• Military assets targeted:Iran claimed it launched drones at US assets in Bahrain and Jordan, after US strikes on Iran killed four people and partly damaged an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facility, according to state media
• No respite from war:The latest onslaught is the 13th consecutive night ofUS military action and came hours after President Donald Trump signaled he’s not yet ready to negotiate. A US official, Iranian state media and Iraq disputed a report indicating that Tehran had rejected a new ceasefire proposal conveyed by the Iraqi prime minister
• Oil prices dip:Global oil prices fell after reaching over $100 a barrel for the first time in two months, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeted Saudi ships in the Red Sea. Despite Houthi threats, tracking data shows two oil tankers carrying millions of barrels of Saudi crude are sailing through the Gulf of Aden
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Two waves of sirens rang through Bahrain on Friday, just as Iran claimed responsibility for targeted strikes on US assets in several Arab countries
The Bahraini Ministry of Interior called on residents to “remain calm” after alarms were activated at 12:47 a.m. ET and again at 3:47 a.m. ET, in posts on X
Further north, the Jordanian military downed seven missiles and six drones from Iran on Friday, according to Jordan’s Armed Forces
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted “three ammunition and equipment storage” facilities at Kuwait’s Al-Adairi Base, according to the semi-official agency Tasnim. The IRGC also targeted the control tower of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, Tasnim said
Earlier on Friday, Tehran aimed drones at Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base and Jordan’s Al-Azraq Air Base, according to Iran’s Press TV
CNN cannot independently verify the claims
Barely a day earlier, Kuwaiti air defenses also intercepted a wave of Iranian “missile and drone attacks,” according to Kuwait’s army
Tehran has intensified attacks on US-allied nations in the region after Washington unleashed a fresh assault on Iran in mid-July. Several of those countries under Iranian fire, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, house US military bases
At least four US service members have been killed in the most recent wave of Iranian attacks over the past week, according to the Pentagon. Three of those were killed in Jordan, and one was killed in a controlled Iranian drone detonation in Iraq
Iran’s latest salvo has also prompted travel restrictions and stark warnings from foreign consulates. Just on Thursday, the UK Foreign Office issued travelguidance advising against “all but essential travel” for Kuwait and Bahrain
CNN’s Aleena Fayaz, Lex Harvey and Kareem El Damanhoury contributed reporting
This post has been updated with the latest information
A US official disputed a report indicating that Iran had rejected a new ceasefire proposal, telling CNN that the account was “not accurate.”
The New York Times reported yesterday that Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal from President Donald Trump conveyed to Tehranmp in Washington
The substance of that plan was not clear, but Iran, the report said, was not interested in a temporary deal that did not resolve outstanding questions around control of the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian state media also on Friday characterized the report as “diversionary and misleading,” while the Iraqi prime minister’s office disputed the report as “unfounded.”
US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack amplified Iraq’s post on social media, adding, “Iraq getting the record straight.”
A laden oil tanker has been re-routed to avoid sailing through the southern Red Sea due to the “security situation” in the region, the vessel’s owner Torm told CNN Friday
“This reflects our cautious approach to crew safety,” the spokesperson added
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis recently threatened to disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea. The group’s threat has persuaded some ships to abandon their plans to exit the Red Sea heading south, but streams of traffic through the waterway continue
Maritime tracking agency MarineTraffic said 49 vessels traversed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Thursday, an increase of 16% compared to the previous day – including 24 which entered the Red Sea and 25 which exited the Red Sea
Shipping firm Torm said Friday it had paused transits through the southern part of the Red Sea since January 2024, but several vessels were transiting the area this summer after careful case-by-case assessments
CNN’s Maisie Linford contributed reporting
Global oil prices fell on Friday, hours after they settled above $100 a barrel for the first time in two months
The price of a barrel of Brent crude, the global benchmark, hit the triple-digit milestone on Thursday and has soared 33% so far this month as the 60-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran has all but collapsed
On Friday, Brent futures ticked down 2.8% to trade at nearly $98 a barrel by early morning ET while WTI, the US benchmark, was trading 2.3% lower at $90 a barrel. However, both contracts were on track for hefty weekly gains
Oil markets are nervous after Iran-backed Houthi militants based in Yemen targeted Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea – threatening to slam shut an alternative exit for Riyadh’s barrels as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz grinds to an effective halt once again
However, two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Thursday, according to data from MarineTraffic
Vessels are seen in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
The United Nations human rights chief has called for urgent action to help thousands of seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf, saying some have been abandoned by their employers without access to food, medical care or any means to communicate with their families
At least 6,000 seafarers were unable to evacuate during the ceasefire and remain stranded aboard some 400 vessels, according to data from the International Maritime Organization
Nine ships in Iranian ports carrying at least 93 seafarers have been completely abandoned by their owners, the UN said in a statement. It said the seafarers face “prolonged isolation and confinement in a conflict zone, with uncertainty about their safety and disembarkation – risking a severe toll on their mental and physical well-being.”
