Donald Trump has claimed the Strait of Hormuz is “sort of open” and predicted that the war with Iran will “end pretty soon”
The US president said although the shipping route was under US control, there was a possibility that Tehran could still “shoot things” or “drop a mine.”
“I think it’s going to end pretty soon. I don’t think they (Iran) can go much longer,” Trump said in the Oval Office
Trump also denied the US was running low on key munitions amid its war with Iran, insisting the country has “massive amounts” of ammunition and threatened lengthy prison sentences for officials who leak information about US weapons stockpiles
The president was responding to US media reports that he had reprimanded defence secretary Pete Hegseth during a Cabinet meeting in which low ammunition stockpiles were discussed
Earlier, Iran claimed a deal with Oman to fully open up shipping through the strait was on the brink of being agreed, with negotiations now in their “final stages”. The proposed deal would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran
Trump’s Iran deal: Three scenarios for what could happen next
As Iran and Oman close in on a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz, there is growing optimism that the main hurdle preventing peace talks to end Donald Trump’s war may be cleared
Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said an agreement is in its “final stages”, whileUS president Donald Trump said an “all-day negotiation” had taken place with Tehran on Tuesday
Senior Trump administration officials, including secretary of state Marco Rubio and treasury secretary Scott Bessent, suggested a deal was imminent earlier this week – but an agreement had not been reached by Thursday morning
Trump’s Iran deal: Three scenarios for what could happen next
Tehran insists it is close to a deal with Oman to open the Strait of Hormuz, which could pave the way for US peace talks
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 07:45
Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
As the US, Iran and Oman edge towards an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, months of insecurity and disruption are leaving millions more vulnerable to hunger in Yemen
The economic fallout from the regional conflict has driven up food and fuel prices, while more than four months of conflict with Iran has driven renewed escalation in Yemen, compounding one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises
More than half the population were already facing hunger, but slow progress from world leaders to re-open the Strait has caused months of disruption to global food and energy supplies, disrupting humanitarian aid operations
Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
In Yemen, disruption of supplies through the Strait of Hormuz is compounding one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 07:30
Amnesty says Gaza mass funeral highlights ‘chilling’ destruction of entire families
Amnesty International says a mass funeral for 112 members of the al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families in Gaza City underscores a pattern of Israeli attacks that have wiped out entire multi-generational families
Writing on X, Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, said the victims’ remains were recovered months after an Israeli strike on 23 November 2023 that reportedly killed more than 300 Palestinians
She said recovery efforts had been delayed by Israeli restrictions on the entry of heavy equipment needed to clear rubble, with thousands of bodies still believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings
“Israel must urgently allow access to Gaza for UN bodies and independent human rights investigators to preserve evidence, in line with the ICJ’s orders,” she added, using the acronym for the International Court of Justice
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 07:20
Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani leaders to meet in Jeddah amid Red Sea tensions
The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are set to hold talks in Jeddah on Friday as tensions continue to rise across the Gulf and Red Sea
It comes following Pakistan’s recent decision to join a Saudi-led naval coalition aimed at countering Houthi attacks
Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in the Saudi city for meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit marks Sharif’s third trip to Saudi Arabia this year
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 06:52
Iran authorities announce controlled explosions in southern province
Iranian authorities announced planned controlled explosions in the southern province of Bushehr on Friday, saying blasts could be heard near the city of Khormoj between Friday morning and noon
Officials in Dashti county did not provide further details about the purpose of the controlled explosions
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 06:43
Strait of Hormuz is ‘sort of open’ – Trump
Saudi Arabia expects imminent attacks from north and south, senior official says
Saudi Arabia expects imminent coordinated attacks from the north and south by Iraqi militias and Yemen’s Houthis under the supervision of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a senior Saudi official said on Thursday
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said intelligence reports from Saudi Arabia, the United States and other regional countries indicated civilian and economic sites could be targeted, including energy infrastructure, ports and airports
Saudi Arabia had also observed drones and missiles being moved, suggesting coordinated operations from both directions, the official said
The official said the reported threats were particularly alarming as Riyadh continued to pursue de-escalation and a negotiated settlement, adding that contacts with all parties, including Iran, and mediation efforts appeared to be moving “in the right direction.” The official said the planned attacks could be intended to disrupt those diplomatic efforts
The official said Saudi-US cooperation remained “very high” at all levels, including operationally with US Central Command, and said Saudi Arabia was prepared to take all necessary measures to respond to any aggression
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 05:30
Trump says Americans will see gas for $1.85 a gallon soon. The national average is currently above $4
Donald Trump has said Americans will see gas for $1.85 a gallon soon
“We’ll see those days pretty soon again, based on everything I see”, the US president told reporters Thursday. “As soon as the war ends, and I think it’s going to end pretty soon”
The national average price for a gallon of gas is currently above $4. It was below $3 at the start of the Iran war in late February
Rachel Dobkin7 August 2026 05:03
Trump denies shortage of key munitions in war with Iran
Donald Trump has denied reports that the United States is running low on key munitions amid its war with Iran, insisting the country has “massive amounts” of ammunition and threatening lengthy prison sentences for officials who leak information about US weapons stockpiles
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said: “Defence companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”
The president claimed more weapons were being manufactured and shipped to the region, though he did not provide evidence or specify which munitions he was referring to
His comments followed reports that he confronted defence secretary Pete Hegseth during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David last week over alleged shortages of critical weapons
According to the Washington Post, citing two unnamedisled because he believed the issue “had been fixed”
The newspaper reported that Hegseth defended his handling of the matter and sought to place responsibility on his deputy, Stephen Feinberg
Trump later lashed out at the reports, accusing the media of publishing “treasonous statements”.“The ‘leakers’ of these treasonous statements are being hunted down,” he wrote. “Long term jail sentences will be sought!”
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 04:51
Dollar drifts higher as traders eye Iran talks
The dollar drifted higher against the yen and euro on Friday, building on the previous day’s gains as doubts about an Iran peace deal buffed the US currency’s appeal as a haven
The greenback also drew support from higher Treasury yields after a Financial Times report citingpotential for a September interest rate hike, depending on incoming data
The monthly US payrolls report, due later on Friday, could provide more clues on the Fed’s rate path
The dollar rose slightly to 158.505 yen in the Asian morning, after gaining 0.4 per cent on Thursday, putting it on course to rise around 0.7 per centthis week as it recovered from a bout of joint Japan-US. intervention that sent the US currency tumbling from near a four-decade high above 163 yen on Thursday to a 13-week low of 155.20 on Monday
Against the euro, the greenback edged up to $1.1521 after strengthening about 0.3 per cent in the prior session
Brent crude rose a little over a dollar on Friday to trade at $83.55 per barrel, after settling up more than $3 in the previous session
Shweta Sharma7 August 2026 04:19
