Israel strikes Lebanon as Iran-US tensions rise; Oman holds Hormuz talks

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DOHA: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and Asaad Al-Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, held a telephone conversation, where they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to support and strengthen them. According to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the two sides also discussed the latest regional developments, particularly the diplomatic efforts and joint coordination aimed at de-escalation and enhancing security and stability in the region.

As the Aug. 17 deadline for the 60-day US-Iran memorandum arrives, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) political deputy, Brig. General Yadollah Javani warned that Iran's military posture could shift from defensive to offensive, telling state broadcaster IRIB that Tehran's future actions could take on an “offensive” form.

Reports by London-based Iran International and Tehran-based Press TV, also quoted Javani, who warned the US and Israel that Iran's armed forces would adopt “transformative approaches”.

General Javani stated that under the new appointment decrees issued by Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, any military action taken by Iran — while maintaining a defensive character in principle — will now take on an "offensive form" to deliver proactive strategic surprises and ensure maximum deterrence against adversaries.

Hamas said on Sunday that it had asked the US-backed Board of Peace to "compel" Israel to accept a peace plan for Gaza after its leader met with US President Donald Trump's envoy Jared Kushner in Egypt.

In a statement, the group said it had called on the Board and mediating countries to "compel the occupation to implement all its obligations under the first phase, end all violations, halt killings and incursions, (and) approve the roadmap for the second phase" of the US-brokered ceasefire plan.

US Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper praised the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln after visiting the aircraft carrier, highlighting their teamwork, resilience and focus on mental health.

Cooper said the carrier has one of the lowest rates of mental health-related cases among the US Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, while acknowledging the challenges of long deployments at sea.

He also commended the ship’s leadership for making crew wellbeing and resilience a priority as the vessel prepares to return home.

Hamas leaders met on Sunday in Egypt with President Donald Trump's son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner, who is seeking to push a Gaza plan rejected by Israel, sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP.

Hamas in the meeting reiterated its commitment to the deal while Kushner pushed for strong disarmament and an end to any future Hamas role in running Gaza, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the diplomatic sensitivities.

Iran's economy is showing signs of recovery from the sharp downturn caused by the recent war, with economic activity gradually resuming, according to the head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Samad Hassanzadeh.

Speaking at a meeting of the chamber's representatives on Sunday, Hassanzadeh said the latest Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reports contained encouraging signs of a relative improvement in economic conditions, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.

He attributed the improvement to efforts by the country's private sector and businesses as well as a temporary easing in the intensity of economic shocks compared with the preceding months.

Hassanzadeh also pointed to government efforts to keep economic activity going and engage with other countries, according to Press TV.

He, however, stressed that sustaining the improvement would require greater international engagement.

Official data from the Iran Chamber also point towards an easing in the severity of the economic downturn, although activity remains in contraction territory.

The Iran Chamber's latest Purchasing Managers' Index report showed that the PMI for the overall economy stood at 45.9 in Khordad (roughly late May to late June), while the industrial-sector PMI was 48.2. Both readings remained below the neutral level of 50, which separates expansion from contraction.

Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami said that Iran was offering a reward of $30,000 for killing or capturing US military personnel, with the amount doubled if the act was carried out by a woman.

According to state news agency IRNA, Hatami said the plan was introduced after “a large number of requests” for financial support.

Iran has not identified any known deployment of US ground troops in the country during the current conflict, apart from a rescue mission in April involving a downed US pilot.

Hatami did not specify where or when the alleged operations against US personnel could take place.

Flights from Iran’s Qeshm International Airport are set to resume on Wednesday after operations were suspended due to the war, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported.

The airport is preparing to restart flights following an assessment that the security situation in the region has stabilised.

Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner talked with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday about the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire, Sisi's spokesperson said.

The meeting in the Mediterranean city of El-Alamein "emphasised the need for all parties to fulfill their obligations under the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement", spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence has announced that the danger has passed in Jazan Province.

Authorities urged residents to continue following Civil Defence safety instructions and avoid gathering at the affected location or filming the incident.

Residents were also reminded to contact Civil Defence on 998 in case of an emergency.

Iran is under continuous cyber attacks amid the ongoing conflicts, Information and Communications Technology Minister Sattar Hashemi said on Sunday, as per a local media report.

"While the country is facing wartime conditions, we are witnessing cyberattacks by the enemy, but our colleagues are working around the clock to counter the cyberattacks, and our young people and elites have managed these attacks well and securely," Hashemi said Sunday, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

He also noted that over time the complexity of the attacks is also varying and mentioned that the country's experience in repelling cyber attacks in the past has prevented disruptions to services and thwarted the objectives of 'enemies'.

Iran is set to hold mourning ceremonies in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad to mark the 40th day since the funeral and burial of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to a statement from the office of current Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the main ceremony will be held at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla from 5pm to 7pm local time on August 18.

Further ceremonies will be held at the shrine of Hazrat Fatima Masoumeh in Qom on August 19 and at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad on August 20.

Large crowds are expected to attend the ceremonies to pay their respects and offer prayers.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has claimed that Iran “truly won” its war with the US and Israel, both militarily and politically.

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, Ghalibaf described the conflict as a “cowardly war” led by the US and Israel, saying the Iranian people had fought “bravely, manfully and sincerely”.

Ghalibaf also described a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US as a “document of honour and victory”.

