live Trump Threatens Strikes On Bridges, Power Plants Over Iran Shipping Attacks

Kuwait said its air defenses were "confronting hostile missile and drone attacks" on July 20 as Tehran intensified strikes on Persian Gulf states and the United States continued to expand its strikes across Iran.

Explosions were heard in Kuwait City, according to an AFP journalist, while neighboring Bahrain said air raid sirens had sounded after missiles and drones were detected.

With reporting by AFP

Two tankers managed by the Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers were struck by projectiles of unknown origin off the coast of Oman on July 20, underscoring mounting risks to commercial shipping in the Middle East as the conflict between the United States and Iran intensifies.

Dynacom said the Malta-flagged tanker Kavomaleas was hit by two projectiles, causing a fire in its engine room.

"After deploying the shipboard ⁠fire suppression system, the master made the decision to ‌evacuate the vessel," the company said.

All crew members were rescued by Omani authorities, and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations shipping security monitor said no environmental impact was reported

Dynacom said a second vessel, the Liberian-flagged Acheloos, was also struck.

"All crew members are safe and all accounted for," Dynacom said, adding that there were no reports of pollution.

The maritime security firm Marisks said both vessels were transiting the US-facilitated southern Hormuz corridor when they were hit.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said two tankers had "exploded" after attempting what it called an unsafe southern route, though it was unclear whether those claims referred to the Dynacom vessels.

With reporting by Reuters

An Iran official says mediating countries have submitted proposals to stop the clashes with the United States.

"We have been informed of the proposals put forward through the mediators and have received them, but let me not go into their details at this time," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei at a press conference on July 20 in response to a question about Qatar's proposal for a 10-day cease-fire between Iran and the United States.

On July 19, reports emerged in some media outlets about Qatar's plan for a cease-fire between Iran and the United States and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for 10 days. The Qatari Foreign Ministry said the country's government supports all efforts to reduce tensions and reach a comprehensive agreement that will lead to lasting peace in the region.

Baqaei also said in response to a question about US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent statement regarding Washington's readiness for diplomacy and dialogue with Tehran: "We have seen and tested their readiness many times. When America talks about diplomacy, it means imposition, intimidation, threats, and sanctions."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late on July 19 that the United States continues to welcome a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Iran, despite the US military's repeated attacks on targets in the country.

Baqaei said that insisting on the "negotiations or war" binary is not beneficial for Iran, adding: "Diplomacy does not negate defense, and defense is not incompatible with diplomacy."

Bahrain's Civil Aviation Authority said on July 20 that aviation traffic in the country continued despite Iran targeting its civilian air navigation systems.

In a statement, the organization said: "As a result of Iran's hostile action against the Kingdom of Bahrain, civilian air navigation systems operating in the country's regional flight information were targeted by hostile drones. However, air navigation operations were not affected."

Bahraini aviation authorities have said that "flights and air traffic" are operating normally.

Since the start of a new round of US attacks on Iran, Bahrain has been one of the main targets of Tehran's retaliatory attacks and has continuously witnessed missile and drone attacks by the Islamic republic.

Reports from a number of social media users in Iran indicate that several cafes on Sanai and Iranshahr streets in Tehran have been sealed by authorities.

Screenwriter Jamileh Darolshafaei, who worked at one of the cafes on Iranshahr Street, was among those who shared the news on X.

She wrote that the cafe had previously been notified that officials would come to seal the premises.

Authorities have not yet issued an official explanation for the latest restrictions on cafes, which are popular public gathering places, particularly among young people. However, most reports shared on social media attribute the closures to enforcement of Iran's mandatory hijab rules.

Other reasons cited in social media reports include "failure to observe public decency," "obstructing public thoroughfares," and "trade-related violations."

Journalist Bahman Darolshafaei also reported the closures, naming several cafes on Sanai Street that had been sealed.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly shut down cafes and other public venues in recent years on the grounds that they failed to enforce the country's mandatory hijab regulations, a practice that has drawn widespread criticism.

Iranian media reported new attacks on several cities on the morning of July 20.

The state-run Mehr news agency, citing an official from West Azerbaijan Province, reported that "a point near the Silvana district of Urmia" was targeted, and reported that several people were injured and taken to medical centers following the attack.

An official for East Azerbaijan Province said one person was killed and several others were injured in an attack on "a military area in the city of Tabriz" on July 20.

East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan are both located in northwestern Iran. Most of the attacks so far have been along the southern coastline.

An explosion was heard in the central city of Isfahan but said that "the exact cause and origin of this loud sound have not been determined."

However, an official from Isfahan Province told ILNA news agency that the explosion was caused by "unexploded ordnance left over from the war."

The Fars news agency quoted the governor of Bushehr as saying the city was attacked twice on July 20. Bushehr is home to Iran's sole nuclear power plant. It was not yet clear whether the plant was targeted.

The report of new attacks on Iran comes hours after CENTCOM, the US military's Central Command, announced the end of its new attacks on Iran.

