US-Iran war escalates as Tehran targets US bases in Gulf

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US President Donald Trump said Friday that he had not decided on whether to launch major strikes on Iran as Tehran was now getting "very serious" in talks with Washington.

"No I haven't," Trump told journalists in the Oval Office when asked if had made a decision, following reports that he was meeting advisors to discuss a large-scale operation.

"Look, we're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason."

The UAE has condemned in the strongest terms the renewed hostile attacks by Iran targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with missiles and drones.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that these hostile attacks constitute a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly nations and a threat to their security and stability.

The Ministry reiterated the UAE's full solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding their security and stability.

All 28 Indian crew members aboard the Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker DISHA are safe following an attack on the vessel in Iranian territorial waters, the Embassy of India in Tehran confirmed on Friday.

In an official statement, the Embassy acknowledged the incident involving the LPG tanker DISHA (IMO No. 8818219) and stated it has been maintaining active contact with local officials to ensure the crew's well-being.

"The vessel has 28 Indian crew members on board. The Embassy has been in close contact with the relevant authorities and has confirmed that all Indian crew members are safe," the statement read, adding that diplomatic officials are continuing to closely monitor the situation.

The Embassy added that it is closely monitoring the situation and remains in touch with the concerned authorities regarding the incident.

The statement did not provide details about the nature of the attack or the condition of the vessel.

Iran expects European countries to uphold international law and condemn US attacks on the country, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday in a post on X.

Gharibabadi said some European nations, including Spain, had taken what he described as “principled positions”. However, he warned that allowing the United States to use European bases or territory would make those countries “among the aggressors”.

He added that recent conflicts had brought the US “no strategic gains” and had instead increased risks to regional and global security.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call on Friday with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, during which they discussed maritime security and the movement of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

The two ministers stressed the importance of maintaining the safety of maritime navigation and discussed regional cooperation and possible solutions to prevent further escalation, the statement said.

The European Union has agreed to a US request to delay broadcasting its Copernicus satellite images over the Gulf by 24 hours, according to a decision published in its official journal.

The agreement comes as the United States has resumed its attacks on Iran since July 7, throwing the region back into chaos as Tehran and Washington battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.

US officials made the request for the delay on satellite to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on May 26. It covered data from the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites over the Gulf.

In a decision dated July 13, the EU Council ruled that it was "necessary" to do so, to ensure the images "are not used by any third State or non-State actor in such a way as to present a threat to the interests of the Union and its Member States in the region or to those of their allies".

The zone covered by this decision is the Gulf region, where strikes are occurring and where the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iran.

The United States and the United Kingdom are planning to hold a high-level meeting in London next week to discuss the formation of a potential international coalition to safeguard commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing two European diplomats and two other sources familiar with the matter.

The US Embassy in Jerusalem has urged American citizens to exercise increased caution, warning that the security situation in the Middle East remains complex and could deteriorate without warning.

In a security alert, the embassy advised travellers to remain vigilant and be prepared for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions amid heightened regional tensions.

US citizens were also urged to check the status of their flights directly with their airline or airport before travelling.

The embassy said its offices in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv remain open for both routine and emergency consular services. It also encouraged American citizens to enrol in the Smart Traveller Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates and make it easier for the US government to contact them in an emergency.

The price of the benchmark international oil contract Brent North Sea slumped more than five percent Friday as traders weighed the impact of fresh Middle East attacks on world crude supplies.

Brent dropped to $95.61 a barrel having surged above $100 on Thursday.

The main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, shed 4.1 per cent to $88.40 a barrel Friday.

"Having advanced all week, oil prices finally ran into some profit taking," noted Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at trading platform IG.

Despite the United States launching fresh strikes Friday on Iran, there was relief on markets that some ships were still able to pass through the Bab Al Mandeb strait, a crucial passage into the Red Sea.

A Houthi spokesman said Friday that the rebels were not blocking traffic through the strait, after they declared a maritime embargo this week on their foe Saudi Arabia.

US President Donald Trump warned China and Russia on Friday against selling weapons to Iran - while saying he believed assurances from Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin that they were not yet doing so.

"Therefore, two major Countries that people speak of often in terms of Iran are, in my opinion, not participating," Trump said on his Truth Social network. "If they did, it would be very bad for them - Certainly not in their best interests."

Trump's comment on Truth Social comes amid reports that Washington is investigating whether Moscow and Beijing are giving Iran targeting information, following a series of strikes on US bases.

The US leader said Chinese president Xi had told him when they met in Beijing in May that he would not arm Iran under any circumstances, adding: "considering our relationship, I take him at his word."

Trump added that Putin had made a similar promise despite the war in Ukraine.

"He understands that I do not sell Weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO Countries. They pay full price, and how those Weapons are distributed, I have no idea," Trump said.

