Trump weighs Iran war expansion as fresh US strikes target Hormuz shipping threats

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had completed another round of new strikes against Iran at 9 p.m. ET on Monday.

The command said it struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to "degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz."

"Commercial vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continue," CENTCOM said in a post shared on X.

"Since early May, CENTCOM forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil," it added before stating that U.S. forces are "postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait."

Oil prices slipped Tuesday as traders weighed reports of possible U.S.-Iran mediation efforts against continued military exchanges between the two countries, Reuters reported.

Renewed threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, also impacted markets.

Brent crude futures fell 35 cents, or 0.4%, to $88.87 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was little changed at $82.47 a barrel.

Both benchmarks traded below the more-than-one-month highs reached during the previous session.

A major shipowner is offering crews an extra six months' salary to sail through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between the United States and Iran increase security risks in the region, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Sinokor Group, one of the world's largest owners of supertankers, offered the bonus to crews willing to complete a round-trip to transport oil from Saudi Arabia or Iraq to the Gulf of Oman.

The company said the trip would take about one month, according to a document seen by outlet.

"They are being offered huge bonuses by some companies," Capt. Pradeep Chawla, chairman of GlobalMET, an organization that works with the International Maritime Organization to promote seafarer training and education, said without specifically referring to Sinokor's offer.

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Flippo knows a thing or two about winning a fight.

During his military career he deployed around the world, including serving as a maintenance and logistics officer in Iraq during the lead up to the 2003 invasion.

Currently, he's locked in a tough battle in a Republican-leaning open swing district comprising an enormous chunk of northern Nevada.

Nevada may be the best bellwether state west of the Mississippi. It's a hotly contested state with a booming economy and an exploding population marked by a familiar theme in politics: a stark divide between its rural and urban populations.

Trump won Nevada by a modest margin in 2024, and Governor Joe Lombardo defeated a Democrat incumbent in 2022.

Yet three of its four congressional districts are blue, as are both of its Senate seats. The Democrats hold both chambers of the state legislature by large margins.

Flippo won the Republican nomination despite having a well-known establishment-backed primary opponent in the Nevada legislature:

"Well, up in the north, it's an R+7 district, and Trump won that district by 14. It's a conservative district. And running against the establishment versus a conservative candidate who had been endorsed by Turning Point, Club for Growth, President Trump endorsed me. Obviously, the conservative people in the northern Nevada area wanted a conservative in this seat."

Having never held elected office, Flippo presents his newcomer status as an advantage, rather than a liability:

"I beat the establishment. I think people are tired of the establishment politicians, the politicians that…are there just to be a moderate, be that middle ground. I think we need fighters in Congress.

"I think we need people in Congress that are ready to stand up, stand up for the American people, and here in Nevada, stand up for Nevadans."

This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News' David Unsworth.

Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani demanded U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council condemn what he said was a U.S. attack on the Darkhovin nuclear power plant on Monday, Iran International reported.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on July 19 that it was looking into reports of an attack on Darkhovin after Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) had accused the U.S. of attacking the facility in the southwest.

“The facility is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when it was last visited by the IAEA,” it said in a post shared on X.

“While the reported attack is not believed to pose any radiological risk, DG @rafaelmgrossi reiterates his call for military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites.”

“The IAEA has contacted Iran about the public reports and will provide further information as it becomes available,” the agency said.

President Donald Trump said Monday that he discussed "demining the Strait of Hormuz," trade and the U.S.-U.K. military alliance during his first phone call with the United Kingdom's new prime minister.

"I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said they discussed many subjects, including "the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK."

"The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!" Trump added before stating that they "discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics."

Burnham took over as the UK's prime minister on Monday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a security alert Monday after receiving reports that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

UKMTO said it had received multiple reports that a tanker reported the strike over Marine "VHF Channel 16," the international hailing and distress channel.

The agency said the incident happened about 8 nautical miles northeast of Limah, Oman.

The reported strike comes after two vessels managed by the Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers were hit by projectiles while sailing off the coast of Oman, Reuters said.

Kuwait's military said it was responding to missile and drone attacks launched by Iran on Monday.

"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression," the army said in a post on X.

"The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks," the statement said before asking people to "adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that Iran is in a "full-scale war" with the U.S. and must be prepared to accept the consequences of the conflict.

