpon-Ata on Thursday and Friday.
Day 137: Dubai rebuts false explosion reports
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