Day 100 | Ceasefire faces further strain as US and Iran launch new strikes

The OPEC+ alliance announced on Sunday a new increase in oil production quotas for July, a move that may have limited impact if the war in the Middle East continues.

In a statement issued after an online meeting of its member states on Sunday, the alliance said that, "in line with its collective commitment to oil market stability," seven of its 21 member countries had decided to implement a production adjustment of 188,000 barrels per day in July, matching the increases introduced in previous months.

The 'Israeli' Prime Minister's Office announced that, acting under direct instructions from Benjamin Netanyahu, the 'Israel' forces have begun a wave of airstrikes allegedly targeting Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut's Dahieh district, executing the operation as a direct retaliation for recent rocket fire directed at 'Israeli' territory.

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced today that 'Israeli' forces have uncovered a vast, sophisticated underground network operated by Hezbollah beneath the historic Beaufort Castle (Qal'at al-Shaqif) in southern Lebanon.

In a stark warning issued alongside the operational update, Netanyahu emphasized that 'Israel' will not tolerate continued threats to its sovereignty.

"We will not allow Hezbollah to target our territory and our communities, and we will act accordingly," He stated.

The discovery at the strategically located Crusader-era fortress highlights the scale of Hezbollah's subterranean military infrastructure near the border.

While details regarding the exact contents of the network remain classified, military officials indicate the site was heavily fortified.

The announcement signals a potential escalation in countermeasures as Israel vows to neutralize immediate threats to its northern communities.

• Dispute grows over release of frozen Iranian assets
• Tehran accuses Washington of ceasefire violations at sea
• US says it is intercepting threats to international shipping

Iran's top diplomatic apparatus has slammed the United States' negotiating strategy, calling Washington's shifting policy positions the primary obstacle to achieving a stable diplomatic breakthrough.

Speaking directly to CNN’s Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen in Tehran on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei revealed that while the two nations continue to swap backchannel messages via Pakistani mediators, the process has become intensely frustrating.

“The main problem of negotiating with this administration is that you have to face so many changing positions, moving the goalposts, different statements, contradictory remarks by different officials,” Baghaei stated. “So it makes the whole process very cumbersome.”

Battle over frozen billions 

At the heart of the diplomatic impasse is Iran's unwavering demand that Washington completely lift its economic sanctions regime and unfreeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets currently locked in foreign banking systems.

Baghaei emphasized that the US must understand it needs to recognize Iran’s international rights, including peaceful nuclear enrichment under the non-proliferation treaty.

“When they are talking about our blocked assets they’re not going to give us any concession,” Baghaei asserted. “They simply need to let Iranian assets be released and be available for the Iranians.”

However, Washington appears to be pivoting toward a harsher financial strategy.

A source familiar with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s thinking confirmed to CNN that the Treasury Department is actively drawing up plans to repurpose those frozen Iranian assets.

Under the proposed framework, the funds would be diverted to underwrite rebuilding efforts in Gulf countries impacted by Iranian military strikes, as well as covering repairs for past regional damage.

Ceasefire on brink

The economic warfare is mirroring highly dangerous friction on the high seas.

During his interview, Baghaei accused the United States of repeatedly violating the regional ceasefire that went into effect this past April.

“They have been attacking our commercial ships, both in the Strait of Hormuz and in the high seas,” Baghaei claimed, warning that Washington's "reckless approach" has pushed the region into a highly volatile and dangerous state.

The Pentagon, however, maintains a starkly different narrative.

The US military affirmed that its naval assets remain on high alert to defend commercial lanes against persistent "Iranian aggression" in the Gulf.

US forces confirmed they shot down two additional Iranian drones on Saturday night after determining they posed a direct threat to international shipping.

With both sides digging in, the prospects of a diplomatic resolution remain dim.

Baghaei concluded his remarks with a stark warning to Washington, declaring that Iran's armed forces "are steadfast and resolute to respond to any attacks with all force."

• Ousted official led covert operations targeting Iran
• Official was considered a Netanyahu ally, removed despite being seen as a potential successor
• Move follows another senior Mossad departure amid leadership shake-up

In a move that has sent shockwaves through 'Israel’s' intelligence community, the newly appointed director of the Mossad, Roman Gofman, has abruptly dismissed his deputy director.

The official -referred to under security protocols as "A"- served as the direct commander of the spy agency's highly sensitive Iran portfolio.

The decision comes less than a week after Gofman, a former military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, officially took the helm of the foreign intelligence agency following the departure of outgoing chief David Barnea.

According to Channel 12 and regional defense analysts, the dismissal is part of an aggressive push by Gofman to reshape the Mossad’s high command and dictate a new operational trajectory for the agency.

Sidelining Netanyahu ally

The ousting of the deputy director is particularly notable given his deep political and professional alignment with 'Israel's' political leadership.