Two Indian seafarers were killed last week in a drone attack along the Strait of Hormuz
In June, US forces enforcing a blockade on Iran’s ports launched a strike on a Palau-flagged vessel, killing three Indian sailors and sparking outrage in India
“Parties to the conflict should urgently work to facilitate safe passage for stranded seafarers to safely evacuate and disembark, as well as ensure the delivery of critical supplies,” the UN statement said
Iran spurned media reports that officials rejected an Iraqi-presented US ceasefire proposal this week, instead laying blame on the Trump administration for the latest uptick in regional violence
Officials condemned Washington’s “breach of its promises” as stated in the memorandum of understanding — which laid out a pathway to long-term peace — and criticized a “misleading” New York Times article that detailed Tehran’s rejection of a temporary deal. Baghdad also rebuffed the story on Friday
Neither US nor Iranian officials have verbally signaled a return to diplomacy, even as the human cost of lethal attacks in the past month has spiraled. In Iran, 55 people have been killed and 645 others injured since June 27, the semi-official Fars news agency reported today, citing the country’s health ministry
At least four US service members have been killed in the most recent wave of Iranian strikes, according to the Pentagon
Here’s what you need to know:
- Iranian strikes hit Gulf countries:Bahrain’s military intercepted a number of “Iranian aerial attacks” on Friday, the country’s Defense Forces posted on X. Late on Thursday, Kuwaiti air defenses also intercepted Iranian strikes, Kuwait’s army said.
- US strike targeted IRGC headquarters, Iran says: A missile attack partly damaged a key facility for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the northern Gilan province, Iran’s state media IRNA said Friday. CNN cannot independently verify the report. US Central Command said it targeted “Iranian military command centers” late Thursday.
- Boats carrying Saudi oil sail through Red Sea:Two oil tankers transporting about 4 million barrels worth of Saudi crude were crossing the Gulf of Aden as of Friday afternoon local time, according to MarineTraffic tracking data. It comes as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared a maritime blockade on Saudi shipping this week and claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea yesterday.
- Tehran’s oil revenue peaked this year:For the first four months of the Iranian calendar — from late March onwards — officials recorded an additional $2.5 billion in oil revenue compared to 2025, Iran’s semi-official Fars news said Friday, after the US temporarily lifted crippling sanctions.
CNN’s Aida Karimi, Ibrahim Dahman, Billy Stockwell, Aqeel Najim and Lex Harvey contributed reporting
Iraq has rejected as “entirely unfounded” a New York Times report that Iran turned down a US ceasefire deal presented to Tehran by the Iraqi prime minister
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Iran had rejected the US ceasefire deal, citing unnamed Iranian and Iraqi officials. Iranian officials said Tehran was not interested in a temporary deal that left the question of control of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, the report said
The Iraqi prime minister’s media office said Friday the allegations in the report “bear no relation to reality.”
The office called on all media outlets to “refrain from circulating unverified information or information attributed to anonymous
Tehran also pushed back on the report, calling it “misleading,” “The problem of the escalation of conflict in the region stems exclusively from the United States’ breach of its promises,” IRNA cited an unnamed Iranian official as saying
CNN’s Lex Harvey and Aida Karimi contributed reporting
Cars navigate a Mobil gas station in the Queens borough of New York on Thursday.
The value of Iran’s oil revenue in dollars peaked by one-and-a-half times from April through July compared to the same period last year after the US temporarily lifted crippling sanctions
That spike “was achieve despite the wartime conditions prevailing the country,” the semi-official agency Fars news said on Friday, citing Iran’s Ministry of Oil
For the first four months of the Iranian calendar this year – from late March onwards – officials recorded $7.5 billion in oil revenue. In 2025, that figure stood at less than $5 billion in the same period
Last month, Washington alleerstanding between both parties – which laid out a long term path to peace. However, that deal fell apart after the US unleashed a fresh wave of attacks on Iran in mid-July, following Iranian strikes on vessels in the choked Strait of Hormuz
The temporary waivers marked a central US concession for Iran to reopen the crucial waterway, reaping almost immediate financial benefit for Tehran. Last week, US President Donald Trump claimed he did not regret easing oil levies before the renewed fighting, telling reporters in the Oval Office, “I gave them (Iran) a chance.”
