TOP STORIES
“The United States reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and intensified its airstrike campaign Wednesday in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Overnight American strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, killed at least seven troops and wounded more than 260 people across the country, Iranian officials said. Later, the U.S. resumed striking Iran during daylight—an unusual move that further signaled the increasing tempo in attacks.”
Trump Withdraws Hormuz Tolls Threat but Says US Will Continue to Blockade Iran | Guardian
“Donald Trump has backed down from a threat that ships would have to pay a 20% fee to the US for ‘security’ in the strait of Hormuz, replacing it with what he described as investment and trade deals with Gulf Arab states as US and Iranian airstrikes resumed for a third day. . . . He said the US would continue to blockade Iranian ports.”
US Military’s Death Toll Rises to 14 in Iran War | The Hill
“The U.S. military’s death toll during the war against Iran has officially climbed to 14 following the death of a Navy pilot in a crash earlier this month. The Pentagon updated its casualty count to 14 on Monday after the Navy identified the airman lost over the Arabian Sea last week. The airman, Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, was the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Squadron 5.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
“[UK Prime Minister] Sir Keir Starmer fast-tracked legislation to ‘proscribe’ the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). But don’t be fooled—despite the Government’s spin, Labour has not suddenly got serious about the threat posed by Iran’s regime and the anti-Semitism it exports. While the designation of the IRGC—the Iranian regime’s terror army—is a welcome move, we should be clear: this is not equivalent to full terrorist proscription.”
“While we should welcome Starmer's better late than never proscription of the IRGC, it does come with a caveat. That's because the Government chose not to proscribe the IRGC under the Terrorism Act. Instead, it created a new piece of legislation called the National Security (State Threats) Act, which focuses on offences that are directly commanded, financed or materially supported by the IRGC. The problem is these represent only part of the threat. As Kasra Araabi, director of IRGC Research at United Against Nuclear Iran, told me: ‘The Terrorism Act contains explicit provisions prohibiting the display of flags, uniforms, official materials and publications of a proscribed organisation. . . . Conservative MPs tabled amendments to incorporate these provisions into the National Security Act, explicitly to fill these gaps. But ministers rejected every one.’”
Intelligence Experts Question Ahmadinejad ‘Regime-Change’ Report | Jewish News Syndicate
“Former Israeli intelligence officers and an American defense expert are expressing deep skepticism regarding a July 13 New York Times report alleging that the Mossad attempted to recruit former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as part of a regime-change operation. . . . [R]eacting to the publication, Jason Brodsky, policy director at the American United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) organization, raised sharp questions regarding the plausibility of the narrative, pointing to Ahmadinejad’s lack of domestic military support base. ‘I have questions about this story,’ said Brodsky. ‘I think it’s plausible that Ahmadinejad was a person of interest to certain foreign intelligence organizations given his falling out with the leadership in Iran. But that does not necessarily mean that serious people viewed him as the linchpin of an Israeli regime-change strategy in Iran,’ he added.”
MILITARY MATTERS & STRAIT OF HORMUZ SITUATION
US Naval Blockade of Iranian Ports Goes Into Effect | CNN
“The US military’s naval blockade of ships going to and from Iranian ports resumed at 4 p.m. ET [on Tuesday, July 14], US Central Command said in a post on X.”
Iran Targeted Seven Commercial Ships in Past Week, CENTCOM Commander Says | Iran International
“US Central Command said on Tuesday that Iran targeted seven commercial ships over the past week, resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members being killed, missing, or injured. In a post on X, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said Iranian forces also launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Persian Gulf countries, adding that US forces were holding Iran accountable for what he described as ‘unwarranted aggression’ that endangers civilians.”
Iran Threatens to Halt All Middle East Energy Exports amid Renewed US Blockade | Guardian
“Iran has threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East after the US reimposed a blockade of its ports and ships, as the two countries continued to trade strikes for a fifth day, further threatening the interim deal between them.”
Trump Held Situation Room Meeting on Massive New Iran Strikes | Axios
“President Trump held a Situation Room meeting Tuesday to discuss a massive offensive in Iran that will be wider in scope than the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge said. . . . Trump appears willing to escalate the war to cause enough damage that the Iranian regime will open the Strait of Hormuz and accept Trump's nuclear demands.”
Trump to Iran: ‘We’re Going to Hit Them Very Hard’ | The Hill
“‘We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, we’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night, we’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them,’ Trump said. ‘Because next week comes the power plants, next week comes the bridges.’”