Prior to his sudden termination, "A" was widely recognized within defense circles as a staunch right-wing strategist who maintained exceptionally close ties to Netanyahu.

Furthermore, he had spent 22 years rising through the operational ranks of the Mossad and was heavily favored by former chief David Barnea to eventually inherit the top director position. His removal bypasses traditional succession tracks, sparking intense debate over the growing politicization and internal fractures within the nation's security establishment.

During his recent tenure, the dismissed deputy shouldered some of the state's heaviest national security responsibilities, operating on the front lines of the regional shadow war. He was directly charged with managing the multi-layered "Iran file," spearheading complex espionage rings, sabotage missions, and strategic intelligence operations explicitly calibrated to weaken and attempt to bring down the ruling government in Tehran.

While Gofman publicly affirmed during his swearing-in ceremony that the covert war against the Iranian regime and its regional proxies remains the agency's highest priority, the firing indicates a profound disagreement over tactical execution and leadership style.

Further resignations expected

The intelligence community is bracing for additional institutional fallout.

The high-profile purge of the deputy director comes just five days after the head of the Mossad's Tevel department -the division responsible for international intelligence partnerships and foreign relations- unexpectedly resigned.

Insiders and defense experts predict a wider wave of retirements and resignations among senior intelligence officers in protest of the new director's sweeping structural changes.

Gofman's circle has defended the aggressive overhaul as a necessary step to inject "new blood" into the senior command structure, signaling a volatile new chapter for 'Israel's' premier intelligence agency.

The 'Israeli' Home Front Command activated emergency air raid sirens in the northern border communities of Metula and Misgav Am following the detection of a suspected hostile drone infiltrating 'Israeli' airspace from Lebanon.

This is a developing story.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz, claiming they posed a threat to international maritime traffic.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the drones were intercepted as part of ongoing efforts to protect shipping routes and regional security.

The command added that American forces remain prepared to respond to further threats in the region.

“American forces remain postured and ready to continue defending against Iranian aggression,” CENTCOM said.

Yemen's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned Iran's recent attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, describing them as a serious threat to regional security and stability.

In a statement, the ministry said the attacks represented "a highly dangerous escalation" and accused Iran of pursuing policies that undermine peace and sovereignty in the region.

Yemen joins a number of Arab countries, including Egypt, Qatar, Palestine and Saudi Arabia, in condemning the attacks targeting the Gulf states.

The ministry also called on the international community to take a firm position against Iran's actions and work to prevent further escalation.

"The Republic of Yemen further calls on the international community to take a firm stance against these Iranian attacks and to deter its practices that threaten regional security and sovereignty and undermine international and regional peace and stability," the statement said.

The United States plans to allow Iranian assets to be used to support rebuilding in Gulf countries impacted by future Iranian attacks, according to a source familiar with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s thinking.

The Treasury Department will also consider using Iranian assets to support repairs for past damage, according to the source who confirmed earlier reporting from Reuters on Saturday.

Bessent’s team will assess conditions in Gulf countries and request estimates of the cost of repairing damage inflicted by Iran since the start of the conflict.

The US plan comes as Tehran has once again targeted Gulf states, with Kuwait and Bahrain recently intercepting ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Several Gulf states have faced repeated Iranian attacks since the US and Israel first launched strikes in February.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched attacks against a US air base and other American facilities in response to what it described as US “hostile actions.”

Tehran condemned the US strikes on its radar installations as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said its military response was “vigilant, decisive and proportionate.”

Gulf states condemn attacks
Kuwait said its air defenses detected and dealt with seven ballistic missiles that entered its airspace at dawn. Bahrain reported intercepting and destroying three missiles and several drones launched from Iran.

Neither country reported casualties, but both condemned the attacks. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt also criticized Iran’s actions, warning that the strikes threaten regional security and stability.

The US military said it carried out strikes on coastal surveillance radar sites in Iran on Friday evening after intercepting four Iranian one-way attack drones reportedly heading toward the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command said American forces also intercepted an overnight wave of Iranian fire directed at Kuwait and Bahrain. No US personnel were reported injured.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched overnight attacks targeting a US air base and other US facilities, describing them as a response to what it called “hostile actions” by US forces.

Tehran also accused the US of violating the fragile ceasefire after strikes on its radar infrastructure. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said its military response was “vigilant, decisive and proportionate.”

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said it detected and neutralised seven ballistic missiles in its airspace at dawn. Bahrain said it intercepted three missiles and multiple drones launched from Iran.

Neither country reported casualties, but both strongly condemned the latest attacks. Regional governments, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, also criticised Iran’s strikes, warning they threaten Gulf security and stability.

For coverage of the previous day - visit the link below.

Read more: Day 99 | Iran dismisses idea of Trump meeting supreme leader as talks stall