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.

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.

The United States will lead another round of peace talks between Israel and Lebanon in Rome from Aug. 4 to 6, a State Department official told Fox News.

The official said both sides will work "on advancing the full implementation" of the framework agreement that was brokered on June 29.

The deal stipulated that Israel would withdraw from southern Lebanon and allow the Lebanese military to reassert control. For this to happen though, it was laid out that non-state actors, most notably Hezbollah, had to disarm.

The State Department official told Fox News that Israel and Lebanon are entering the talks with "significant momentum" thanks to the launch of the first pilot zone, where Lebanese forces are preparing deploy as Israel's troops withdraw.

The official also cited Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's "productive meeting" with President Donald Trump as a good sign going forward.

Fox News' Nick Kalman contributed to this report.

Israel's defense minister said the U.S. is preventing Israeli strikes on energy targets within Iran, according to The Times of Israel.

“We very much want to strike Iran’s energy targets. The United States is not approving it at the moment because of the concern that Iran would attack neighboring countries, causing a global oil crisis,” Israel Katz told Channel 14, the country's right-wing news network.

“As far as we’re concerned, we’re prepared to set [Iran] back 40 years,” Katz said.

Katz' comments came before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump behind closed doors at the White House on Tuesday.

In photos released by the Israeli Prime Minister's office, Benjamin Netanyahu's team is seen preparing him for his meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Netanyahu's discussion with Trump is expected to center on how the countries should move forward strategically against Iran.

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House just before 11 a.m. to meet with President Donald Trump.

The two are expected to discuss Iran's alleged expansion of Pickaxe Mountain, one of its nuclear facilities.

Trump said this morning on "Fox & Friends" that he could take out Pickaxe Mountain "very easily," adding that the U.S. Space Force has state-of-the-art cameras trained on the site.

For nearly six years, American conservationist Morad Tahbaz lived in what he described as hell inside Iran’s prison system. The worst four months were spent completely alone in a small cell, beneath a bright light that never went dark.

Tahbaz was held in Ward 2A of Iran’s Evin Prison, which he described as a high-security detention facility controlled by the intelligence branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

He was allowed out only twice a day for about 10 minutes and was forced to wear a blindfold whenever he left, Tahbaz told Fox News Digital. His weekly call with his wife lasted only a few minutes and was monitored so closely that an official interrupted whenever he spoke in English.

"This is probably the harshest and toughest imprisonment that any prisoner will go through," Tahbaz, who was finally released in September 2023, told Fox News Digital of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence detention facility inside Iran's Evin Prison.

Mediators of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East believe the U.S. and Iran are close to a deal that would resurrect the failed memorandum of understanding, according to The Times of Israel.

The outlet, citing an Arab official and another source familiar with the discussions, reported that negotiators from Pakistan, Egypt and Qatar have been working on clarifying how the Strait of Hormuz will operate.

Iran was under the impression that the MOU, which was signed in June and led to a brief ceasefire, gave it broad control over the Strait, something the U.S. contests.

Iran and Oman — both of which are situated on the Strait of Hormuz — have reportedly signed off on the proposal advanced by the mediators.

The two sources said the White House was waiting to make a decision until after President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.

Some elected Republicans want to see the U.S. strike at Iran "harder" than ever before, while others are more inclined toward pushing for a deal, President Donald Trump said this morning on "Fox & Friends."

Steve Doocy asked the president about where the GOP coalition stands on the war in Iran, particularly with the midterm elections coming up in November.

"Some Republicans said, 'well, why don't we hit them harder?'" Trump said, adding, "You have a group of people that want it to be obliterated in the truest sense of the word. Then you have a group that says, this is actually a good time to make a deal for them."

The Republican politicians who favor a deal, according to Trump, also say that if a deal isn't possible, the right course of action is to "finish the job."

Finishing the job would involve launching airstrikes on Iran's bridges, power plants and other key pieces of infrastructure, Trump said.

"I think about 91 million people without power, without bridges," Trump added. "So I think we have a very strong position right now. They know I'm going to do that. If they don't make a deal, the bridges are going to be gone literally in less than...two hours."

U.S. Central Command announced on Tuesday it is forming a first-of-its-kind task force with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that will accelerate "the development of military artificial intelligence applications."

Task Force Talon Synapse, based in Abu Dhabi, will have "20 American and Emirati personnel with expertise in AI, data, and cybersecurity," according to a release from CENTCOM.