Iranian Army Claims It Struck US Military Assets in Jordan | CNN
“Iran’s army claims to have struck US military assets at the Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA. It alleged that Iranian attack drones struck an area where F-18 fighter jets were stationed, an accommodation building, and a large equipment hangar that IRNA said belonged to the US army. F-18 fighter jets are normally on aircraft carriers and not on bases in the Middle East.”
US Forces Using Patriot Missiles to Help Defend Kuwait from Iranian Retaliatory Attacks | CNN
“US forces have been helping defend Kuwait from a steady stream of Iranian retaliatory attacks throughout the day on Tuesday, including by using Patriot missile systems that are part of a strained US stockpile, according to two US officials. US forces also conducted additional strikes on military targets in Iran earlier Tuesday to eliminate emerging threats, one of the officials said.”
Explosions Heard in Iran’s Bandar Abbas and Sirik, State Media Says | CBS News
“Explosions were audible in the Iranian port cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, Iranian state media outlets said Tuesday, after the U.S. announced more strikes on Iran.”
“The Kuwaiti military says it detected 33 drones, five cruise missiles and one ballistic missile Tuesday evening, all of which were intercepted. ‘The Iranian aggression has resulted in the targeting of several vital and civilian facilities, with shrapnel falling in various locations across the country, leading to material damage,’ the Kuwaiti army said in a post on X. One Kuwaiti naval vessel was also targeted, injuring four service members, the military said.”
Bahrain Activates Alarm Sirens, Urges Residents to Seek Shelter | Iran International
“Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior activated alarm sirens on Tuesday and urged citizens and residents to remain calm, move to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels.”
Netanyahu Warns Iran: “Do Not Count on Things Remaining Quiet If You Attack Us” | CBS News
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran Tuesday that Israel would hit back if attacked.”
DIPLOMACY
Iran Says It Will Not Seek Talks with US After MOU Breakdown | Iran International
“Iran will not be the first side to request negotiations with Washington after US actions disrupted the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on state-run television on Tuesday. Gharibabadi said he told a European foreign ministry official in a phone call that Iran had not left the negotiating table and that it was the US that disrupted the process through its actions. ‘Any assumption that increased pressure or military action could force Iran to seek talks was a mistake, as Tehran would not change its position on the Strait of Hormuz or ease restrictions it has imposed there,’ Gharibabadi said. ‘We will never request negotiations with the US.’”
Trump Says Iran Will Not Have “Anybody Left” If It Doesn’t Make Deal | CNN
“President Donald Trump upped his pressure on Iran to make a deal with the US on Tuesday, saying the country won’t ‘have anybody left’ if it doesn’t. . . . The president went on to say that the US is ‘being very careful with the civilian population,’ before repeating, ‘But I said, you better make a deal. You’re not going to have anything left.”
India Summons Iranian Diplomat to Protest After Ships Attacked | CBS News
“India summoned Iran's senior diplomat in New Delhi on Tuesday to protest against attacks on two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz that killed an Indian seafarer and wounded several others.”
PROXY WARS
Hegseth Urges Iraq to Disarm Iran-Aligned Militias After Meeting PM | Iran International
“US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that Iraq must assert its sovereignty and disarm Iran-aligned militias that he blamed for more than 600 attacks on US personnel this spring.”
One Flight, Two Chokepoints: Why Iran Wants an Air Bridge to Yemen | Iran International
“An Iranian plane landing in Houthi-controlled Yemen looked like an oddly minor victory for Tehran. But it may have been the opening move in an effort to rebuild the allied force capable of threatening a second global maritime chokepoint alongside the Strait of Hormuz. As the US-Iran memorandum of understanding unravels and the confrontation shifts toward the Strait of Hormuz, renewed fighting in Yemen is raising a broader question: is Tehran preparing another source of maritime pressure at Bab al-Mandab? Hezbollah and Hamas have been severely weakened by Israeli military operations. The Houthis, by contrast, remain armed, entrenched and positioned astride one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
US Freezes over $130 Million in Iran-Linked Crypto Wallets, Bessent Says | Iran International
“The US Treasury froze more than $130 million in cryptocurrency wallets linked to Iran’s central bank as part of efforts to disrupt Tehran’s illicit financial activities, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday.”
Trump Administration Sanctions Dozens of People Linked to Iranian Shipping Magnate | CBS News
“The U.S. imposed sanctions Tuesday on dozens of people, companies and ships allegedly linked to Iranian shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani. The son of an Iranian security official, Shamkhani has been described by the U.S. Treasury Department in the past as the head of a ‘vast shipping empire’ that transports Iranian and Russian oil.”