He said the agreement helped consolidate what he described as Iran’s gains through diplomacy.

Iran accused Qatar of thwarting efforts to work out what happened to three pilots Tehran says were captured during the Middle East war, though the Gulf state has denied detaining them.

The Islamic republic had previously reported one pilot killed and others missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but had not claimed at the time that any of them had been captured.

"A team of experts from the Iranian Air Force has been waiting for several months to travel to Qatar to conduct an on-site investigation," said General Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces.

"However, due to persistent delays by Qatari authorities, the return of our brave pilots to their homeland remains impossible," he added, according to the Tasnim news agency.

He called on Doha to authorise the team to travel to Qatar.

Bagherzadeh had accused Qatar on Saturday of having captured three Iranian pilots who were carrying out an operation against the United States' Al Udeid air base in early March and demanded their release.

Qatar denied holding the pilots and said an invitation had been sent to Iran "to be briefed on the details of the search & rescue operations in April, but the Iranian side has yet to respond".

A Hamas delegation began a meeting with Egypt's spy chief on Sunday to discuss ways to advance the implementation of a post-war plan for Gaza, an official from the Palestinian group told AFP.

Hamas had said in late July that it was ready to hand over its weapons to a nascent technical committee set to govern Gaza, as part of a 15-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, vowing there would be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza until the full disarmament of Hamas.

The delegation led by Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Egypt on Saturday evening, ahead of a visit by Trump's envoy Jared Kushner to the region.

Israel vowed it would hit Hezbollah again if threatened, as it identified what it described as a commander killed in strikes a day earlier that also left several children dead.

Israeli strikes on Saturday killed 11 people in southern Lebanon, according to authorities, in the deadliest attacks since a deal was reached in June aimed at ending hostilities.

Israel said the strikes were a response to Hezbollah setting off explosive drones inside a so-called "security zone" in southern Lebanon, seriously injuring three Israeli troops including an officer.

"No score will be left unsettled in any arena. We'll defend our soldiers and our civilians with full power," Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X.

The Israeli military identified one of those killed on Saturday as Abu Hassan Alaa, saying he was a senior commander of Hezbollah's Badr unit who had been involved in firing drones at Israeli troops.

Israel earlier said that the strike killed a commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks with Oman on new shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz are separate from any decision to reopen the strategic waterway.

Araghchi said the discussions focus on establishing a temporary maritime route because previous navigation lanes are no longer operational. He added that reopening Hormuz would depend on the US meeting certain conditions.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also rejected Donald Trump’s claim that the US could declare the Strait of Hormuz its territory, saying the waterway “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian”.

Israel vowed Sunday it would hit Hezbollah again if threatened, as it identified what it described as a commander killed in strikes a day earlier that also left several children dead.

Israeli strikes on Saturday killed 11 people in southern Lebanon, according to authorities, in the deadliest attacks since a deal was reached in June aimed at ending hostilities.

AD Ports Group expanded alternative sea, road, rail, and air cargo routes across the UAE during the second quarter of 2026 to keep goods moving amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, including critical shipments such as food and pharmaceuticals.

Cargo operations and feeder services were rerouted through Fujairah Terminals and Khor Fakkan Port on the Gulf of Oman. At the same time, the Group added 400 trucks, increased rail service frequency with Etihad Rail, introduced new air cargo solutions and expanded warehousing and storage capacity.

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Iranian military official said on Sunday that ​Qatar should let an ‌Iranian team in to investigate the fate of Iranian pilots ​who Tehran says are ​being held there, Iranian media ⁠said on Sunday.

Qatar denies holding ​any pilots, reports Reuters.

Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander ​of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed ​Forces General Staff, said ​the air force and fact-finding team ‌had ⁠been waiting for months to enter Qatar, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Baqerzadeh ​accused ​Qatari ⁠officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation and preventing ​the pilots' return ​to ⁠Iran. He called for the International Committee of the Red ⁠Cross ​to urgently ​follow up on the case.

The commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) completed a 10-day trip to the Middle East on Aug. 15 that included visits to six countries and to a US Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea.

Adm. Brad Cooper met with senior civilian and military leaders in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and spent time with deployed U.S. service members. More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East supporting various missions.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has condemned the repeated hostile Iranian attacks targeting two tankers belonging to ADNOC while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

"These attacks represent a dangerous and unacceptable escalation, as well as a direct threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation and international trade in one of the world's most vital waterways, in violation of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2817," Albudaiwi stated.

Yemen, which has been embroiled in more than a decade of civil conflict, last month became the latest country to be dragged into the Middle East war as the Houthis upended the 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed government, ramping up attacks on areas it holds.

The government said it had retaliated after deadly attacks that hit military camps in the central Marib province and the Mokha port on the Red Sea, as well as residential areas in Marib home to displaced people.

Day 165: US-Iran tensions rise over Trump’s Hormuz claim

Day 164: Iran demands faster US exit from Middle East

Day 163: 2 ADNOC vessels attacked in Hormuz; no injuries

Day 162: Trump says US has ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz

Day 161: Tehran: Hormuz stays shut as US-Iran diplomacy push continues

Day 160: Tehran reshuffles military

Day 159: Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan

Day 158: Trump says Iran can’t ‘go on much longer’

Day 157: Iran says Oman deal alone won’t reopen Hormuz