TOP STORIES
U.S. and Iran Exchange Intense New Attacks After Trump Says Ceasefire Is ‘Over’ | NBC News
“The United States and Iran traded new attacks overnight and into Thursday, intensifying an exchange that has threatened the collapse of their agreement to end the war. The American military said it hit around 90 targets in airstrikes across Iran, after President Donald Trump said he considered the tenuous ceasefire between the two countries over following Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials reported another set of attacks hours later on Thursday morning, which the U.S. did not immediately acknowledge. Tehran retaliated with attacks on U.S. allies across the Middle East—a wave of strikes that sparked alerts in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and hours later Jordan—as the two sides accused each other of violating the terms of their interim deal.”
With Iran Ceasefire “Over,” Trump Shifts to Battle for Hormuz | Axios
“The White House is preparing for what could become a multi-day or even multi-week exchange of fire with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. The length and severity of the new campaign hinge entirely on Tehran’s next moves, U.S. officials tell Axios. . . . U.S. officials say the White House believes it has more room to escalate because hundreds of oil tankers have managed to leave the Gulf through the strait in recent weeks. That has eased concerns inside the administration that a renewed clash would immediately trigger a major oil price spike, the officials said.”
Trump: “I’m Not Sure I Want to Make a Deal” with the Iranians | CBS News
“Asked about his sharp rhetoric on Iran's leaders, who the president previously called ‘strong people, smart people,’ President Trump said his view has shifted as negotiations with Tehran have continued. ‘They're not doing a service to the people,’ he said. Mr. Trump said the U.S. doesn't want to have ‘lunatics’ in control of nuclear weapons. ‘I'm not sure I want to make a deal with them,’ he told reporters. ‘We can play games, but I'm not sure I want to make a deal. Let's just finish the job.’ When pushed on rising oil prices, the president said it will only be up slightly and the U.S. has an ‘oil glut.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
“Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush praised President Donald Trump for his efforts in crippling the Iranian regime, but warned that Cuba is now believed to have hundreds of explosive drones from Tehran. Bush made the statement at a United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) event on Wednesday, standing next to an Iranian Shahed-136 drone.”
“Former UN Amb. Mark Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran, showed off a recovered Iranian Sha[h]ed drone weapon, warning that Cuba is believed to have hundreds of them at an event held in Coral Gables, Fla., on July 8, 2026.”
South Florida Officials Warn of Potential Drone Dangers in Cuba | CBS News
“They say Iranian attack drones are being stockpiled in the island.”
New FL-Gov. Polling; Drone Talk in Coral Gables | Politico
“Just hours after Trump told reporters at the NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey that ceasefire talks with Iran were likely dead, an Iranian drone was on display in a ballroom of the lavish Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. The drone was placed there by United Against Nuclear Iran, a hawkish Iran policy advocacy group, to draw attention to a May Axios report that said Cuba had stockpiled more than 300 military drones from Iran and Russia. . . . The drone displayed at the Biltmore is widely used in Iran’s military strategy and was described by the group as the Shahed-136. UANI said it was able to obtain the drone through working with ‘friendly governments around the world,’ and that the display was intended to show the type of capability it had, rather than claim Cuba possessed that exact drone model. GOP Rep. Carlos Giménez, who was taking questions at the press conference, said the drone wasn’t offensive but defensive technology that could ‘take out a target.’ Giménez warned Cuba could copy the drones they reportedly acquired and build their own. ‘I never thought—as a local Miamian growing up under the shadow of the Cuban Missile Crisis—that there would be an Iranian drone that somehow was relevant and potentially could reach our home in Florida and the United States,’ said Mark Wallace, CEO of UANI, who called the drone a ‘modern terror weapon of mass destruction.’”
Iranian Drone Displayed in South Florida | NBC 6 News
“Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, chairman of the group ‘United Against Nuclear Iran,’ joined South Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, warning of some 300 Iranian drones in Cuba that are possibly in position to strike America and its assets.”
Iranian Drone Display in Coral Gables Raises Concerns About Cuba’s Military Ties | Local10.com
“An Iranian military drone displayed Wednesday in Coral Gables prompted warnings from lawmakers and national security experts who said Iran’s growing relationship with Cuba could pose a threat to the United States, though one analyst said he does not believe an attack from the island is likely. The drone was displayed at the Biltmore Hotel by the bipartisan policy group United Against Nuclear Iran, chaired by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. The organization said the exhibit was intended to highlight concerns over reports that Iranian drones and weapons systems have been based in Cuba. Mark Wallace, the nonprofit’s CEO and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform, said modern weapons systems have changed the security landscape. ‘Weapons systems have changed, and there is a weapons system 90 miles off the coast of Florida now with a hostile regime that is aligned with the most hostile regime that can target the United States of America,” Wallace said. “There has to be a policy to defeat the ability to build these, to shoot them down, and make sure there are not hostile forces in governments in our region that would align themselves with Iran.’”
