War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

As attacks continue between Iran and the US, France says rising fuel prices are “extremely uncertain” with the escalating fighting, Al Jazeera reports.

French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon has told public broadcaster France 2 that rising fuel costs are the consequence of what is happening in the Middle East.

“The French know this, and I understand that it is very difficult for many of our fellow citizens,” she says.

“The trend as we speak is upwards. I am not able to tell you what will happen in the coming days or weeks.”

Bregeon says the government has introduced assistance for “the most exposed sectors” and “the most vulnerable French citizens” to mitigate the impact, adding those eligible can access the support until the end of August.

Oil prices edge higher as markets weigh reports of mediation efforts against fresh attacks exchanged by the US and Iran as well as threats of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures has risen 48 cents, or 0.5pc, to $89.70 a barrel by 0950 GMT.

The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude contract, which expires today, is up 59 cents, or 0.7pc, at $83.82.

The more active contract for September delivery has risen 50 cents, or 0.6pc, to $82.98.

“There’s some hope of de-escalation between the US and Iran. Reports are that mediators are proposing a 10-day ceasefire, which could put the memorandum of understanding back on track,” ING analysts have said in a note.

Bahrain sounded sirens after the country’s military had said it intercepted Iranian attacks, nearly two weeks into the resumption of US-Iran hostilities that have included daily attacks on the Gulf kingdom, AFP reports.

“The siren has been sounded, Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the interior ministry said in a statement on X.

The Jordanian military announced it had intercepted two Iranian attacks, the latest by the Islamic republic on countries in the region following the resumption of the Middle East war, AFP reports.

The military’s “air defence systems intercepted and shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom at midday today”, the army said in a statement, adding that there had been no casualties or damage caused.

In a statement on Telegram, the Moldovan foreign ministry has urged its citizens already in the region to exercise increased caution, closely monitor updates from local authorities, and strictly follow security instructions during emergencies, Al Jazeera reports.

It warned that airspace restrictions remain in effect in several countries across the region and could disrupt commercial flight schedules.

The ministry advised travellers to remain in contact with airlines or travel agencies, regularly check the status of their flights and consider alternative travel arrangements, provided they do not pose additional security risks.

Bahrain’s military said it had intercepted a number of Iranian attacks, nearly two weeks into the resumption of US-Iran hostilities that have included daily attacks on the Gulf kingdom, AFP reports.

“The air defences of the Bahrain Defence Force intercepted and destroyed a number of Iranian aerial aggressions,” the military said in a statement.

Gold prices rose more than 1pc as investors weighed diplomatic efforts to ease the US-Iran conflict, which could temper oil-driven inflation risks and influence the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate path, Reuters reports.

Spot gold XAU= rose 1.6pc to $4,071.59 per ounce by 07:50am GMT. US gold futures GCcv1 for August delivery were up 1.5pc at $4,076.00.

“It looks like gold is trying to find a base somewhere around this ($4,000) level and is going to try to re-engage the upside from there,” said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive.

“These headlines from the Middle East seem to have some degree of knock-on, though it is increasingly only being paid attention to in a passing kind of way.”

After months of “quasi-fighting alongside peace talks, the US and Iran may be lurching closer to all-out war”, The Washington Post notes.

The outlet takes a look at what could happen next.

Read more here.

Jordan has dealt with five drones that it said were launched from Iran since last night, its state news agency says, citing an official military source.

The source said the drones were “neutralised efficiently and accurately” and that the operation did not result in any human casualties or material damage.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, citing a military source, reports that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as long as aggressive US actions continue, Al Jazeera reports.

The source told Fars that Tehran would not grant permission for any vessels to pass through the strategic waterway.

“The Strait of Hormuz is in full control of the Iranian armed forces,” the source was quoted as saying.

“Any decision to reopen or continue restrictions on this passageway will be made solely based on security considerations and national interests, and this situation will not change as long as US threats and hostile actions continue.”

Nearly 100 US service members have been injured over the last two weeks of escalating strikes on Iran, the Pentagon has said, as Tehran continues its retaliation to US strikes by targeting American military sites in the Gulf countries, according to The Guardian.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the vast majority of those injured only experienced “minor concussions” and 96 per cent had since returned to work.

Parnell was responding to a New York Times report that the Pentagon has withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes. He denied that the Pentagon was hiding data about injuries, The Guardian added.

In the last week, two US soldiers have been killed in action in Jordan and one in Iraq.

