Day 130 | Funeral procession for Iran's supreme leader continues

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Read more: Day 131 | Two tankers struck by projectiles in Strait of Hormuz as Gulf states blame Iran

Multiple blasts were heard late Tuesday in the southern coastal city of Sirik, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency, with emergency services responding as authorities investigate the cause of the detonations.

Saudi Arabia and Jordan on Tuesday strongly condemned an Iranian attack targeting a Saudi oil tanker transiting the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, describing the incident as a serious violation of international law and a threat to global maritime security.

The Saudi condemnation came hours after Qatar issued a similar statement following an attack on one of its liquefied natural gas carriers in the same waterway.

Saudi Arabia holds Iran responsible

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "in the strongest terms" what it described as Iran's targeting of the Saudi oil tanker Wadyan while it was lawfully passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the Qatari LNG carrier Al Rukayyat.

Riyadh said the attacks constituted a clear violation of international law and held the Islamic Republic of Iran fully responsible for the escalation.

The ministry added that the attacks represented "a direct assault on the security and safety of international navigation and the security of global energy supplies," warning of the broader implications for one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.

Jordan expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia

Jordan also condemned the attack on the Saudi tanker, calling it a blatant violation of international law and a threat to maritime security.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates rejected and denounced the attack, reaffirming Jordan's full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures the Kingdom takes to safeguard its security, stability, and national interests.

The statement followed an earlier Jordanian condemnation of the attack on the Qatari LNG carrier, underscoring Amman's concern over the deteriorating security situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun officially condemned ongoing 'Israeli' military strikes on civilians on Tuesday, following an air attack yesterday that killed four people in the southern governorate of Nabatiyeh.

The statement, carried by state media and published by the Lebanese presidency, renewed Beirut's urgent appeals to international stakeholders to enforce a stable cessation of hostilities.

Demanding strict enforcement of  ceasefire

President Aoun called upon the international community to exert direct diplomatic pressure on 'Israel' to fully respect the active ceasefire agreement. The cross-border violence comes shortly after the June 26 signing of a US-brokered Trilateral Framework Agreement in Washington, which aimed to establish a roadmap for the phased withdrawal of 'Israeli' forces from southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese head of state emphasized that continued military infractions directly undermine the integrity of the diplomatic arrangement and threaten the safe return of displaced residents to the border region.

Reasserting independent sovereignty

Addressing the broader geopolitical negotiations regarding post-war border mechanisms, President Aoun firmly rejected any third-party or factional encroachment on the state's executive decision-making.

"I will not accept anyone negotiating on behalf of Lebanon," Aoun declared, reasserting the state's monopoly over foreign policy and sovereign territorial control.

The President further noted that Lebanon had successfully extracted a formal recognition from 'Israel' affirming that Tel Aviv holds no territorial or resource ambitions within Lebanese lands, establishing a baseline for the country's independent border integrity moving forward.

International significance

The diplomatic friction between Beirut and Tel Aviv highlights the extreme fragility of the US-brokered security understandings aimed at neutralizing border conflicts in the Middle East.

If international monitors fail to successfully pressure the 'Israeli' military to halt localized cross-border strikes, the resulting escalation risks collapsing the fragile framework agreement, potentially plunging southern Lebanon back into an unmanageable regional war involving multi-national state actors.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), H.E. Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi, issued a fierce condemnation on Tuesday against Iran, declaring its recent attack on a Qatari oil tanker and the endangerment of its crew a dangerous escalation that directly threatens the maritime security and stability of the entire region.

A commercial oil tanker transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing structural damage to the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed on Tuesday.

The naval oversight agency, which acts as a primary security information conduit for international shipping, stated that the incident occurred during a routine transit through the vital choke point.

Immediate damage assessment

According to the initial flash alert released by the UKMTO, the strike resulted in localized structural damage to the hull of the tanker.

However, early assessments indicate that the vessel's primary containment structures were not breached.

Crucially, maritime officials confirmed that there have been no casualties reported among the ship's crew, and no immediate environmental impacts, such as oil slicks or chemical leakage, have been detected in the surrounding waters.

UKMTO WARNING 081-26

Click here to view UKMTO Products https://t.co/sSgZDMWUc1#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/tUpBCML5PZ

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) July 7, 2026

Investigations open 

While the origin and exact nature of the projectile remain unknown, the incident occurs amidst ongoing regional friction and historical tracking of kinetic threats against commercial shipping lines in the Middle East's primary energy corridors.

The UKMTO confirmed that its technical and security teams are continuing to investigate the strike.

In the interim, international shipping syndicates and commercial vessels operating within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman have been strongly advised to exercise extreme caution during their transits, maintain rigorous radar lookouts, and immediately report any suspicious behavior or small-craft tracking to regional maritime authorities.

US President Donald Trump lands in Ankara for a NATO summit in the Turkish capital, where he is welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The US leader is due to hold talks with Erdogan at his sprawling presidential palace before joining an official leaders' dinner ahead of Wednesday's main session.

US President Donald Trump said he was "very disappointed" with NATO allies in Europe over their response to the US war with Iran, after arriving in Turkiye for the alliance’s summit.

Speaking alongside Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump said NATO members had been tested during the crisis.

"I was very disappointed with NATO," Trump told journalists.

"We didn’t need any help at all, and in a way, I was testing people; I was testing to see whether or not they’d be there," he added, questioning whether European allies would support the US despite Washington’s past support for them.

Trump’s comments came as NATO leaders gathered in Turkiye for discussions on security and alliance commitments.

US President Donald Trump landed in Ankara on Tuesday for a NATO summit where leaders are hoping to woo him with promises on defence spending.