"The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war," Pezeshkian said in a statement, the Times of Israel reported.

"We must be realistic and accept the natural consequences of this resistance," he added.

Pezeshkian's remarks came as President Donald Trump weighs a potential expansion of military operations against Iran, an official told Fox News.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also said U.S. forces launched a new round of strikes on Iran on Monday "designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."

Iranian media reported explosions in several parts of the country, including Isfahan; the southeastern cities of Chabahar and Konarak; and the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, according to Reuters.

Nearly 100 American service members have been injured in Iranian airstrikes in the Middle East this month, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed Monday.

“While nearly 100 service members were deemed to have some degree of injury since July 7, 2026, 96% have returned to duty,” Parnell said in a post shared on X.

“They are determined to get back in the fight. The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions,” Parnell said.

Further updates will be posted on the Defense Casualty Analysis System, he added.

Parnell was also responding to reports that Washington was hiding injury numbers, which he called "baseless."

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Monday announced a maritime ban on Saudi Arabia, saying it was retaliation for what they called the kingdom's blockade of Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement the ban took effect immediately, calling it an "eye-for-an-eye" response, according to The Associated Press.

In a post on X, Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, said the Bab al-Mandeb Strait would be "closed to the Saudis" in response to what he called Saudi Arabia's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for more than 10 years."

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Iran war, Tehran has also threatened to direct the Houthis to shut down the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in retaliation for U.S. strikes.

The Bab al-Mandeb, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, carries about 10% of global oil shipments.

An explosive-laden drone was shot down Monday near Al-Harir Air Base in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, according to security sources who spoke to Reuters.

The drone was intercepted near the air base, east of Erbil, which hosts U.S. military forces, the outlet reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, the sources said. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

The incident comes amid heightened tension across the Middle East.

According to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), attacks in Iraq's Kurdistan region since late February have targeted Erbil International Airport, the U.S. Consulate, Al-Harir Air Base, energy infrastructure and Iranian Kurdish opposition sites, with some strikes attributed to Iran.

President Donald Trump is expected to decide in the coming days whether to expand military operations against Iran and return to full-scale combat, senior U.S. officials told Fox News on Monday.

The officials stressed that no final decision has been made.

If Trump orders a return to full-scale military operations, the campaign would be "far more intense and extensive" than the nine consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes that began July 7, which have primarily targeted Iranian military assets linked to operations around the Strait of Hormuz, the officials said.

One official also confirmed that U.S. forces have largely avoided strikes near Tehran and against Iran's nuclear facilities.

"That could change if there is a return to full-scale war operations," the official said.

According to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, U.S. Central Command, (CENTCOM) would likely increase its military posture by deploying additional fighter aircraft, including F-16s and F-35s, as well as KC-135 aerial refueling tankers, in preparation for any decision by Trump to widen the campaign.

The official also confirmed reports of additional U.S. military aircraft moving into the Middle East, describing the deployments as "preparatory" while military planners await a final decision from Trump.

"That is some of the movement that is occurring, but it is preparatory ahead of a final decision," the official said.

The official added that aerial refueling aircraft are being repositioned to Israel from elsewhere in the region.

U.S. officials have not seen evidence of the large-scale air bridge across Europe that would typically precede B-2 Spirit bomber deployments or a major movement of aircraft directly from the United States.

Part of the tanker repositioning is tied to the U.S. military's relocation from Ben Gurion International Airport after Operation Epic Fury was halted, the official said, adding that basing refueling aircraft at Israeli military installations would also provide greater protection than keeping them at bases in Gulf states if the United States resumes full-scale operations and Israel joins the air campaign.

"All of that is being discussed and debated right now," the official said, adding that Israel would likely participate "if Trump decides to significantly widen the war."

The State Department on Monday announced the launch of the first "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon under a U.S.-brokered security agreement, calling the initiative a key step toward restoring Lebanese government control in areas dominated by Hezbollah.

The pilot zones are part of an agreement signed at the State Department in late June between Israel and Lebanon that calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from designated areas while the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) assume security responsibilities.

The agreement also calls for disarming non-state armed groups in those areas, a reference to the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.

"The establishment of these initial pilot zones represents real progress on the ground," a U.S. official told Fox News.

"It is an opportunity for the Lebanese state to begin to reassert real control in areas historically dominated by Hizballah."

The official also said the zones are to build confidence between the parties and create momentum for expanding the agreement.

