US intercepts Iranian ballistic missiles in ‘attempted surprise attack,’ CENTCOM says

President Donald Trump shared photos Tuesday from separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described his meeting with Netanyahu as “very good,” adding that “many important subjects were discussed.”

In a separate post, Trump also called it a “great honor” to meet with Zelenskyy.

“Many things were discussed. The meeting went very well!” Trump said.

Canada on Tuesday condemned Iran’s continued executions of protesters and called on Tehran to respect “freedom of expression and assembly.”

“Canada unequivocally condemns the continued executions of protestors in Iran," Global Affairs Canada wrote on X. "The Iranian people must be free to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly without fear of reprisal." 

A U.S. official said Tuesday that a deal under discussion would not include any tolls or fees for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The official said that the waterway, which is one of the busiest oil shipping channels in the world, should be free of Iranian restrictions, Reuters reported.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Tehran “does not seek escalation” after speaking with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

“Was assured by [Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha] that the attack on an Iranian ship was unintentional and Ukraine seeks no escalation,” Araghchi wrote on X. “Iran does not seek escalation either, but made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable."

Araghchi added, "There must be restitution for losses.” 

The European Union's foreign policy chief said Tuesday that she spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and called on Iran to "end its military support for Russia."

“I spoke by phone today with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi about the situation in the Gulf, as well as Russia's war against Ukraine, which Moscow has further intensified in recent days. In the Gulf, the reprieve from fighting can buy mediators time to find a way back to diplomacy and prevent a return to full-scale war,” Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, wrote on X.

Kallas added, “I made it clear that the aggression against French diplomats in Tehran is unacceptable. All EU Member States have condemned these actions.”

She called it "encouraging" that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha‎ said he had spoken with Araghchi.

"I stand ready to support these efforts. I reiterated my call on Iran to end its military support for Russia. Moscow is inflicting ever higher numbers of civilian casualties in Ukraine, and any supplies it receives are helping it kill more civilians. Ukraine has the right to defend itself,” Kallas added.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces launched multiple ballistic missiles on U.S. forces in the Middle East in an “attempted surprise attack.”

“At 5:45 p.m. ET today, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East,” CENTCOM wrote on X.

The command noted that "all missiles were successfully intercepted."

“U.S. forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness,” CENTCOM wrote.

A 22-year-old Iranian rapper arrested during anti-government protests in January has been sentenced to death, according to Iran International.

Mahnam Navab Safavi was convicted by a Revolutionary Court in Isfahan of “waging war against God” for allegedly participating in the destruction of public property, the outlet reported, citing a source familiar with the case.

He was also convicted of propaganda against the government and assembly and collusion, according to the report.

The source said Navab Safavi had two attorneys, but neither was allowed to review the case file or defend him in court. His trial was reportedly held in absentia, the outlet reported.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said Tuesday that he urged Iran to avoid escalating tensions following a deadly strike on an Iranian vessel.

In a post on X, Andrii Sybiha said he held a “frank conversation” with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and stressed that Ukraine’s military actions are aimed solely at defending the country from "Russian aggression."

"Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even when it’s difficult. I stressed that our goal is to avoid unnecessary escalation," Sybiha said. "I reiterated that all of Ukraine’s actions are aimed solely at defending our country from Russian aggression and never intended to target civilian vessels or people."

He added, "This is also true with regard to Iran’s statements about their national who died and a civilian vessel that was targeted in a recent incident. Our goal is to counter Russian aggression, which is the root cause of all incidents, and it is Russia who bears full responsibility for all provocations and casualties."

Sybiha also urged Iran to refrain from retaliatory steps and end any support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

"This war is illegal and it must end. Our position remains unchanged: Europe and the Middle East deserve stability, security, and peace," Sybiha said.

A tanker on Monday reported hearing an explosion while traveling through the southern Red Sea, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

UKMTO received the report at 10 p.m. UTC on Monday and issued an advisory Tuesday. The vessel was not hit, and the crew and vessel are safe. No environmental damage was reported.

"Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO," UKMTO noted.

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.

A Ukrainian strike on an Iranian merchant ship has sparked debate in Tehran over whether Iran should retaliate or avoid a wider conflict with Europe and NATO.

One sailor was killed and three others were wounded Saturday when the ship was hit near Russia’s Astrakhan port. Iranian officials condemned the attack and said it “will not go unanswered,” but commentators disagreed over how Tehran should respond, according to Iran International.

Some conservative newspapers claimed the strike was part of a Western and Israeli effort to pull Iran into another conflict and distract it from the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet reported.