“The nonprofit group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) said it has tracked at least 19 Iranian oil and petrochemical cargoes loaded since the interim agreement was signed. It has also identified 46 tankers carrying Iranian oil or fuel along Iran’s coastline.”
Iranian Military Drone Displayed in Miami Sparks Debate Over Cuba's Involvement | CubaHeadlines
“A mock-up of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone was showcased on Wednesday at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Miami. The event, orchestrated by the bipartisan group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), aimed to highlight intelligence reports suggesting that the Cuban regime has procured over 300 of these drones from Russia and Iran since 2023. The gathering featured former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who serves as the president of UANI, Republican Congressman Carlos Giménez, and Ambassador Mark Wallace, the organization's CEO. They collectively warned that this alleged military cooperation between Havana and Tehran poses a threat to U.S. security.”
MILITARY MATTERS & STRAIT OF HORMUZ SITUATION
Tanker Attacks Risk Overplaying Iran’s Hand and Reigniting a War | New York Times
“Iran, fearing that its hold over the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes was gradually slipping away, risked overplaying its hand by again firing on oil tankers and potentially rekindling a major war with the United States, analysts said.”
Trump Says He Doesn’t Think Iran War Will “Start Again” | CBS News
“President Trump said Wednesday at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, that he doesn't think the Iran war is going to ‘start again.’ ‘I think it’s going to go very quickly,’ he said. ‘They hit a couple of ships and so we hit them much harder. When they hit, we hit 10 times harder. You know, we hit much harder than they do.’ He said the U.S. ‘might’ hit Iran tonight, and that ‘anything that happens is going to be over very quickly.’ He added that ‘we're not looking for long-term.’”]
Iran Did Not Target Trump in Turkey to Preserve Neighborly Ties, Official Says | Iran International
“US President Donald Trump had been ‘within reach’ in Turkey but Iran did not target him in order to preserve good relations with neighboring countries, an Iranian official said Wednesday.”
Iran Threatens Oil Facilities in Gulf Nations That Support US | CBS News
“The Gulf states that have stood alongside Trump in the Iran-America regime conflict should watch over their oil and gas wells,” Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for Iran's national security council. “In defense of the security of the great Iranian nation, we have no red lines.’”
Vance Says US Will Hit Iran If It Shoots at Ships | Iran International
“US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that if Iran ‘shoots at ships’ in the Strait of Hormuz, the US military would respond. ‘If they shoot at ships, we’re going to knock the hell out of them. And it’s that simple,’ Vance said at an event in Milwaukee. Vance said any attempt by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz would also trigger a US military response, warning that strikes would continue ‘until they open up that lane and stop shooting at ships.”
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Navy says US attacks on Iran and intervention in redirecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting the strategic waterway’s gradual reopening and jeopardizing the interests of countries benefiting from it. The Guards add that transit capacity under Iran’s supervision has recovered to about 50% of prewar levels over the past two weeks, and that transit capacity is only being expanded for vessels granted permits to use routes designated by Iran. They warn that any further US intervention would draw a ‘crushing response.’”
US Projectile Hit Perimeter Area of Bushehr Nuclear Plant, Iran Says | Reuters
“A US projectile has struck the area surrounding Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran’s deputy governor of Bushehr province tells state media.”
“A drone attack has hit a camp belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group northeast of Iraq’s Erbil, security sources tell Reuters. No casualties are immediately reported in the attack.”
Aggressors Will Face Harsh Punishment, Supreme Leader Military Advisor Says | Iran International
“Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, said on Wednesday Iran would respond strongly to what he called the ‘aggressor enemy’ and its allies, the IRGC said on its Telegram channel, adding that they would face ‘severe punishment.”
Missile Strike Damages Key Iran-Russia Railway Bridge | IranWire
“The public relations department of the IRGC’s Ninava Corps in Golestan Province announced that the Agh Tekeh Khan Bridge in Agh Qala County was targeted in an attack late Tuesday evening. According to the official statement, the strike was executed using a cruise missile, causing physical damage to a section of the railway bridge. . . . The Agh Tekeh Khan Bridge is located on the Agh Qala–Incheh Borun railway line, a trade and transit route considered a critical piece of strategic infrastructure for Iran. Via the Incheh Borun rail border, this line connects Iran to the rail networks of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and ultimately Russia, serving as a primary branch of the eastern North-South Rail Corridor.”
