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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
President Trump yesterday vowed to impose “TREMENDOUS economic consequences” on countries that do business with Iran. In his social media post, Trump did not specify what actions he would take, but called for new “economic warfare” against Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded today, saying “the so-called Economic D-Day” is a diversion from America’s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs. Araghchi cited a New York Times report that U.S national debt has hit $40 trillion. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times; Duarte Dias, Tucker Reals, Khaled Wassef, and Frank Andrews report for CBS News.
The United Arab Emirates yesterday announced a total embargo on trade and financial dealings with Iran. The announcement came hours after a call from Trump to the Emirati leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, though it remains unclear if the United States played a role in the UAE’s decision. The decision also came after the Emirati Defense Ministry warned of an incoming Iranian missile attack on Tuesday. Ismaeel Naar and Vivian Nereim report for the New York Times.
The U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz redirected one ship yesterday, bringing the total number of vessels prevented from entering or exiting Iranian ports to 60 since the blockade restarted on July 14, according to U.S. Central Command. Mark Osborne reports for CBS News.
More than 750 U.S. service members have been wounded since the start of the Iran war, according to the Defense Department’s war casualty database, updated yesterday. Piper Hudspeth Blackburn reports for CNN.
The U.S. military has quietly established a shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz to transport millions of barrels of oil each day, two U.S. officials told Axios. Under the operation, which has been going on for several weeks, the U.S. military is helping empty tankers enter the Gulf from the Arabian Sea through the strait, pick up oil from the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait, and then exit. “We have been controlling the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz for two months now,” one of the U.S. officials said, adding, “the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps can be a nuisance, but they don’t control the strait. We do.” A New York Times analysis showed that at least 15 ships taking the southern route have been hit by Iranian strikes since the start of June. Barak Ravid report; Peter Eavis and John Ismay report.
IRAN WAR – LEBANON
Canadian Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai yesterday condemned what he called Israel’s “unlawful invasion” of Lebanon. During his visit to Lebanon this week, Sarai announced that Canada is launching three new programs to support vulnerable families and women, raising Canada’s total assistance to more than 71 million Canadian dollars. Bassem Mroue reports for AP News.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
An Israeli airstrike yesterday killed nine Palestinians and wounded fifteen others at a police station in Gaza, medics said. Gaza’s interior ministry said that those killed included eight top-level officers and a 13-year-old girl who was in the vicinity. The Israeli military said yesterday evening that it had struck Hamas militants who it said “operated from the civilian police stations” to advance attacks against Israeli troops. Earlier on Wednesday, a separate Israeli airstrike killed one Palestinian in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
The Israeli military said yesterday that it would open criminal investigations into the killing of several Palestinians by troops during the war in Gaza, including the deaths of Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old girl, and fifteen paramedics. The military said that it had found no grounds for criminal investigation into three other cases, including the killing of seven employees of World Central Kitchen in April 2024 as they were transporting humanitarian aid to a warehouse. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she is “outraged” over the decision not to launch a criminal investigation into the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. Isabel Kershner reports for the New York Times; Helen Livingstone and Angus Thompson report for BBC News.
An AP News investigation reports Israel’s severe restrictions on goods entering Gaza have fueled a booming smuggling trade, driving up prices for essentials while hospitals and residents rely on illegally imported supplies. It states that smuggling networks generate millions of dollars, with traders saying some Israeli soldiers and other intermediaries receive bribes to facilitate the movement of goods. Samy Magdy reports.
The U.S. State Department informed Congress it is sending more than $206 million for a proposed Gaza peacekeeping force, according to two notifications, dated July 30, seen by Reuters. $200 million will go to the International Stabilization Force’s (ISF) equipment, infrastructure, vehicles, and operational costs. The additional $6 million would repurpose U.S. armored vehicles to support the force. Humeyra Pamuk reports.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Israel has opened up tenders for the construction of around 1,200 settlement homes in the so-called E1 area of the occupied West Bank. U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband yesterday condemned the publication of a tender as “an unacceptable and destructive act,” and called on Israel to “halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion.” Yolande Knell and Tabby Wilson report for BBC News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russian strikes overnight killed at least 14 people in Kyiv, officials said today, while hits were recorded at 28 other locations across the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attacks aimed to “cause as much damage as possible to civilian infrastructure.” The Russian defense ministry said the attack struck a Kyiv industrial site manufacturing components for Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles. Samy Kullab reports for AP News.
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said yesterday that the intensifying use of drones against civilians and humanitarian workers is a dangerous obstacle for aid operations in Ukraine. Fletcher spoke to AP News after a visit to the Ukrainian city of Kherson, describing his visit as “quite chilling” as communities cope with the constant threat of drones. Samy Kullab reports.
German prosecutors said yesterday that a second Ukrainian suspect, allegedly involved in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blasts, has been arrested in Croatia and will be extradited to Germany. Ludwig Burger reports for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Axios yesterday that he made it clear to Israel that Syria was not working with Turkey to amass a military presence at a Syrian airbase before Israel’s attack on Tuesday. He added that Turkish military officers had visited the base several days before the Israeli strikes, but explained it was part of “ongoing military cooperation in the areas of training and the exchange of expertise.” Three sources told Reuters that Israel’s Mossad spy agency chief Roman Gofman and al-Shaibani held a phone call last week to discuss Turkey’s military presence in Syria. Barak Ravid reports; Timour Azhari and Rami Ayyub report for Reuters; Alexander Cornwell and Tuvan Gumrukcu report for Reuters.