Gold Trader Who Helped Iran Dodge Sanctions Avoids Prison Sentence | New York Times
“As a young, brash gold trader in Turkey, Reza Zarrab helped orchestrate a billion-dollar scheme to launder Iranian oil money, defying U.S. sanctions aimed at choking off Iran’s nuclear program. The operation came crashing down for Mr. Zarrab with his arrest in the United States a decade ago. Suddenly gaunt and facing decades in prison, Mr. Zarrab started helping federal prosecutors. He described how the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ordered the scheme. He showed vividly how he helped launder money by trading oil money for gold and how he bribed people, using colored markers to sketch out the transactions on a poster before jurors in a Manhattan courtroom. His testimony set off political shock waves in Turkey. It was invaluable to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, helping them convict a manager for a Turkish state-owned bank, Halkbank, and paving the way to bring charges against the bank itself. But in March, the Trump administration reached an agreement to drop the prosecution against Halkbank, citing the Turkish government’s help in releasing hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. And on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, Mr. Zarrab’s case also reached an anticlimactic conclusion. He received a sentence of time served from Judge Richard M. Berman.”
HOSTAGES
Briton Jailed in Iran Given Additional Two-Year Sentence, Family Says | Reuters
“The family of British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who are serving a 10-year prison sentence in Iran on espionage charges that they deny, said on Wednesday that a judge had extended Craig Foreman’s sentence by two years for speaking to the media.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Failed Talks with US Leave ‘Force’ as the Only Option, Iran Lawmaker Says | Iran International
“Negotiations and agreements with the US have failed and Iran should not become attached to diplomacy, Iranian lawmaker Ali Khezrian said in an interview with state television, adding that Washington only understands ‘the language of force.’”
Response to US Strikes Will Exceed Retaliation, Iran Deputy FM Says | Iran International
“Iran’s response to US strikes will not be proportional and will instead make Washington ‘regret’ its actions, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday in remarks published by Iran’s official media on X.”
Iran Parliament Revolts as 180 MPs Demand End to US Deal | IranWire
“One hundred and eighty members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly have issued a joint statement demanding formal state action to seek ‘revenge’ for the death of Ali Khamenei, the former Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The lawmakers also called on the heads of the three branches of government to officially declare the recent understanding with the United States dead. In the statement, the lawmakers requested that the parliamentary presidium fast-track the formation of a special committee to investigate the ongoing negotiations and immediately place the draft law on the management of the Strait of Hormuz on the legislative agenda.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
House Eyes Key Vote Next Week on Defense Spending Bill, Including Funding for Iran War | CNN
“The US House of Representatives will vote next week on a budget resolution that will set the stage to pass President Donald Trump’s third agenda package, which is likely to include money for the war with Iran, according to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. . . . The administration has requested around $87.6 billion to cover funding for the war and other Pentagon priorities.”
US Senate Democrats Block Annual Defense Policy Package over the Iran War | CNN
“Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked the annual defense policy package, a must-pass piece of legislation that usually passes with large bipartisan support, amid their objections over the war in Iran. . . . Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, told reporters earlier Tuesday that he sees the package as analogous to backing the war with Iran.”
Lawmakers Seek to Counter China, Iran Repression Tactics on US Soil | Reuters
“U.S. lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill on Tuesday to increase penalties for foreign government agents who threaten people on U.S. soil, a move aimed at countering the rise of what officials call ‘transnational repression’ by countries such as China and Iran.”
European Countries Should Step up to Help Reopen Strait of Hormuz, GOP Senator Says | CBS News
“The renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz, and subsequent closure, is another reason for European countries to aid the U.S. in reopening the strait, Republican Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota said Tuesday. … ‘Certainly the European countries [benefit from the strait being open], that’/s where they get a lot of their oil and certainly all the Middle East countries, because that's how they get their revenues as they sell oil,’ Hoeven told reporters on Capitol Hill. ‘So, now they have a choice. They either step up and work with us and we’ll solve this sooner, or they can sit and watch us do it, and then they need to pay some of the freight.’”
GULF STATES & IRAN
55 Iranian Fishermen Freed from UAE Custody, Reuters Reports | CBS News
“Fifty-five Iranian fishermen have been released from custody in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Reuters news agency. Citing the Telegram channel of the Iranian embassy in the Emirates, Reuters said the mariners were detained by the Emirati coast guard in the last few months due to ‘special conditions’ in the region, in what presumably is a reference to the war in Iran.”