Trump arrives at NATO summit as Iran tanker attacks raise stakes in Strait of Hormuz

A U.S. official said strikes inside Iran remain ongoing, with targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missile sites, anti-ship cruise missile sites, drone launch sites and port facilities.

The strikes are “significantly larger” than those carried out last month and are intended to “send a signal” that attacks on commercial shipping are unacceptable, a senior U.S. official told Fox News.

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this report.

A cargo plane carrying five crew members went missing off Pakistan’s coast late Tuesday after rapidly descending and losing contact during a flight from the United Arab Emirates, officials said.

The Boeing 737, operated by Karachi-based K2 Airways, was flying from Sharjah to Karachi when it reported a navigation system problem, according to Pakistan’s airport authority.

Radar data showed the plane descending quickly and making a sharp turn before radar and radio contact were lost about 155 nautical miles west of Karachi.

Search and rescue operations are underway in the Arabian Sea. The cause remains unclear.

K2 Airways could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Explosions were heard in southern Iran early Wednesday, according to Iran International , as the U.S. announced strikes in response to attacks on commercial ships near the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. military action came after three merchant ships were struck in waters off Oman near the key waterway.

U.S. Central Command said the strikes were meant to impose “heavy costs” on Iran for targeting commercial ships crewed by civilians, calling Tehran’s actions “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.”

The latest exchange threatens to further strain last month’s interim deal and complicate talks aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, addressing Iran’s nuclear program and ending the war that began Feb. 28.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bahrain condemned Iran’s “terrorist attack” on a Saudi tanker and a Qatari tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it an "unacceptable" threat to international navigation, global energy supplies and regional security.

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said the attack on the Saudi tanker and Qatari tanker endangered the crews of both vessels and violated international law, a United Nations Security Council resolution and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

"The Ministry affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s full solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the sisterly State of Qatar, and its support for the measures taken by the two countries to preserve their security and vital interests," Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said.

Bahrain also called on the international community, particularly the U.N. Security Council, to take a "firm stance" to prevent further "heinous" Iranian attacks and ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions, illegal fees or economic blackmail.

Saudi Arabia condemned Iran in the “strongest possible terms” after Tehran reportedly targeted a Saudi tanker and a Qatari tanker as they passed through the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks a direct threat to international navigation and global energy supplies.

"The Kingdom affirms that these unacceptable attacks are an assault on the security and safety of international navigation, and the security of global energy supplies," Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., said in a statement.

A U.S. official confirmed that three commercial vessels were struck by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz between Monday and Tuesday.

The U.S. is clawing back oil sanctions waivers offered to Iran as part of a framework deal that kicked off a two-month negotiating period after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz Monday and Tuesday. 

A U.S. official confirmed that three commercial vessels were struck by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz between Monday and Tuesday, reigniting tensions after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had given Tehran "a week off" during funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei."

As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly affirmed, the MOU in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based.

Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior," a U.S. official said, confirming the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) would revoke the sanctions waivers. 

"Iran’s actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences. Our negotiators continue to work in good faith towards a final deal," the official continued. 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and Fox News' Liz Friden.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised concerns Tuesday over the potential U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, warning that the deal could threaten the balance of power in the Middle East.

Speaking to CNN shortly after President Donald Trump discussed the sale with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a press conference in Ankara, Netanyahu said he had personally shared his concerns with Trump, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Despite Trump’s relationship with Erdogan, Netanyahu argued that Turkey should not be viewed as a "friendly state" toward the United States, citing Ankara’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, Erdogan’s support for Hamas, and his record of jailing journalists and political opponents, according to the outlet.

“He’s not exactly a model ally of the United States,” Netanyahu said.

Iranian authorities reportedly flew the body of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Najaf, Iraq, on Tuesday night after mourners gathered in Qom for funeral services.

