LIVE UPDATE ON US AND IRAN WAR

Israeli Opposition Leader Criticises Netanyahu Over Syria Strike, Calls Him ‘Extremist and Unreliable'

Israel’s opposition Democrats party leader Yair Golan has condemned Israel’s latest military strike in Syria, describing it as a “provocative and dangerous move” that could increase the risk of a confrontation with Türkiye. In a post on X, Golan accused the government of using military force for political purposes and criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him an “extremist and unreliable figure”. Golan said Netanyahu’s actions were damaging public confidence in Israel and argued that the country needed leaders who use military power to strengthen security rather than create what he described as “yet another war for political survival”. His comments followed Israeli air strikes on Tuesday, when Israeli warplanes carried out eight attacks targeting the runway at Syria’s Abu al-Duhur military airbase.

Houthis Claim Attacks on Eight Saudi Oil Tankers Over the Past Month

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim they have targeted eight Saudi oil tankers and prevented another 48 from passing through regional waters since announcing a blockade on Saudi vessels on July 20. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement that five of the targeted tankers were operating in the Red Sea, while three were in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. The group said 34 of the other 48 Saudi oil tankers were stopped from transiting the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, while 14 were prevented from crossing the Red Sea. The Houthis also claimed to have carried out nine attacks on targets across Saudi Arabia, including areas around Yanbu, Najran, Jazan and Abha, as well as oil facilities in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. The group said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for Saudi strikes on Sanaa airport and Hodeidah port. The claims have not been independently verified.

US Warns Siemens Devices Face Hacking Threat Amid Concerns Over Iran-Linked Water System Attacks

Several US government agencies have warned that unidentified hackers are attempting to compromise Siemens devices used to monitor and control water facilities and other critical infrastructure, according to a cybersecurity advisory issued Wednesday. The alert comes as cyber incidents have targeted local water systems across several US states in recent weeks. Cybersecurity experts suspect some of the attacks may be connected to Iran. The advisory identifies an “active threat” targeting Siemens S7 Series programmable logic controllers, which are used across a range of critical infrastructure sectors, including manufacturing, energy, water and wastewater, chemicals, and food and agriculture. The warning was issued jointly by the National Security Agency, FBI, Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. US officials said successful attacks against the devices could, depending on the circumstances, disrupt critical operations, create safety risks, cause equipment damage or downtime, expose sensitive information, and trigger wider effects across interconnected infrastructure systems.

France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats Over Dispute With Tehran

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days in response to what Paris described as the intimidation of French diplomatic staff in Tehran last month. The decision follows an incident on July 19, when Iranian security forces detained and questioned two French diplomats. French authorities said the officials were “deliberately assaulted” during the incident. “I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences,” Barrot said in a post on X. “That has now been done. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days.” France had previously summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires to protest the incident. Tehran, however, accused the French diplomats of engaging in activities that amounted to interference in Iran’s domestic affairs.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s National Security Adviser, the US State Department said. According to the department, the two officials discussed several regional security matters, including the situation in Lebanon, as well as ongoing US-UAE efforts to hold Iran and groups it supports accountable for continued attacks. Rubio also stressed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt Foreign Ministers to Meet in Istanbul Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to meet with his counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt in Istanbul later this month to discuss regional developments and efforts to strengthen peace and stability, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said. The ministry said Dar recently spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about developments in the region. Fidan invited Dar to join the upcoming meeting in Istanbul, and Pakistan’s foreign minister accepted the invitation.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains low despite Trump’s claim that it has reopened, with an attack on a cargo vessel killing one this week.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains low despite Trump’s claim that it has reopened, with an attack on a cargo vessel killing one this week.