Under the agreement, the LAF will secure the zones, clear terrorist weapons and infrastructure, conduct verified clearance operations and prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing a presence.

"We expect all parties to respect this process," the official said.

"Any attempt by Hizballah to derail, infiltrate or re-arm in these zones would seriously harm the prospects for reconstruction and peace, and the interests of the Lebanese people," the official said.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the "pilot zone operations began in the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiya in accordance with the Trilateral Framework and under the auspices of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon."

"This milestone is a direct outcome of last week's discussions between Israel and Lebanon in Rome," he added

Iran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Monday that recent U.S. military deployments in the Middle East showed Washington was not serious about de-escalating tensions with Tehran.

“Americans keep bringing new military equipment to the region and claim they want to stop the war,” Ghalibaf said in a post shared on X.

“They’ve bet on our intelligence being as low as their own IQ,” he added.

“We’ve reached the stage of mastery in recognizing these American games, and on that basis, we’ve prepared ourselves,” he said before adding that “actions must confirm claims, not contradict them.”

President Donald Trump declared Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form" while visiting the United States, a response that comes as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant against the Israeli leader "should be honored."

In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Netanyahu for "fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran" and argued that Iranian leaders — not the Israeli prime minister — are the ones who should face arrest.

"The only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, something that should have been dealt with years ago, by previous Presidents! " Trump wrote.

Trump's post came as Mamdani was asked by Fox News during an unrelated press conference about whether Netanyahu should be arrested if he visited New York City.

Mamdani said Netanyahu is "the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant" over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes. He said those allegations are "facts of public record" and that ICC warrants "should be honored," whether they involve Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin "or whomever else."

Pressed further, Mamdani stopped short of saying his administration would arrest Netanyahu, instead saying New York City would "follow all applicable local laws."

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu in November 2024 over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the fighting in Gaza.

The U.S. is not a member of the ICC.

Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced efforts to combat the international body, with the State Department saying that the ICC "poses an intolerable threat to U.S. sovereignty."

"The ICC now seeks to become the unaccountable global arbiter – positioning itself above and beyond the nation state as a supranational enforcement arm of a globalist bureaucracy empowered to persecute American servicemen and officials at will," the State Department said in its announcement. "No diplomatic option will be off-limits in the campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the ICC to Americans."

President Donald Trump on Monday vowed a strong response after two U.S. Army soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan, saying Iran would face severe consequences for the deaths.

"Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military."

Trump's post came after the Department of War identified the two soldiers killed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base it said were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

The soldiers were identified as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. Gonzales was killed on Friday, the day of the attack, while Feehan died the following day, according to the department.

Feehan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Gonzales served with the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany.

"1st Lt. Feehan’s unwavering dedication to our mission, our values, and the air defenders he led will leave an enduring legacy,” Brig. Gen. John Dawber, 32nd AAMDC commanding general, said in a statement. “We stand fully committed to supporting his family and loved ones through this incredibly difficult time, and we will never forget his ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.”

U.S. Central Command said Sunday that the soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack and that a third soldier remains missing. The Department of War said the attack is still under investigation.

Trump did not provide details about any military response.

The national average price of gasoline climbed back above $4 a gallon Monday as fighting between the United States and Iran intensified, disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.

According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gas reached $4.003 on Monday, up from $3.872 a week ago and $3.141 a year ago.

Prices have climbed after an interim agreement signed last month to end the fighting fell apart. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — the route that carried about one-fifth of the world's oil before the war — has largely come to a standstill as the conflict has escalated.

President Donald Trump has threatened to target Iran's power stations and bridges in an effort to force Tehran to loosen its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Recent attacks suggest the U.S. military has begun carrying out that strategy.

The U.S. also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports last week to stop the country's crude oil exports. The military said Saturday it had redirected six ships and disabled another vessel since the blockade resumed.

Drivers are already seeing the effects at the pump.

AAA data shows the average price of gas has topped $4 a gallon in 22 states, while drivers in three states are paying more than $5 a gallon on average. Indiana has the nation's cheapest gas, with an average price of $3.35 per gallon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Kuwaiti Army says it is intercepting hostile missiles and drones after Iran launched strikes against the U.S. Gulf ally.

“Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression,” the Kuwaiti Army said Monday.

“The General Staff of the Army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks,” it continued.