Iranian state television showed large crowds walking toward Jamkaran Mosque, south of Qom, where mourners gathered to honor Khamenei. Some carried banners and posters showing Khamenei and his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared at the multi-day funeral ceremonies.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said Khamenei’s body was taken to Najaf, with processions planned Wednesday in Najaf and Karbala, two holy Shiite cities in Iraq.

His body is expected to be returned to Iran and buried Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A hardline Iranian lawmaker reportedly suggested Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s location during the NATO summit in Turkey should be hit with a missile.

Hamid Rasaee made the comments in a post on Virasty, an Iranian social media platform, pointing to Trump’s presence in Turkey as an opportunity to strike the site where he is staying, Iran International reported.

Rasaee also used derogatory language toward Trump in the post, the outlet reported.

Iran is claiming authority over sections of the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh concerns over one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

In a document submitted to the International Maritime Organization, Iran said parts of the strait are within its territorial waters and argued it has the right to exercise sovereignty there under international law, according to Bloomberg.

“Parts of the Strait of Hormuz fall within the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the country wrote. “Under the international law of the sea, a coastal State exercises sovereignty, jurisdiction and sovereign authority over its territorial sea.”

Iran did not say which areas it claims or whether ships may use alternate routes. The country also rejected a proposed Council declaration from several countries criticizing its activities around the strait, the outlet reported.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) has raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to "severe" following attacks on multiple oil tankers transiting the chokepoint.

"Iranian attacks have raised the threat level to SEVERE, with deliberate hostile action likely under current conditions. Navigation interference persists, and mine-risk reporting remains relevant within and adjacent to the TSS. The recent confirmed incidents highlight that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance. IRGC hailing and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-active vessels," the maritime security outfit said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, the UKMTO confirmed that a ship was struck off the coast of Oman by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The ship was left with minor structural damage, there were no casualties on board, and the vessel continued on to its next port of call, the UKMTO said.

Sources told Reuters earlier Tuesday that a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz while traveling off the coast of Oman. The incident happened after a Qatari LNG tanker was hit in the same area on Monday, Reuters added. 

Fox News' Liz Freden contributed to this report.

The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that its troops found “weapons and a Hezbollah flag” in a bedroom inside a civilian home located within the security zone along Lebanon’s border. 

The IDF added that the discovery in the Lebanese village of Tallousa included explosive devices, anti-tank missile launchers and missiles, and RPG rockets. 

“Troops also located weapons storage facilities containing RPG launchers, ammunition, and small arms in the village,” the IDF said.  

It released a video purportedly showing the weaponry spread across a room. 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) confirmed Tuesday that a ship was struck while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, following a similar incident on Monday. 

“The tanker was struck by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and has sustained minor structural damage,” it said in an advisory. “No casualties or environmental impact reported, and vessel is continuing to its next port of call.” 

The incident happened off the coast of Oman, according to the UKMTO. 

Sources told Reuters earlier Tuesday that a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz while traveling off the coast of Oman. 

The incident happened after a Qatari LNG tanker was hit in the same area on Monday, Reuters added. 

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Turkey has been a “great ally” to the United States during Operation Epic Fury. 

"Turkey has been a great ally for us,” Trump said in Ankara ahead of a NATO summit. 

"They've been extraordinary in many ways with respect to our relationship, including trying to end the war with Iran or whatever you call it. It's not even a war, it’s a military operation,” Trump continued, while speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

"I don't think he wants to see them have a nuclear weapon either, I'm pretty sure of that,” Trump said about Erdogan. “In fact, I’m totally sure of that.” 

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Turkey and signaled he is prepared to move forward with the long-stalled sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets, marking a dramatic reversal in U.S. policy toward the NATO ally years after Ankara was expelled from the program for its purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

Speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a bilateral meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Trump said his administration would remove sanctions imposed on Turkey's defense sector.

"I can tell you we're going to be taking the sanctions off, OK?" Trump said. "I don't want him to waste his time answering that question. It's time. We don't sanction friends."

Asked whether he would sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey despite existing legal restrictions tied to Ankara's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, Trump indicated he was open to doing so.