The hardline Kayhan newspaper called the attack a “strategic warning” aimed at opening a new front against Iran. Military analyst Nima Akbarkhani argued that Iran should target the interests of Ukraine’s European backers instead of striking Kyiv directly.

Meanwhile, other Iranian commentators warned that retaliation could do more harm than good.

A Hamas delegation traveled to Cairo on Tuesday for talks on the next phase of its ceasefire with Israel, the terrorist group said.

The delegation is expected to meet with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, along with Egyptian officials and other Palestinian groups, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The talks follow a reported meeting earlier this month between senior Israeli and Egyptian military officials in Cairo, where they discussed President Donald Trump’s Gaza reconstruction plan, according to Israel’s KAN News.

A leading Iran expert has called on the British government to shut down an Islamic center that he claimed has been functioning as an office of the regime’s supreme leader amid a shocking report that Iran’s regime smuggled operatives into the United Kingdom.

The Islamic Center of England recently came into the spotlight following revelations that the U.K. government has allegedly allowed the center to sponsor visas for imams. The report comes at a time when Iran has said Britain is a legitimate target if it allows the U.S. to use its bases to fly missions against Tehran.

The reported green light to imams to secure visas as "skilled workers" for the Islamic Center raises profound questions about dangerous gaps in Britain’s national security and immigration policies, according to lawmakers and Mideast experts.

Kasra Aarabi, director of IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Research at United Against Nuclear Iran told Fox News Digital, "In light of the IRGC’s threat to attack Britain and reports that it has been exploiting the illegal migrant crisis to send ‘Islamic revolutionary agents’ to the country, the U.K. government simply must not tolerate the existence of this Islamist extremist infrastructure on British soil."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Benjamin Weinthal.

A writer inside Iran described staying awake through the night as young men faced execution at dawn over their alleged roles in January’s anti-government protests.

In the firsthand account published by Iran International's Tehran Insider, the writer said they repeatedly refreshed limited internet access, hoping for word that the executions had been postponed.

The writer said remaining awake felt like the only way to show solidarity, even while knowing it would not change the outcome.

"I convince myself that staying awake might help. I know it won’t. But tonight it feels unbearable not to try," the writer said.

Hours later, the writer confirmed the executions had gone forward.

"It is now early morning," the writer said. "The news has hit hard. I can't rewrite these words now. They belong to the hours before that hope disappeared. I leave them as they are."

Iran hanged two men Tuesday after they were convicted of killing four police officers during the January protests against the regime.

Iran has reportedly proposed a temporary deal with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state media that traffic in both directions would pass at least partly through Iranian waters, according to Reuters.

He said Tehran rejected an Omani proposal to evenly divide shipping routes between the two countries, arguing it did not address Iran’s security concerns, the outlet reported.

Gharibabadi warned that the strait would remain closed if Oman rejects Iran’s plan.

Reuters contributed to this report.

A senior source who accompanied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday at the White House said the two men had "an excellent and comprehensive discussion on the key issues of the day, first and foremost Iran."

"The leaders reaffirmed their ironclad commitment to ensuring that Iran never has nuclear weapons," the source told Fox News.

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

U.S. Central Command said Tuesday there are more than 20 U.S. Navy warships operating across the Middle East supporting military missions, "including strict enforcement of America's steel wall blockade against Iran."

"As of July 28 CENTCOM has redirected 18 commercial vessels, disabled 2, and boarded 2 to ensure full compliance, " CENTCOM added.

The U.S. reestablished its blockade of Iran roughly two weeks ago, when American forces resumed strikes on the country.

Steve Bannon, a longtime ally of the president, has implied Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with the President Donald Trump on Tuesday will lead to further escalation in Iran.

“I think all of President Trump’s most ardent non-‘Israel First’ supporters are furious,” the former White House chief strategist told Politico. “Netanyahu has had twice as many visits to the White House in 18 months as Churchill had in all of World War II — with every one of them a disaster for America First.”

According to a New York Times report, Netanyahu convinced Trump it was a good idea to launch strikes on Iran during a February 11 meeting at the White House, weeks before Operation Epic Fury began.

On an episode of his podcast in June 2025, Bannon expressed disapproval about the possibility of regime change in Iran after Trump ordered targeted strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that President Donald Trump's meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President President Zelenskyy were "positive and productive."

Both meetings were closed to press and have since concluded. First, Trump hosted Zelenskyy earlier in the morning. Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 a.m. and was seen leaving at 12:25 p.m.