A Houthi spokesman said Friday that the rebels were not blocking traffic through the strategic Bab Al Mandeb Strait, after they declared a maritime embargo this week on their foe Saudi Arabia.

The Iran-backed group attacked a Saudi ship in the nearby Red Sea after announcing the blockade, which threatens the top oil exporter's ability to get its supplies to the world following Iran's parallel blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the kingdom's only other maritime route.

Global energy markets had already been rattled by renewed fighting between the US and Iran, and Brent crude briefly surged over $100 on Thursday after the Houthi attack.

"There is no closure of Bab Al Mandab as some are suggesting," said Mohammed Abdusalam, who is also a top Houthi negotiator, adding that the rebel position was "limited to a maritime blockade that only affects the Saudi side".

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has ruled out accepting a temporary ceasefire, saying Tehran would not consider such a proposal unless its demands regarding the Strait of Hormuz were addressed, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported.

Araghchi said Iran had responded firmly whenever the United States tested its resolve, while accusing Washington of continuing with what he described as the same approach.

He added that the core issue was rooted in US policy, arguing that Washington must change its conduct before any meaningful progress could be achieved.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, the Israeli leader's office said.

Netanyahu's visit comes at a time when tensions have mounted between the two leaders over the handling of the war with Iran.

"As part of the visit, the prime minister will meet with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday and attend the funeral service for Senator Lindsey Graham, a friend of Israel," Netanyahu's office said, adding that he will depart for Washington on Monday.

The United Nations chief is "deeply alarmed" after Yemen's Houthi rebels struck oil tankers in the Red Sea, his spokesman said Friday, as fears rise of a new front in the Middle East war.

"The attack on commercial vessels, claimed by the Houthis, risks further heightening regional tensions and widening the current cycle of escalation," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman said in a statement.

"Further hostilities in Yemen will undermine prospects for peace, and cause serious economic, humanitarian and environmental consequences across and beyond the region."

The United States launched fresh attacks on Iran after the strikes by the Tehran-backed Houthis, marking an escalation that pushed crude prices past $100 a barrel.

Kuwait’s General Staff of the Army said its air defence systems were operating to intercept hostile drone attacks following what it described as “criminal Iranian aggression”.

In a statement, the military said any explosion sounds heard by residents were likely caused by air defence systems intercepting the incoming threats.

The army urged the public to follow security and safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities and remain alert.

Stocks are edging higher on Wall Street and oil prices are falling for the first time in a week, even as heavy fighting in the Middle East again threatened to slow the global flow of oil. The S&P 500 inched up 0.1% early Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 62 points, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%. All three indexes are still on track to finish the week lower. After shooting to $102 per barrel a day earlier, Brent crude fell 2.6%. Treasury yields moved lower. European markets were higher and Asian markets closed lower.

Jordan's military intercepted seven missiles and six drones launched by Iran on Friday, it said, as Tehran pressed its attacks on US allies in the Middle East.

The military said the interceptions, performed by air defence systems and air force planes, "resulted in no casualties or material damage".

Bahrain's Defence Force said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed several Iranian missiles and drones targeting the kingdom on Friday.

In a statement carried by the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the General Command accused Iran of continuing what it described as a systematic campaign of attacks against civilians in Bahrain. It said the use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property was a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Friday termed violation of Iran's territorial integrity, the destruction of infrastructure, power plants, residential areas, schools, hospitals, and other civilian facilities, as well as the killing of civilians a "clear violation" of United Nations charter and the fundamental principles of international law.

Addressing the BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in New Delhi on Friday, Momeni urged member states to take a "clear and firm position" in condemning aggression, violations of national sovereignty, attacks against civilians, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.

"He emphasised that a united and resolute BRICS voice in defence of international law, respect for national sovereignty, and opposition to the use of force would send an important message to the international community and contribute to strengthening international peace, security, and stability," the Iranian Embassy in India posted on X.

Iran's military said on Friday it carried out drone strikes against several American military facilities and bases in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait in retaliation for the latest US attacks against the Islamic republic.

"This morning, the fuel tanks, large equipment warehouses and silos, and the barracks of the US terrorist army forces at the Isa Air Base in Bahrain were targeted by Arash kamikaze drones," the army said in a statement carried by state TV.

An AFP journalist in Bahrain reported an explosion and the sounding of warning sirens Friday, though it was not immediately clear if the two events were linked.

There was no confirmation from the US of any targeting of its facilities or personnel.

The Iranian army also claimed drone attacks against Jordan, targeting "aircraft hangars, aviation maintenance hangars and a barracks" at Al-Azraq base.

Jordan has not reported any strikes in the last few hours.