Two oil tankers carrying millions of barrels of Saudi crude are sailing through the Gulf of Aden, having successfully traversed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait despite Houthi threats to disrupt Saudi shipping, tracking data shows
This week, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared a maritime blockade on Saudi shipping. On Thursday, they claimed to have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, in what appeared to be the group’s first enforcement action of the blockade
Later on Thursday, Xin Long Yang, a Singapore-flagged laden crude oil tanker, and Cosnew Lake, a Hong Kong-flagged laden crude oil tanker, crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait which tracks ships worldwide in real time
The ships, which are now sailing off Yemen’s coast, are carrying a combined 4 million barrels of Saudi crude, MarineTraffic posted on X
There is a risk the Houthis “may broaden their interpretation of ‘Saudi-linked shipping’ to include foreign-flagged vessels trading with Saudi ports, carrying Saudi cargoes or operating under Saudi commercial interests,” maritime risk consultancy Marisks said Thursday
Despite the heightened risk, commercial traffic continues to transit steadily through the Red Sea and the Strait, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which provides maritime security warnings and incident updates
Who are the Houthis and how are they making a power play in Iran-US war?
Oil topped $100 a barrel for the first time since May after Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted Saudi ships in the Red Sea, threatening to cut off another route for oil exports already choked by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. CNN’s Nic Robertson explains who the Iran-backed rebel group is
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CNN
Who are the Houthis and how are they making a power play in Iran-US war?
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Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis represent the country’s Shia Muslim minority, the Zaidis, and are formally known as Ansar Allah – “Partisans of God.”
They emerged as an armed group in the 1990s and fought a series of rebellions against Yemen’s central government over two decades
After the Arab Spring in 2011, they seized a northern province and later the capital Sanaa, which they still hold, along with most of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. In the process they became part of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” across the region, receiving weapons and missile technology
Tehran has provided the group with sea mines, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones), according to a 2021 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies
After Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza began in October 2023, the Houthis launched missiles against Israel and began targeting shipping in the Red Sea. Israel responded with strikes on Houthi infrastructure and killed a number of senior Houthi officials
Amid the US-Iran war, the militant group has repeatedly warned they could take action to block the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea. Earlier this week, the group declared a maritime blockade on Saudi ships in the strait, threatening to create a new front in the Iran war
CNN’s Lex Harvey contributed reporting
A missile strike targeted a headquarters for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in northern Iran’s Gilan province, damaging part of the facility’s equipment, Iranian state media IRNA reported
The strike targeted the IRGC Navy headquarters in the village of Zibakenar, on the Caspian Sea, according to local authorities cited by IRNA
There have been no reports of casualties, IRNA reported
US Central Command said it targeted “Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities” in its 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran Thursday evening
It did not give specific details on the location of the strikes. CNN can’t independently verify Iran’s claims
Iran pushed back on a Thursday New York Times report that Tehran had rejected a US ceasefire deal presented by Iraq, calling the report “completely diversionary and misleading,” according to state media IRNA
The Times had reported that Tehran was not interested in a temporary deal which left the question of control of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, citing Iranian officials. The IRNA report claimed the proposal was for a “temporary 10-day ceasefire.” Full details of the proposal have not been reported
“Iran has always regarded diplomacy as having intrinsic value,” an unnamed Iranian official said
“The problem of the escalation of conflict in the region stems exclusively from the United States’ breach of its promises and violation of the commitments contained in the June 18 memorandum of understanding.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited Tehran Thursday after meeting with US President Donald Trump early last week at the White House
Ahead of the visit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted Tehran was not seeking further mediation with the US
Separately, Trump signaled on Thursday that he was not yet ready to negotiate a new ceasefire with Iran, saying “they need more of the same” following consecutive days of airstrikes
‘We want to stay aligned’: Former U.S. Navy admiral breaks down the reasons for striking a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
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CNN
‘We want to stay aligned’: Former U.S. Navy admiral breaks down the reasons for striking a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia
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Shortly after the US and Saudi Arabia signed a new civilian nuclear agreement, President Donald Trump laid out a new condition: The country would have to join the Abraham Accords. He also denied that the agreement would allow uranium enrichment
When asked why the US wanted to strike a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, Former US Navy admiral James Stavridis told CNN’s Audie Cornish: “Short answer: We want to stay very aligned with the Saudis.”
Stavridis explained that Saudi Arabia already has a “very close relationship with Pakistan and a reasonable relationship with Russia.” Both countries have nuclear programs. “I think part of the conversation here (is)… ‘we should work with the Saudis’ — they are going to get this capability.”
Video released by Iranian state media purports to show the launching of drones toward what was described as US military sites in Bahrain and Jordan
Iran’s military claimed it launched attack drones at US targets in Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base and Jordan’s Al-Azraq Air Base Friday morning local time, Iran’s Press TV reported
An Iranian military video released by state broadcaster IRIB purportedly showed drones launching toward Bahrain and Jordan. It was unclear when or where the video was shot
CNN can’t independently verify Iran’s claims
Earlier on Friday morning local time, Bahrain’s interior ministry said on X sirens had sounded and urged residents to seek safety
Video released by US CENTCOM on July 23, 2026, showing what it described as strikes against Iranian military targets.
