Day 152 | Netanyahu, Trump hold talks as Iran vows to retain Hormuz control

Iran considered launching a ballistic missile at a Ukrainian seaport in retaliation for a Ukrainian drone strike on an Iranian cargo vessel in the Caspian Sea, but a flurry of diplomacy has eased the immediate risk of escalation, according to Iranian and Western officials cited by The New York Times.

On Saturday, Ukrainian forces conducted long-range drone strikes in the Caspian Sea, targeting vessels that Kyiv said were involved in transporting military cargo linked to Iran and Russia.

Iranian officials identified the hit ship as the commercial cargo vessel Ana, which was traveling from Russia’s Astrakhan port toward Iran’s Bandar Anzali.

The attack killed one civilian sailor and injured another.

Tehran described the ship as carrying civilian goods such as iron ore or steel, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that forces had achieved “very good results” against vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike as a violation of international law and vowed that the attack “cannot go unanswered.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi linked the incident to broader Middle East tensions, calling it “a blatant UN Charter violation” and claiming it was “done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.”

He added that he had spoken with European and Russian counterparts to underscore that the attack would not go without response.

Intelligence assessments indicated that Tehran contemplated a limited retaliatory strike, likely involving a ballistic missile with a small warhead aimed at one of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.

Officials briefed on the matter said the intent would have been symbolic, to make a point while causing relatively limited damage, rather than a major military blow.

Any such launch from Iranian territory into Ukraine would have marked a sharp escalation, given the two countries’ opposing roles in the overlapping conflicts involving Russia and the Middle East.

Ukraine pushed back firmly. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Iran it had “no standing to pretend to be a victim” in light of Tehran’s military support for Russia, including drones and other equipment used against Ukrainian targets.
Zelensky has repeatedly framed Iran and Russia as mutually aiding each other’s wars, and Ukrainian officials have pointed to past Caspian shipments of Iranian munitions and components to Russia.

By Tuesday evening, the two foreign ministers spoke by phone.

Sybiha described the Caspian action as aimed at Russian aggression rather than civilians and stressed there was no intent to escalate further.

Araghchi said Sybiha characterized the strike as unintentional.

Both sides signaled a desire to de-escalate, with reports that Ukraine expressed willingness to discuss compensation for the damaged Ana.

“Our position remains unchanged: Europe and the Middle East deserve stability, security, and peace,” Sybiha posted afterward.

Jordan's army on Wednesday said it intercepted and downed five Iranian missiles, as fighting between Tehran and Washington resumed following a brief pause.

"Air defences this morning dealt with five missiles coming from Iran targeting the kingdom's territory," the spokesman of the Jordanian army said in a statement, adding that the missiles were "intercepted and downed".

At least 10 members of an Iraqi former paramilitary alliance were killed in US-Saudi strikes on their bases in the country, two alliance sources told AFP.

The strikes hit positions belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), "across several provinces, with the deadliest attack in Nineveh province, where at least 10 members were killed," an official said, adding that the toll will likely rise.

Injuries were reported in other provinces, he added. Another official confirmed the initial toll.

The Jordanian army said Wednesday the Kingdom's air defenses intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran toward Jordanian territory in the early hours of Wednesday.

“The Jordan Armed Forces continue to carry out their duty of protecting the Kingdom's airspace and safeguarding its security and sovereignty, adding that they will not hesitate to confront any threat that endangers the nation's security or the safety of its citizens,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia says struck Iraq 'militia' targets in self defence

US and Saudi warplanes carried out strikes on Tuesday against "Iran-backed militants" in Iraq who launched more than two dozen drone attacks in recent days, the US military said.

The strikes targeted "Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure," US Central Command said in a statement.

It further warned that "the IRGC and its terrorist proxies must cease these attacks to avoid further US military response."

US crude futures rose 4.4% after the US military said American forces in the Middle East came under a missile attack from Iran.

US military says intercepted missiles launched by Iran

A tanker crossing the Red Sea reported hearing an explosion, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which said the crew is safe and no environmental damage has been reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi says Ukraine assured Tehran that an attack on an Iranian ship was unintentional and that Kyiv seeks no escalation.

Araghchi says Iran also does not seek escalation but insists any attack on its citizens or interests is unacceptable and calls for restitution for the losses.

Was assured by Ukrainian FM @andrii_sybiha that the attack on an Iranian ship was unintentional and Ukraine seeks no escalation.

Iran does not seek escalation either, but made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable. There must be restitution for losses.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 28, 2026

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Read more: Day 151 | Trump warns of return to ‘strong military action’ if Iran diplomacy fails