In a separate statement, the Iranian army said it had launched drones at US equipment warehouses in Camp Udairi and the site of American military personnel in Camp Doha and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of Iran's military, said it had targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, claiming to have destroyed an ammunition depot and inflicted casualties among US personnel.

They also claimed attacks on equipment storage silos at Camp Udairi in Kuwait and a US Fifth Fleet watchtower in Bahrain.

Kurdish forces said the US-led coalition shot down five drones on Friday over Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, which has been repeatedly attacked since hostilities resumed in the Middle East.

An AFP journalist reported earlier seeing drones hovering over Erbil, before air defences were activated, resulting in explosions and visible smoke near the city's airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops.

Since hostilities resumed in the region, drone attacks, which Kurdish authorities blamed on Iran, have repeatedly been intercepted over Erbil, also home to a major US consulate complex.

Kurdish counterterrorism forces said on Friday that "the coalition forces downed five explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 9:32 and 9:45am".

No casualties were reported, they added.

The main international oil contract Brent North Sea fell back under $100 Friday after surging past the key milestone the previous day on escalating Middle East strikes.

Brent and key US contract, West Texas Intermediate, declined three percent. Brent had soared seven percent Thursday and WTI more than six percent.

The sizeable jumps had come after Yemen's Houthi rebels struck oil tankers in the Red Sea, opening a new front in the Middle East war.

The Israeli military said on Friday it was preparing to launch a widespread operation in the occupied West Bank following violence that killed an Israeli and four Palestinians.

"Following the terror attack earlier today in the area of Tel, IDF soldiers are preparing for extensive counterterrorism operational activity in the sector," the military said. It added that it had postponed soldiers' leave across the territory and had begun deploying forces in the area.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned civilians in the Middle East on Friday to stay away from US forces, state media reported.

"We warn the general public in countries where American soldiers are stationed to immediately stay out of a radius of 500 metres from the places where American soldiers are hiding, in order to be safe," the Guards said in a statement carried by state TV.

UN rights chief Volker Turk on Friday urged countries involved in the Middle East war to help evacuate and repatriate some 6,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. 

"Parties to the conflict should urgently work to facilitate safe passage for stranded seafarers to safely evacuate and disembark, as well as ensure the delivery of critical supplies," his spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo told reporters in Geneva.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Friday that they targeted a data centre in Bahrain belonging to US tech giant Amazon, state media reported.

The forces "targeted and destroyed the intelligence data centre building of the American company Amazon, which plays a major role in completing information for the American child-killing army", they said in a statement aired by state TV.

Neither Amazon nor Bahraini authorities have commented so far on Iran's claims.

Tehran maintains that any facility or base in the Middle East that the US military uses for strikes on Iran is considered a legitimate target for retaliatory attacks.

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior said warning sirens have been activated again, urging citizens and residents to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location and follow updates through official channels.

Iranian authorities said on Friday that the United States struck a Revolutionary Guards' base in the northern province of Gilan, state media reported.

"This morning, an IRGC naval forces headquarters in Zibakenar was targeted by American enemy projectiles, which damaged some of the equipment in the complex," said Ali Bagheri, deputy governor for the province, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

Several blasts sounded on Friday near Erbil airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist said.

Explosions were heard after air defences were activated, according to the journalist who also saw drones hovering over the city and smoke rising in the airport area.

Since hostilities resumed in the Middle East, drones have repeatedly been intercepted over Erbil, which is also home to a major US consulate complex.

Iran's army said on Friday it carried out drone strikes against several American military facilities and bases in Bahrain and Jordan in retaliation for the latest US attacks against the Islamic republic.

"This morning, the fuel tanks, large equipment warehouses and silos and the barracks of the US terrorist army forces at the Isa Air Base in Bahrain were targeted by Arash kamikaze drones," the army said in a statement carried by state TV.

An AFP journalist in Bahrain reported an explosion and the sounding of warning sirens in the country on Friday morning, though it was not immediately clear if the two events were linked.

The Iranian army also claimed drone attacks against Jordan, targeting "aircraft hangars, aviation maintenance hangars and a barracks" at Al-Azraq base.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Iran would hold accountable any country assisting the United States in an attack on the Islamic republic.

"Any participation, cooperation or assistance in committing aggression against Iran will create international responsibility for the relevant parties," Araghchi said at a meeting in Kyrgyzstan, adding that Iran "reserves its right to take all necessary measures within the framework of self-defence".

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.

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 144: House approves bid to limit war with Tehran as oil hits $100

Day 143: US tightens Iran blockade, redirects 9 commercial ships

Day 142: Air defences roar over Tehran on 11th night of strikes

Day 141: Iran president says country in 'full-scale war' with US

Day 140: US strikes Iran, Gulf states face missile threats as war risks spread