This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.
Catch up Tuesday's top development's here:
- US forces launch new round of strikes on Iran: US military
- Air raid sirens sound in Bahrain: interior ministry
- Pakistan condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia, expresses solidarity
- Trump says Iran ‘shot first’, calls it ‘big mistake’
- Gaza health officials say Israeli airstrike on police station kills 8
UN chief ‘deeply concerned’ by US-Iran escalation
Published: July 15, 2026 | 23:00 GMT | by Web Desk
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by the escalation between the US and Iran, saying “a return to full-scale hostilities would exact an intolerable toll on civilians and have catastrophic consequences for international peace and security and the global economy”, AL Jazeera reported.
US aircraft fired on ship that tried to break Iran ports blockade: US military
Published: July 15, 2026 | 20:10 GMT | by AFP
A US aircraft fired on and disabled an unladen oil tanker Wednesday as it tried to break the naval blockade of Iran's ports, the US military said.
The aircraft "disabled the vessel after firing Hellfire missiles into the ship's smokestack. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran," US Central Command said in a post on X, identifying the tanker as the Curacao-flagged M/T Belma.
US forces launch new wave of strikes against Iran: US military
Published: July 15, 2026 | 19:46 GMT | by AFP
The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday in a bid to curb Tehran's ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said.
The strikes -- which started at 1900 GMT -- "are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz," US Central Command said in a post on X.
Tankers carrying Iranian oil turn back as US renews naval blockade
Published: July 15, 2026 | 19:40 GMT | by Web Desk
Two tankers carrying Iranian oil that earlier appeared to be heading toward Pakistan have turned around as a renewed US naval blockade takes effect, the Bloomberg reported.
The Rani and the Amil, carrying a combined 1 million barrels of crude, briefly signaled Karachi as their destination before making U-turns on Wednesday, according to the Bloomberg.
The two vessels had already exited the Persian Gulf when Washington reimposed its blockade of Iranian shipping.
CENTCOM rejects Iranian claim of strike on civilian wheat facility
Published: July 15, 2026 | 16:33 GMT | by Web Desk
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday rejected Iranian state media claims that US forces struck a civilian wheat storage facility in Hoveyzeh on July 14, calling the allegation "false."
In a post on X, CENTCOM said US forces instead targeted Iranian military sites in Bandar Abbas, Khormuj, Ahvaz, Qeshm, Tunb, Bushehr and Kuh-e Stak to "degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
"Meanwhile, Iran has targeted innocent civilians transiting the strait and in neighboring Gulf countries," it said.
Iran's Araghchi visits Doha days after Iranian attacks
Published: July 15, 2026 | 15:25 GMT | by AFP
Iran said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Qatar on Wednesday to pay tribute to its deceased former emir, days after the Islamic republic launched salvos at the gas-rich emirate.
Araghchi is scheduled to "meet with Qatari authorities and offer his condolences", the foreign ministry said in a statement, following the death on Sunday of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who ruled the Gulf state from 1995 to 2013.
US forces redirect two commercial vessels since resuming Iran blockade
Published: July 15, 2026 | 13:20 GMT | by Web Desk
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that since restarting the naval blockade against Iranian ports 17 hours ago, US forces have redirected two commercial vessels “attempting to run the blockade.”
According to the statement, the US military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance with the blockade.
US military says completed 90-minute wave of strikes on Iran
Published: July 15, 2026 | 12:24 GMT | by AFP
The US military said it had completed its latest wave of strikes against Iranian targets on Wednesday that "further degraded Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X that it "launched precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute wave."
US launches new wave of strikes to degrade Iran's military capabilities
Published: July 15, 2026 | 08:17 GMT | by AFP
US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces started launching “a wave of strikes against Iran” at 6 am ET.
“The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom says in a post on X.
Iranian state media says Bushehr targeted again by US strikes
Published: July 15, 2026 | 06:57 GMT | by AFP
Fresh US strikes hit Iran's southern port city of Bushehr, home to the country's only civilian nuclear plant, state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday.
