| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran strikes two tankers under US escort |
| 2026-07-31 |
| [IrishTimes] Iran has said it struck two tankers trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under the escort of the US military as Donald Trump gathered his cabinet to discuss the stalling war and rising prices as midterm elections in the US loom. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday the “non-compliant oil tankers ... were struck and brought to a halt, while four other oil tankers quickly changed course and returned to their previous positions”. The military body said the ships had tried to pass through the strait via an “undeclared route” and under US aerial escort. Iran and the US have said ships should pass through the strait via two competing routes, with Iran bombing ships that take the southern route, close to the coast of Oman, and the US bombing ships that violate its blockade of Iranian ships and ports. The strait has been almost completely closed to traffic since Iran and the US returned to fighting two weeks ago, sending energy prices soaring. On Thursday, the price of crude oil pushed past $90 a barrel when the US struck Iran in retaliation for its targeting of US bases in Jordan. [ US launches heavy wave of strikes on Iran after pause in attacksOpens in new window ] Fighting continued on Friday, with the Kuwaiti defence ministry reporting that it had shot down Iranian drones targeting “vital and military facilities” without any casualties. In Lebanon, Israeli military carried out a huge detonation overnight near the ancient Beaufort Castle. It said it was targeting Hizbullah tunnels and infrastructure. The explosion was heard across south Lebanon and covered nearby towns in ash, while photos showed the affected area levelled by the force of the blast. Lebanese officials accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by carrying out the detonation. The Israeli military said it was ensuring the security of its northern residents. Trump has tried to open the Strait of Hormuz by force, but increasingly intense US strikes on Iran have yielded few results. The price of gas and groceries remain high in the US as a result of the energy disruption, complicating Republicans’ chances at the ballot box in November’s midterm elections. |
| Posted by:mossomo |
| #6 |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2026-07-31 23:55 |
| #5 |
| Posted by: Dopey Photch2701 2026-07-31 19:18 |
| #4 |
| Posted by: Lord Garth 2026-07-31 19:04 |
| #3 |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2026-07-31 17:40 |
| #2 |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2026-07-31 14:38 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: mossomo 2026-07-31 14:03 |