"Many people, including the people sitting right here thinks why wouldn't we do that?" Trump said. "Turkey has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal."

Pressed on concerns about Turkey's continued possession of the S-400, Trump dismissed them.

"I have no concerns about anything."

The remarks represent Trump's clearest indication yet that he intends to restore defense ties with Turkey, building on months of efforts to revive military cooperation with one of NATO's largest armed forces after years of strained relations.

Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was highly critical of President Donald Trump's approach to Iran, saying she believes the country will never voluntarily hand over its nuclear stockpile.

"President Trump has said we don't want any nuclear ambition. Well they have to let us get that enriched uranium out of there. Are they going to do that? I don't think so," Haley said during a Monday morning appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box. "I don't think Iran will ever give up their nuclear ambition."

Haley argued that Iran has emerged stronger after the war the U.S. and Israel launched in late February of this year.

"When you start something like this, you have to finish it no matter the pressure," she said. "The fact that [Iran has] already seen frozen assets released, the fact that they got sanction waivers on oil, they're receiving billions of dollars by the day and they are more empowered today than they were pre-war."

Haley said Iran has been emboldened and is looking to flex its influence over the Strait of Hormuz by charging tolls. She argued that Trump needs to "make tough decisions" and cut off the things "Iran wants" by the end of the 60-day timeframe imposed by the memorandum of understanding.

Haley served as ambassador to the U.N. from January 2017 to December 2018 under Trump's first administration.

She later ran against Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary but dropped out less than a month after he defeated her in her home state of South Carolina.

President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that Europe must be “careful” with immigration and energy or else “you’re not going to have Europe anymore.” 

Trump made the comments while speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara. He prefaced them by saying the United States’ push to annex Greenland “hurt my relationship with NATO.” 

"It was Greenland... That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark. And when they wouldn't go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia. And we don't have to spend any money, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe,” Trump said. 

“Because as you probably noticed, Europe's a very different place than it was 20 years ago. A lot different, much different. And they better be careful with immigration and energy. If they're not careful with those two things, you're not going to have Europe anymore,” he added. 

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was “testing” NATO allies with Operation Epic Fury against Iran. 

“We weren't treated well. Because we did something in Iran. We don't need anybody's help. I didn't even want the help. But before I asked, they said they wouldn't be there,” Trump said in Turkey ahead of a two-day NATO summit. 

“And we've invested trillions of dollars in NATO. Why? To protect European countries and others, Canada, etc. But to protect people, countries from generally speaking, it used to be the Soviet Union, now it's Russia. And I say that's fine, but you would think that they'd be very willing to do something to help us. And they really weren’t,” the president continued. 

“We didn’t need any help at all. And in a way, I was testing people.  I was testing to see whether or not they'd be there. Because I’ve long said that we help them, but I'm not sure that they'd be there for us,” Trump also said. “And Italy turned us down, and Germany turned us down, and France turned us down. And it's okay. But, you know, why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars and they are not there for us? We've always been there for them.” 

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Wednesday that Trump remains "disappointed" by allies that declined to allow U.S. forces to use military bases or overflight rights during Operation Epic Fury, as well as by political statements criticizing the strikes against Iran. 

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this post. 

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday that “the next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the United States, will be held in Rome.” 

“Last April, I had communicated to the Lebanese and Israeli Governments Italy's willingness to support the dialogue for peace in the region and to serve as the venue for the negotiations,” he added. 

The talks will be held on July 14 and 15, The Times of Israel reported, citing Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced in late June a U.S.-backed “framework for lasting peace and security” between Israel and Lebanon following multiple days of talks between both sides in Washington. 

When Operation Epic Fury began in late February, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group based in Lebanon, escalated the conflict within days by launching rockets and drones from southern Lebanon into Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with extensive strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while the Lebanese government publicly distanced itself from Hezbollah, condemning its attacks and moving to ban the group's military operations.. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said overnight that Tehran will not hold negotiations on a final deal with the U.S. “if threats continue.” 