As the United States and Iran continued to trade strikes for the ninth consecutive night, the price of Brent oil rose above $90 per barrel for the first time in a month.

The price of US crude oil also increased by more than 2 percent, exceeding $84 per barrel.

The rise in global oil prices has been exacerbated by reports of a decrease in the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The US dollar also strengthened slightly against most major currencies in early Asian trading on July 20, following escalating conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, oil prices rose and investor confidence remained fragile after last week's volatility.

The US dollar rose 1 percent to 162.48 yen, its highest level in 11 days, as rising geopolitical tensions prompted investors to flee to safe haven assets.

In general, stock markets in Asia also started their working week on July 20 with a decline in value.

Rising fuel prices have revived concerns about the return of inflation in Western countries.

Air raid sirens sounded again across Bahrain and Kuwait early on July 20 as both countries activated air defenses in response to reported Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Meanwhile, in a statement carried by Iranian state media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed it had launched another attack on the Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, saying it struck "equipment, air assets and a hangar housing U.S. drones." The IRGC also claimed it had destroyed a US radar system in Kuwait in a drone strike.

Earlier, the IRGC said it had launched new attacks on Jordan, claiming that, with the "help" of the Jordanian people, it targeted US military transport aircraft and command-and-control facilities at Aqaba Airport with ballistic missiles, causing "heavy damage."

Jordanian authorities have not confirmed the claim.

The IRGC also said it attacked two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz late on July 19, claiming it disabled the vessels. It did not identify the tankers, but said they had been attempting to transit the southern shipping lane of the strait "under the provocation and coercion of the US military."

The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority announced that a vessel caught fire in Omani waters.

According to the report, published in the early hours of July 20, the incident occurred on July 19 and the cause had not yet been confirmed.

The maritime watchdog advised ships to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity.

The location of the incident was reported to be at the northernmost point of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had previously claimed in a statement late last night that two oil tankers that were attempting to enter the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz 'in violation" were "punished."

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 19 that Iran was seeking to use the Strait of Hormuz as "leverage against the world," accusing Tehran of trying to control a vital international waterway while calling on other nations to share the burden of protecting global shipping.

Speaking to reporters before departing for the Philippines for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Rubio said US military operations were focused exclusively on countering Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and degrading Tehran's ability to threaten maritime traffic.

"It’s clear that Iran, at least some people in Iran, want to control the strait and hold that as leverage against the world," Rubio said. "The United States will do and continue to do what it needs to do to protect global shipping, but other countries need to begin to step up and provide, whether it’s hardware or finances, to help carry that burden."

Rubio said Washington could not remain solely responsible for securing one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. "It is not the United States' job to protect shipping for the entire planet forever," he said.

Diplomacy Remains Possible

Rubio said the current US military campaign was aimed only at Iranian assets being used to launch missiles and drones against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the waterway as an international passage that must remain open.

"The only reason why the US is conducting strikes is against assets of Iran that are being used to attack global commercial shipping," he said.

He said US forces had successfully reduced Iran's capability to strike ships, adding that many attacks had been prevented before they occurred.

"You hear about the ships that have been struck. You don't hear about the ones that have been defended and the ones they haven't been able to launch against," Rubio said.

While reaffirming that Washington remained open to negotiations, Rubio said diplomacy would require a genuine change in Tehran's behavior.

"We're always open to diplomacy. It has to be real. It has to be a deal that they're willing to live by," he said.

Rubio accused Iran of violating previous understandings by continuing attacks on shipping instead of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

"Their behavior has to change in order for ours to change," he said, adding that Tehran continued to send signals through direct and indirect channels expressing interest in negotiations while simultaneously launching missile and drone attacks.

Divisions Inside Iran

Rubio said there appeared to be growing divisions within Iran's leadership between officials seeking economic relief through diplomacy and hardliners determined to continue military confrontation.

"There’s a growing split... between those that understand that their economy is in shambles... and others who are very militant in their view of life and continue to launch missiles," he said.

He said Washington would welcome negotiations if more pragmatic voices gained influence in Tehran but warned that continued confrontation would deepen Iran's economic crisis.

"I don't think it'll be good for Iran," Rubio said, describing the country's economy as being in "shambles," with soaring inflation, food and fuel shortages, dwindling revenues and severe domestic challenges.

Rubio accused Iran's leadership of diverting resources to support groups including Hezbollah, Hamas and regional militias instead of investing in its own people.

"Iran is a rich country," Rubio said. "One of the reasons why Iran is in shambles is because every penny that this regime gets... they invest it in Hezbollah, they invest it in Hamas.... They should be spending billions of dollars supporting the people of Iran."

He said there was a growing awareness within Iran, including among some government officials, that the country's current course was unsustainable.

"If the door opens to diplomacy, we'll be happy to see it open," Rubio added.

Rubio also called on other countries to increase their contributions to protecting global shipping.