The U.S. has enjoyed normal relations with the UAE since 1971, and the two nations are now allied against Iran in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“This will be a historic milestone as we work with one of our most capable regional partners to rapidly deliver evolving AI advancements to our warfighters,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM's commander. “Together, we and our Emirati partners share a strong commitment to adopting AI applications that will foster innovation at speed and scale.”

CENTCOM said Cooper and UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed the idea of potentially forming the task force last year.

The idea took shape last month when CENTCOM officials met with AI industry leaders and Emirati defense officials.

The task force is expected to launch in the coming weeks, CENTCOM said.

President Donald Trump said on "Fox & Friends" that the U.S. Space Force knows "exactly what's going on" at Pickaxe Mountain thanks to the military branch having "the greatest cameras in the world" trained on the nuclear facility.

"I know exactly what's going on at Pickaxe. It's not a big problem. We took out their nuclear sites and we'll have to take out Pickaxe. If we don't make a deal, we don't make a deal. We'll take it out very easily," Trump said.

Trump also appeared to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for announcing Iran's intentions with Pickaxe Mountain "to the world."

"I heard Bibi announced that. I said, 'why don't you just tell it to me? Why do you have to announce it to the world?' Trump said.

President Donald Trump sought to emphasize that the U.S. military has control over the Strait of Hormuz in his interview on "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday morning.

"We control the Strait. Now, they can drop a couple of mines in there and screw things up. But we control the Strait. Our navy is incredible. Not one ship has gotten to Iran during any time where we had the blockade," Trump said.

Trump reestablished the blockade of Iran the same time the U.S. resumed strikes on the country about two weeks ago. Strikes have been paused since Friday as Trump weighs his next strategic move.

The president said the blockade had to go back into place because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding he signed with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in June.

"We cannot have them break deals anymore," Trump said on Fox. "For some reason, we can be in the midst of a beautiful discussion and [Iran will] come out and say, 'we're not talking or we didn't discuss nuclear.' Well, that's all we discuss."

President Donald Trump said on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday morning that the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., had become an advocate of making a deal with Iran, even though he was one of the strongest advocates for the war.

"He was very much a hawk, as you would say, on Iran," Trump said. "He was he was somebody that said it's a good time to make a deal."

Trump said Graham began believing this in the "last few weeks" of his life.

Iran on Tuesday hanged two men who were convicted of killing four police officers during the protests in January against the regime.

According to the Mizanonline.ir, an outlet tied to the Iran's judiciary, the men put to death were Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi.

Per the report, the men were also accused of setting a police station on fire and damaging public property in Isfahan, a city approximately 250 miles south of the capital, Tehran.

Earlier in July, Iran hanged two other men in the same case.

Human rights groups worry that the tens of thousands who were arrested by security forces amid the protests could also face death sentences.

The demonstrations began on Dec. 28, 2025, after citizens became frustrated with country's worsening economy and the declining value of its currency. By January, the discontent had spread throughout the entire nation, with many chanting slogans directly denouncing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's leadership.

Iran cracked down with brute force, leading to worldwide condemnation and threats of attack from the United States.

Iran's government has estimated 3,000 people died amid the protests. Human rights organizations believe the death toll was likely in the tens of thousands, according to the United Nations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The Israeli Air Force intercepted a UAV in the area of the Jordan border Tuesday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said.

The IDF said the UAV did not cross into Israeli territory and that the origin of the launch is under review. The Israeli military added that no sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.

Israel and Saudi Arabia intercepted drones launched from Iraq on Monday, reportedly by Iran-backed Kata'ib Hezbol.

Fox News’ Yonat Friling and Trey Yingst contributed to this post.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to present President Donald Trump with intelligence alleging Iran is expanding activity at its Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and is not negotiating in good faith over its nuclear program, according to reports.

According to the New York Post, citing a source in Jerusalem, Netanyahu's team plans to present the intelligence during a meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

Netanyahu arrived in the United States on Monday evening, according to Israeli media reports.

Trump has recently said the Pickaxe facility remains a concern despite U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

The president recently said the U.S. would likely target the site "very heavily" and "pretty soon," adding, "There's not a thing they can do about it."

His warning came after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of centrifuges into the facility last fall.

Trump said the transfer "may have" occurred but added the United States did not have it "on record."

The Post also reported that Israel plans to present evidence that Tehran is rebuilding its missile and drone programs.