The remark comes after President Donald Trump revived threats on Monday to strike Iran's power plants and bridges if Tehran doesn't bend on a peace agreement. 

Trump had made the statement while speaking to the press at the Oval Office, vowing that the U.S. will win "one way or the other." 

"We're going to make a deal or we're going to finish the job, okay. And it won't be tough to finish the job. I'd rather make a deal, because I don't want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply. All of those big plants that they built, big, beautiful, modern plants," Trump said. 

Araghchi then wrote on X, “Para 13 of the MoU is clear: Negotiations on final Deal will not commence if threats continue. Honor your signature.” 

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

A Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker has been damaged near the Strait of Hormuz while traveling off the coast of Oman, a report said. 

The incident happened after a Qatari LNG tanker was hit in the same area on Monday, maritime security sources told Reuters on Tuesday. 

Reuters also reported that the cause of the latest blast is unknown. 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) says the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz “remains substantial.”  

A Qatari LNG tanker suffered significant damage on Monday after it was struck while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing four sources with knowledge of the matter. 

The outlet reported that the incident was the first time a liquified natural gas (LNG) tanker from Qatar was hit during the Iran conflict. 

The sources told Reuters that the ship, the Al Rekayyat, sent out distress signals after being struck on its port side and that its engine room was on fire and filled with smoke. 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) had said Monday that a tanker was hit by an "unknown projectile" off the coast of Oman. 

UKMTO said the incident happened 8 nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, while the tanker was traveling southbound.  

"A tanker has reported being hit by an unknown projectile on the port side causing a fire, whilst traveling southbound. No casualties or environmental impact reported. Authorities are investigating," UKMTO said. 

Iran launched at least two missiles toward commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, Axios also reported, citing two U.S. officials. 

Fox News’ Sophia Compton and Liz Friden contributed to this post. 

President Donald Trump is arriving at the Turkey-held NATO summit with fresh frustration toward several European allies for their responses to the U.S.-led operations against Iran, opening a new front in his long-running campaign to pressure the alliance over burden-sharing.

The summit, which takes place Tuesday and Wednesday in Ankara, Turkey, is expected to focus on defense spending, Ukraine and NATO's long-term strategy toward Russia. 

But it will bring Trump face to face with some of his biggest foes in NATO, including Spain, whose Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called the U.S. war in Iran "illegal, absurd and cruel."

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said Wednesday that Trump remains "disappointed" by allies that declined to allow U.S. forces to use military bases or overflight rights during the operation, as well as by political statements criticizing the strikes.

"The president has expressed disappointment in both a couple of our allies' unwillingness to support us using our bases in their countries," Whitaker said. "And, as importantly, he's also incredibly disappointed in the political statements that came out around the time of the launch of Epic Fury." 

The disagreements are expected to loom over a summit where Trump will once again press allies to increase defense spending, while also raising broader questions about whether NATO members are prepared to back the United States during conflicts beyond the alliance's traditional focus on Europe.

Mourners dressed in black poured into Tehran on Monday for the funeral procession of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with massive crowds calling for President Donald Trump’s death and vowing revenge against the United States and Israel.

Khamenei’s coffin was carried through the Iranian capital alongside the coffins of family members killed in a Feb. 28 airstrike at the start of the war launched by Israel and the U.S.

Iran’s ruling theocracy encouraged the turnout as a show of strength while the regime remains locked in tense negotiations with Washington over an end to the war.

As the funeral truck moved slowly through the capital, mourners waved signs and banners targeting Trump. Some also called for the killing of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an effigy of Trump was seen hanging along the route.

“Today that we are here for the funeral for our leader, it’s a very tough day,” mourner Fatima Hassan said. “We are not here to say goodbye to him. We are here for revenge. And we will take revenge.”

Crowds reached out to touch the truck, while others tossed scarves and other items toward attendants to brush against the coffin — a common Iranian practice viewed as a blessing.

Khamenei’s casket was flown to the Shiite seminary city of Qom later Monday, where he is expected to be honored Tuesday, according to state television.

Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.