The US military said it completed a new wave of strikes against Iran as daily military action has gone on for nearly two weeks. Thursday’s attacks came hours after President Donald Trump signaledthat a ceasefire isn’t imminent, saying that they “need more of the same.”
Here’s the latest on the US-Iran war:
More on the latest attacks:The US military said it targeted Iranian military assets in Thursday’s onslaught — the 13th consecutive night of strikes. At least four people were killed as the strikes hit several locations in Iran, state media reported
War damage:Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “seizing another nation’s assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent,” after Trump claimed that any damage done to ships or cargo “will be paid for by Iranian money that the United States has in its possession, and controls.” The president’s claim came after Houthi rebels targeted Saudi ships in the Red Sea
Iran rejects ceasefire offer:Tehran on Thursday rejected a US ceasefire deal which was presented by the Iraqi prime minister, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed Iranian and Iraqi officials. Iranian officials said Tehran was not interested in a temporary deal which left the question of control of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, according to the Times
Oil prices surge:Brent crude settled above $100 per barrel for the first time in two months. The global oil benchmark rose about 7% to settle at $100.69 per barrel on Thursday. WTI, the US benchmark, rose 6.17% to settle at $92.19 per barrel
War casualties website:The Pentagon website that tracks casualties of war removedfour soldiers recently killed in the war from the site — reducing the total number of service members killed in the conflict. A spokesperson told The New York Times that the change was due to “temporary data disruptions” on the website that he suggested would be quickly fixed
Threat against base:The United Kingdom has said its armed forces are ready to protect the country from any attack after Iran issued a warning over allowing US bombers to fly from UK bases. Iran threatened to target RAF Fairford in southwest England, saying any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory would be considered a “legitimate target.”
Lex Harvey, Aleena Fayaz, Clay Voytek, Molly English and John Towfighi contributed reporting
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “seizing another nation’s assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent” after US President Donald Trump said he will use Iran’s seized assets to pay for damaged ships
“Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one’s assets are safe,” Araghchi said in a post to X Friday Iran time. “Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.”
Trump said Thursday that any damage done to ships or cargo “will be paid for by Iranian money that the United States has in its possession, and controls.”
“These damages may be very substantial, but nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social
The post came after Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeted Saudi ships in the Red Sea. Iran has also repeatedly attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz
The unfreezing of its assets was a key point for Tehran in the memorandum of understanding it struck with the US in June — an agreement neither side is honoring
It is difficult to pinpoint the total amount of Iran’s frozen assets, which are spread across various financial networks around the world. Iranian media outlets and analysts estimate that it ranges between $124 billion and $167 billion
Social media videos show moment of explosion at the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas
At least four people were killed during strikes on several areas in Iran early Friday CNN cannot independently verify the reports
Here are the locations that were reportedly targeted:
Khuzestan:The four reported deaths occurred in the western coastal province of Khuzestan, in what the province’s governor said was a US strike on the city of Ahvaz, Iranian Press TV reported. Several people were also wounded, according to the report
Also in Khuzestan, missile strikes targeted locations near the cities of Andimeshk and Omidiyeh, IRNA reported
West Azerbaijan:Piranshahr, a city in western Iran near the Iraqi border was hit by an airstrike, provincial authorities said
Markazi: A site on the outskirts of the city of Khondab, which is roughly 150 miles from the Iranian capital Tehran in the central Markazi province, was hit by two projectiles, the province’s deputy governor said Authorities are still assessing for casualies and damage, according to the report
Lorestan: A projectile struck a location in the city of Khorramabad, the deputy governor of the central province of Lorestan said which added that authorities are still evaluating possible damage and casualties
Hormozgan:Two people were wounded in an attack on the port city of Bandar Abbas, state broadcaster IRIB reported
Aida Karimi contributed reporting
Iran rejected a US ceasefire deal Thursday which was presented to Tehran by the Iraqi prime minister, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed Iranian and Iraqi officials
Full details of the proposal have not been reported. But Iranian officials said Tehran was not interested in a temporary deal which left the question of control of the Strait of Hormuz unresolved, according to the Times
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment
The reported rejection comes after nearly two weeks of strikes between the US and Iran
Iran has continued to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the reimposed US naval blockade, and strike American targets in the Middle East, while the US has bombarded military bases and infrastructure across Iran
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited Tehran Thursday after meeting with US President Donald Trump early last week at the White House
Ahead of the visit, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said al-Zaidi might convey messages and viewpoints from Trump, but insisted Tehran is not seeking further mediation with the US
“The primary obstacle is the irrational, excessive, and hegemonic approach of the US,” Araghchi told the state-runIslamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)
Trump struck a similarly harsh tone Thursday, saying that Iran is “not ready” to strike a deal and its leaders “have some evil intentions.”