The Lebanese army deployed to “pilot zones” in part of the country that had been under Israeli control following a deal sponsored by Washington, a military source told AFP.

The source said soldiers “have begun deploying to the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiya” in the Nabatieh region, following Israel’s invasion of parts of the south during their war with militant group Hezbollah.

The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own, Reuters reports.

Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the US and Iran resumed open conflict, raising fears about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth.

Iran’s IRGC has said that it targeted a complex housing US soldiers in Jordan’s Al-Rukban region, claiming that several personnel were killed, Fars news reports.

“IRGC Aerospace Force fighters, by attacking a complex housing the terrorist and child-killing US Army forces in Jordan’s Al-Rukban region, killed a number of them,” Fars quoted the IRGC as saying.

It also said that a US missile defence radar system and an F-15 aircraft in a hangar in Jordan have been destroyed.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they targeted infrastructure belonging to US company Amazon in Bahrain, according to a statement published by state media, Reuters reports.

There was no official confirmation from Bahrain.

The United Arab Emirates’ state oil giant Adnoc is to invest $6.2 billion in an Abu Dhabi natural gas development project, AFP reports.

In a statement, Adnoc said it took the $6.2 billion final investment decision to develop the offshore Umm Shaif Gas Cap with France’s TotalEnergies, Italy’s Eni and China National Petroleum Corporation.

The investment is expected to produce more than 600 million standard cubic feet of gas per day from 2030, alongside associated gas liquids, the company said.

In May, the UAE announced its main gas-processing complex, the Habshan site in the capital Abu Dhabi, would not return to full capacity until next year, after it was targeted in the Middle East war.

Petrol prices in the US have climbed back to a nationwide average of $4 per gallon (3.8 litres) as the US and Iran continue to trade attacks, Al Jazeera reports.

Citing data from the AAA motor club, the agency said the national average for petrol has returned to the $4 mark, up from $3.14 per gallon at this time last year.

As a nationwide benchmark, that average means drivers in several states are already paying more than $4 per gallon, with regional prices varying based on local fuel supply and state taxes.

Oil prices softened on Tuesday, with markets weighing reports of mediation efforts between the US and Iran against an exchange of fresh attacks between the two and threats of a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis, Reuters reports.

Brent crude futures eased 78 cents, or 0.9 per cent, to $88.44 per barrel by 0415 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude was down 73 cents, or 0.9pc, to $82.50 per barrel, while the more active contract for September delivery slipped 41 cents, or 0.5pc, to $82.07 a barrel.

“There’s some hope of de-escalation between the US and Iran. Reports are that mediators are proposing a 10-day ceasefire, which could put the memorandum of understanding back on track,” ING analysts said in a note, referring to the June interim deal.

Foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian bloc Asean will issue a statement on the Middle East crisis after expressing grave concern about the evolving situation, the Philippines’ top diplomat said, according to Reuters.

Maria Theresa Lazaro was speaking to reporters after chairing a closed-door meeting in Manila with her counterparts from the Association of South East Asian Nations.

The US State Department has issued an alert urging American citizens around the world to “exercise increased caution” over the war on Iran, AFP reports.

The alert said that “due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation”.

“Americans outside the Middle East should reconsider travel to and through the region,” it said, while warning of the heightened possibility of attacks targeting US diplomatic facilities “or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world”.

The IRGC has issued a second statement claiming additional strikes against US military targets in Kuwait, Al Jazeera reports.

In a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed its forces hit and destroyed an early warning radar, a missile defence radar system, an FPS-117 radar, a Patriot defence system, and an air defence satellite communication system at the Ahmed Al-Jaber base.

An “unknown projectile” struck a tanker off the coast of Oman, a British maritime agency said, as Iran and the United States exchanged fire over control of the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said it “received multiple reports that a tanker … has been struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that the incident occurred eight nautical miles (15 kilometres) northeast of Limah, Oman.

The US military said it had completed its latest round of strikes against Iran, targeting various sites to counter Tehran’s ability to attack ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

“US forces struck Iranian military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcome said in a post on X.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they hit US military targets including air defence systems in Bahrain and Kuwait, AFP reports.

The Guards said they struck two air defence systems and a radar installation at two different US outposts in Bahrain, as well as missile defence systems and radars and satellite reception systems in Kuwait.

“With this radar sweep, the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks,” the Guards said in a statement carried by IRNA.