Lebanon yesterday extradited former Syrian military officer Maj. Gen. Adel Issa, who served under ousted President Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s interior ministry said, adding that he will be put on trial in Syria. Samar Kassabali reports for AP News.
At least 36 humanitarian workers and contractors have been killed in South Sudan since January, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan said yesterday. More than 450 incidents of violence against humanitarian workers and assets were reported between January and July, more than double the number recorded during the same period last year, according to the U.N. Mission in South Sudan. Deng Machol reports for AP News.
Zambian opposition leader Brian Mundubile said yesterday that he would challenge the result of the Aug. 13 presidential election in court. Chris Mulfa reports for Reuters.
Taiwan’s government today proposed its highest level of military spending ever at over $35 billion, an 18 percent increase from last year. Joyu Wang reports for the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Several U.S. government agencies warned that unidentified hackers are trying to breach Siemens devices that are used to monitor and operate water facilities and other critical infrastructure systems, according to a cybersecurity advisory published yesterday. The warning comes amid fears that Iranian hackers are breaching local water plants, though federal officials have stopped short of formally linking Iran to the recent attacks. A.J. Vicens reports for Reuters.
Trump said yesterday he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year, though he did not elaborate further. Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, dismissed Trump’s decision to scale back major military exercises with South Korea, claiming the reduced exercises were “still provocative and aggressive.” However, she claims that North Korea’s leader “personally holds good memories and feelings toward Trump.” Zane Irwin and Choe Sang-Hun report for the New York Times; Scott Waldman reports for POLITICO; Hyung-Jin Kim reports for AP News.
The International Criminal Court yesterday declared recent U.S. sanctions against senior ICC staff as a “flagrant attack” on their independence and vowed to continue seeking justice for atrocities around the world. Mike Corder reports for AP News.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The Trump Administration said yesterday that it no longer plans to recruit retiring Pentagon lawyers to represent unaccompanied minors in immigration court, in a statement to the New York Times. The Department of Health and Human Services added that for now it would use short-term contracts to provide migrant children with lawyers. Madeleine Ngo reports.
Emails obtained by the National Iranian American Council and made public on Tuesday reveal ICE officials worked with Iran to deport Iranians in 2025. The emails show Iranian officials had some influence over which immigrants were to be sent back. Safiyah Riddle reports for AP News.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A circuit court judge in Missouri ruled yesterday that the state’s newly drawn congressional map could be used in November’s elections. The ruling shut down an attempt to subject the new map to a statewide vote in November. The decision has been appealed to the state’s Supreme Court. Madaleine Rubin reports for the New York Times.
The Senate GOP campaign arm has warned AI companies that negative opinions of data centers are killing the party’s chance of holding an important seat in Ohio. In a private memo, the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Democrats have made data centers a “centerpiece” of their campaign to defeat Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), and that it’s working. Alex Isenstadt reports for Axios.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department argued that former FBI director James B. Comey intentionally threatened the life of Trump in a social media post to boost sales of his then-forthcoming book. The now-deleted social media post contained a photo of seashells arranged into the numbers 86 & 47. Perry Stein reports for the Washington Post.
A Washington Post investigation has found that many law enforcement agencies across the country do not have basic procedures for monitoring staff use of Flock, a vehicle surveillance system. At least 69 police officials have been accused, charged, or convicted of misusing Flock’s system or other license plate readers, and in at least 15 of these cases the identification of misuse came from civilian sources. A court reading in Massachusetts last week had an officer testify that “there was never any training for” Flock in their department. Douglas MacMillan, Aaron Schaffer, and Drew Harwell report for the Washington Post.
U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Acting Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Cristopher LaNeve will phase out the drone assault battalion recently established in Europe, an army official told the Wall Street Journal. The unit will participate in a major exercise in Germany between August and September, and after reporting findings, will “refocus on its core warfighting tasks as an airborne infantry battalion,” the official stated. The elimination is part of a wider “back-to-basics” approach from LaNeve. The Army did not say how it plans to speed up the service’s abilities in drone warfare after the battalion is phased out. Michael R. Gordon and Lara Seligman report.
U.S. officials told CBS News yesterday that the Pentagon has discussed firing the longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes before his retirement. Max Lederer announced his decision to retire on the 30th of September on Tuesday, citing fundamental differences with the Trump administration. Jennifer Jacobs reports.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
NPR has learned that a Census Bureau report cited by Trump to support claims of widespread illegal voting is linked to the America First Policy Institute. The unauthored seven-page report claims to draw on a 2020 commercial voter file and various federal administrative records. Work on the analysis was not conducted by career civil servants at the Census Bureau. Hansi Lo Wang and Jude Joffe-Block report.
Four Senate Democrats yesterday asked Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to disclose his conversations with Trump. This follows on from a report this month that the two have spoken repeatedly since his appointment to the role, despite Warsh’s appointment calendar showing no such calls. The letter states that undisclosed contacts between the president and Fed chairman risk creating “a perception that the White House is shaping monetary policy.” Nick Timiraos reports for the Wall Street Journal.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A federal judge yesterday blocked the Trump administration’s changes to the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. The judge wrote that whilst the administration is entitled to formulate opinions on how to stem teen pregnancy, it is not at liberty to “impose conditions on grant recipients that Congress did not intend or that are unreasonable or unexplained.” Alice Miranda Ollstein reports for POLITICO.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.
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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security
The U.S. Government Must Preserve the Soft Power of Its Sanctions
By Anton Moiseienko