"The American enemy attacked three locations in Bushehr today," the city governor, Mohammad Mozafari told IRNA, the day after another attack as Washington and Tehran stepped up their military confrontation.
US expands sanctions targeting Iran oil, cryptocurrency sectors
Published: July 15, 2026 | 06:37 GMT | by AFP
The United States on Tuesday expanded its sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector, taking further aim at the network of petroleum shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the Treasury Department said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the department had also frozen $130 million held in digital wallets linked to Iran's central bank, hitting a sector that has seen increased activity since the start of the war.
The move came after US forces carried out a fourth straight day of strikes against Iran and reimposed a naval blockade, with Iran in turn hitting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Maritime Organization.
Iran started blocking the strait -- a key waterway for energy transit -- after US-Israel attacks in February. Washington imposed an initial blockade on Tehran's ports from mid-April to mid-June.
"This action is part of Treasury's ongoing efforts to ramp up economic pressure on the Iranian regime after it resumed destabilizing attacks in the Strait of Hormuz," the Treasury Department said in a notice Tuesday.
It charged that the Shamkhani network remains a key force behind Iran's oil exports, and has expanded into global commodities trading.
Jordan military says downed 3 ballistic missiles from Iran
Published: July 15, 2026 | 03:56 GMT | by AFP
Jordan's army said it had shot down three missiles from Iran, as Tehran pressed attacks on US allies in response to American strikes.
"Air defense systems intercepted and shot down three ballistic missiles at dawn on Wednesday after they entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory," the army said in a statement, adding that there were no casualties or material damage.
Iran Guards say targeted US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain: state media
Published: July 15, 2026 | 02:54 GMT | by AFP
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck facilities used by the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, state television reported Wednesday, after US strikes on Iranian territory.
"The NSI Management Center, Command and Control Center, Major Military Parts and Equipment Warehouses, and Fuel Storage Facilities of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain Were Crushed," the Guards said in a statement carried by state television IRIB.
Iran says attacked US targets in Jordan, Kuwait: state TV
Published: July 15, 2026 | 02:36 GMT | by AFP
Iranian state television reported Wednesday that Iran's army and the Revolutionary Guards carried out separate attacks on US targets in Jordan and Kuwait after US forces struck the Islamic republic.
The army said it targeted the Al-Azraq base in Jordan with drones, state TV IRIB reported.
Separately, the Guards said they fired cruise missiles at a US military logistics centre at Mina Abdullah in Kuwait, stressing that the Hormuz strait would remain closed "until the United States ends its acts of aggression".
Kuwait says intercepting Iranian drones, Bahrain sounds sirens
Published: July 15, 2026 | 02:05 GMT | by AFP
Kuwait's military said it was intercepting Iranian attack drones, while Bahrain activated air raid sirens after the United States carried out more strikes against Iran.
"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently engaging hostile drone attacks following the nefarious Iranian aggression," the Kuwaiti army said. Bahrain's interior ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
US expands sanctions targeting Iran oil sector
Published: July 15, 2026 | 01:13 GMT | by AFP
The United States expanded its sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector, taking further aim at the network of petroleum shipping magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, said the Treasury Department.
The move came after US forces carried out a fourth straight day of strikes against Iran and reimposed a naval blockade, with Iran in turn hitting ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the International Maritime Organization.
"This action is part of Treasury's ongoing efforts to ramp up economic pressure on the Iranian regime after it resumed destabilizing attacks in the Strait of Hormuz," the Treasury Department said.
Air raid siren activated in Bahrain: interior ministry
Published: July 15, 2026 | 00:23 GMT | by AFP
Bahrain sounded an air raid siren, the interior ministry said on Wednesday, after the United States carried out strikes against Iran and reimposed its naval blockade.
"The siren has been sounded," the interior ministry said on X. "Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place."
Trump warns of strikes on Iran power plants next week if 'no deal'
Published: July 14, 2026 | 21:17 GMT | by AFP
US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Tuesday he would expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not make a deal.
"Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges," Trump said in an interview with the US broadcaster.
"We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."
For earlier developments, read our July 14 live blog here