The US leader is due to hold talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his sprawling presidential palace before joining an official leaders dinner ahead of the main session of the summit on Wednesday.

Iran fired at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz overnight, two US officials told ABC News on Tuesday.

The statement came after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that an "unknown projectile" struck a tanker off the coast of Oman early Tuesday, causing a fire onboard.

UKMTO said no casualties or environmental impact were reported following the strike, while the tanker’s identity and the source of the projectile remain unclear.

Lebanese and ‘Israeli’ ambassadors are set to hold direct talks in Rome on July 15 and 16, Italy’s Foreign Ministry announced.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani welcomed the move, saying the next round of US-mediated talks between Lebanon and ‘Israel’ would take place in the Italian capital.

The discussions will be held at the ambassador level following several rounds of de-escalation talks in Washington, according to an Italian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The meeting will mark the sixth round of talks in recent months between the two countries, which have no diplomatic relations and remain technically at war.

Lebanon, ‘Israel’, and the US signed a framework agreement last month aimed at achieving "lasting peace" after a fragile ceasefire was reached between the ‘Israeli’ army and Hezbollah.

Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi warned that any activity in the Strait of Hormuz without coordination with Tehran would "fail," following reports of an attack on a tanker off the coast of Oman.

Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the country’s control over the strategic waterway was a decision made at the highest levels of the state and was influenced by the recent US-‘Israel’ war against Iran, according to the state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

"The law on the management of the Strait of Hormuz will also be approved by parliamentarians at the earliest opportunity," Boroujerdi said, adding that relevant authorities would be required to implement its provisions.

He said Iran would handle any actions related to the Strait of Hormuz based on its "national interests and security." The remarks come amid heightened tensions surrounding the vital shipping route, through which a significant share of global energy supplies passes.

Footage released by Iranian media showing an aerial view of the massive crowds at the Jamkaran Mosque, located on the outskirts of the city of Qom.

The body of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei arrived in Qom on Tuesday as his funeral procession continued after massive mourning ceremonies in Tehran a day earlier. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A commercial tanker caught fire after being struck by an "unknown projectile" off the coast of Oman early Tuesday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

The organization said the tanker was sailing southbound about 8 nautical miles off the coast of Limah when it was hit. The vessel was not identified.

UKMTO reported that the strike caused a fire on board but said no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.

Lebanese officials have dismissed claims by Benjamin Netanyahu that Christian villages in southern Lebanon sought annexation by 'Israel' for protection from Hezbollah, calling the allegation false and reaffirming their commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty.

Hanna al-Amil, mayor of the predominantly Maronite Christian village of Rmeiche, said Netanyahu's remarks were "entirely untrue," stressing that no Christian village had made such a request. He added that 15 Christian-majority villages had already issued public statements rejecting the claim and reaffirming their loyalty to Lebanon.

Netanyahu made the allegation during an interview with Fox News but did not provide evidence to support it. Lebanese officials and local leaders swiftly denied the claim, emphasizing that the Christian communities of southern Lebanon remain committed to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Iranian state media reported that an oil tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz after allegedly attempting to transit the strategic waterway via a route supported by the US Navy.

According to the IRIB state broadcaster, which cited anonymous sources, the vessel was "planning to pass through the Omani route in the Strait of Hormuz with the support of the US Navy" when it came under attack after "ignoring repeated warnings."

IRIB said no Iranian officials had yet confirmed or denied the report.

The reported incident comes as Iran has warned commercial vessels against using the southern transit route through Omani waters, insisting that all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz coordinate with the Iranian military.

According to a UK maritime security agency, a southbound vessel was hit on its port side by an unknown projectile near Limah, Oman.

While a fire broke out, there are currently no reported casualties or environmental damage. Vessels in the area are urged to proceed with caution.

The US said Monday that China's "rapid and opaque" nuclear weapons buildup "is of great concern" after Beijing test-fired of a missile from a submarine into the Pacific Ocean.

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite," US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

A fierce diplomatic row has erupted between Germany and Iran following demands from Berlin that Tehran foot the bill for clearing underwater mines from the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

The proposal drew a scathing rebuke from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused Germany of historical hypocrisy and complicity in war crimes.

Germany: "Iran ought to foot the bill"

The dispute began after German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul firmly rejected offering Iran economic incentives to secure permission for an international mine-sweeping mission.

“We do not need to offer Tehran anything at all; quite the contrary: Iran has unlawfully mined an international shipping lane,” Wadephul stated. “In principle... it would be justified, and Iran ought to foot the bill, since we would be remedying damage caused by the regime.”
While Germany remains open to contributing to a multinational mission to restore safe passage, Wadephul noted that any active deployment of the German military (Bundeswehr) would require a secure environment and the consent of littoral states.

Iran strikes back with literary fury

Tehran reacted swiftly, with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei blasting the demands on social media by invoking a famous piece of German literature.

"The German Foreign Minister’s rhetoric on the Strait of Hormuz is utterly shameful — a grotesque distortion of reality that reeks of Mephistopheles in Goethe’s Faust," Baqaei wrote, comparing Berlin’s stance to the devilish antagonist.
Baqaei turned the financial and legal accusations back on Berlin, asserting that Germany must be held "fully accountable for its complicity in military aggression against Iran" and should "bear the heavy costs of its active participation in the crime of aggression."

The Strait of Hormuz remains the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, normally carrying over 35% of global seaborne crude oil trade. While international efforts are underway to resume safe shipping following recent military escalations, Iran has consistently rejected Western military involvement in the Gulf, maintaining that security should be handled exclusively by regional states.