Power Cut Hits Parts of Chabahar After Explosions—IRNA | Iran International
“Power was cut in parts of Iran’s southeastern city of Chabahar after several explosions were heard in Chabahar and nearby Konarak shortly after midnight Thursday Tehran time, IRNA reported.”
Carney Backs Latest U.S. Strikes on Iran as Trump Slams NATO Allies | CBC News
“[Canadian] Prime Minister Mark Carney has backed the latest U.S. strikes on Iran, calling it an appropriate response to ceasefire violations.”
DIPLOMACY
Trump’s Iran Envoys Face Scrutiny as Diplomacy Stalls | CNN
“With the prospect of renewed fighting in the region, the gap between the administration’s stated goals in Iran, including the removal of its enriched nuclear material, and the likelihood they can be achieved—let alone in 60 days—continues to widen. That’s all raised big questions about how much was accomplished with the signing of the MOU; what exactly was agreed to; and whether [Steve] Witkoff and [Jared] Kushner, along with Vice President JD Vance, overstated the amount of diplomatic progress they’d made amid escalating oil prices and growing pressure to end the war.”
Inside Trump’s Oval Office Decision to Ditch the Iran Ceasefire | Wall Street Journal
“President Trump was preparing to leave the White House for Turkey on Monday evening when his top national security aides walked into the Oval Office with reports of new Iranian attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told him that Iran had fired antiship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones at vessels seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz through a southern route, according to people familiar with the discussion. Three ships had been struck within hours of each other, including a liquefied natural gas tanker, they told the president. Angered by the strikes, Trump pressed them on whether they believed Iran was serious about reaching a final deal. In the end, after discussing it with his senior aides, the president decided they weren’t.”
Iran, Qatar Stress Diplomacy to Prevent Regional ‘Escalation’ | Al Jazeera
“Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani have discussed in a phone call the latest regional developments, with a particular focus on the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, the two officials ‘exchanged views on regional developments, especially the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz, and some issues of concern to the parties.’ The ministry said both sides ‘emphasised the importance of using diplomatic capacities to pursue regional issues’ and agreed on ‘continuing contacts and coordination to prevent the escalation of tensions in the region.”
PROXY WARS
Iraq Agrees to U.S. Demands to Halt Dollar Flows to Iran-Backed Militias | Wall Street Journal
“Iraq has agreed to new controls aimed at preventing U.S. dollars from flowing to Iran and its militia allies in exchange for the Trump administration lifting a four-month suspension in shipments of American currency to Baghdad, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Sentences Five January Protesters to Prison in Urumieh | IranWire
“Karim Masoudi, Behzad Samadzadeh, Sardar Pourmirzaei, Gholamreza Abdollahzadeh, and Farshad Souri, all detained during the December 2025 nationwide protests and currently held in Urumieh Prison, have received prison sentences in separate rulings issued by the city’s Revolutionary Courts.”
Twelve Prisoners at Risk of Execution in Isfahan Protest Case, Lawyer Says | Iran International
“Twelve protesters in Isfahan face imminent execution after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld death sentences in a case built around the alleged killing of four Basij members, a lawyer familiar with the case told Iran International. The case stems from protests on January 8 at Alikhani Square in Isfahan, where authorities said four Basij members were killed.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran to Bury Slain Supreme Leader in Culmination of Mass Funeral | Reuters
“Iran buries its slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday at the country’s holiest shrine, with his son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei still hidden from public view after being disfigured in the strike that killed his father.”
“Banners calling for the assassination of US President Donald Trump continue to be widely displayed during the funeral of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. . . . Also on Monday, members of the public heckled, insulted and physically attacked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, casting them as insufficiently hardline.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
Schumer: Trump’s Iran Deal Is ‘Total, Utter Disaster’ | The Hill
“Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) issued a statement Wednesday blasting President Trump’s peace deal with Iran as a ‘total, utter disaster.’ ‘Trump’s so-called ‘deal’ to end hostilities with Iran has turned into total, utter disaster,’ Schumer said. ‘This is what happens when an incompetent president launches a war with no objective, no plan, and no exit strategy — you lose.’ … ‘Enough. This war was illegal, ill-advised, and irresponsible from the start. The Trump administration must double down on serious negotiations, come to Congress, comply with the majorities in both chambers who voted to end this war, and deliver the relief American families desperately need,’ he added.”
‘Restarting His Reckless War with Iran Won’t Make America Stronger’: Bernie Sanders | Al Jazeera
“US Senator Bernie Sanders says ‘restarting his reckless war with Iran won’t make America stronger. It will cost more lives and waste more taxpayer dollars.’ In a post on X, he added that ‘after getting the United States into a war based on lies, Trump has now declared the ceasefire with Iran ‘over’ after less than a month.’”