Iran’s latest attacks targeting U.S. Gulf allies Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, and Kuwait come after the U.S. launched a new round of airstrikes against Iran late Sunday — the ninth straight night that American forces targeted Iran.

Kuwait's government said a desalination plant had been attacked on Sunday for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure, Reuters reported.

Steve Forbes says the United States must double down on efforts to topple the Tehran regime, arguing that free passage through the Strait of Hormuz should remain a non-negotiable American imperative. 

As the U.S. struck targets in Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Sunday, pressure on the Tehran regime continued to build. Speaking at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas, the chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes and former presidential candidate sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss Iran and the Trump administration's foreign policy. 

"Going back to Thomas Jefferson, a core foreign policy plank of the United States is freedom of the seas. Freedom of navigation got us into another war with Great Britain, the War of 1812," Forbes said. 

"So we've been doing it for over two centuries. The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, just as the South China Sea is an international waterway. And so we must keep that open.  

"No tolls, no restrictions, all ships of commerce should have free passage through it unmolested." 

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s David Unsworth.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio mourned the U.S. troops killed in last week's Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, calling their deaths "heartbreaking" and praising their sacrifice.

"We forget, we take for granted that our military is so effective that the mission they carry out is very, very dangerous," Rubio told reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for the Philippines on Sunday night.

Referring to the strike, he noted that U.S. forces intercepted nearly all the incoming missiles, but "one leaked through, hit the wrong place.”

"It’s heartbreaking. Our hearts go out to these families," Rubio said. "These are heroes that pay the ultimate price."

The Department of War identified the fallen soldiers as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. Gonzales was killed on Friday, the day of the attack, while Feehan died the following day. Both were serving in air defense units supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Rubio also acknowledged the death of another U.S. service member in Iraq on Saturday, saying the soldier was killed in a non-combat accident while decommissioning ammunition.

U.S. Central Command has said the Jordan attack occurred during an Iranian strike and that a third soldier remains missing. The Department of War said the attack remains under investigation.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday night that Iran has effectively killed a memorandum of understanding meant to keep the Strait of Hormuz open after Tehran allegedly attacked multiple commercial ships, but said the United States is still willing to pursue diplomacy.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for the Philippines to attend the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, Rubio said Iran was expected to reaffirm that the strategic waterway would remain open to commercial shipping and stop attacking vessels. Instead, he said, Iran attacked three ships late last week.

"I think we're always open to diplomacy," Rubio said. "It has to be real. It has to be a deal that they're willing to live by."

When asked whether the memorandum of understanding was effectively dead, Rubio said Iran had already answered that question through its actions.

"They're not complying with it," Rubio said. "The straits are supposed to be open, free of tolls, free of attack, free of all the things they're doing against these ships. They can't have an MOU that's alive if they're violating the terms of it."

Even so, Rubio said the U.S. remains open to talks with Tehran, though he noted that Iran's behavior will have to change before the U.S. changes its approach.

"The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution," Rubio said. "We've tried multiple times with Iran, and we'll continue to try."

The U.S appears to be setting up for a long-term military strategy to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as tensions with Iran remain high, according to a retired U.S. brigadier general.

Retired Brig. Gen. Rob Spalding appeared Monday on “FOX & Friends” to discuss the apparent strategy the U.S. is using to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz and neutralize Iranian threats.

“I think they’re trying to create a pathway so we could control the strait,” Spalding said of the U.S. military strategy. “I think that they’re reducing the distance that arms from Iran can travel to shipping. In doing that, I think we’re setting for something like Operation Southern and Northern Watch where it’s going to be a long time that we’re there to keep the strait open.”

In addition to anticipating a long-term commitment to counter Iran's unchanging behavior, Spalding warned that Iran consistently uses oil revenue to fund its weapon programs, posing continuous threats to regional stability.

The Department of War on Monday identified two U.S. Army soldiers killed in an enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

The soldiers were identified as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.

According to the department, Gonzales was killed on July 17, the day of the attack, while Feehan died the following day, July 18.

Feehan was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Gonzales was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany.

The Department of War said the attack remains under investigation.

U.S. Central Command first announced the deaths on Sunday, saying they happened during an Iranian attack. The command also said a third soldier remained missing.

U.S. Central Command announced late Sunday that U.S. forces successfully completed a ninth consecutive evening of strikes against Iranian targets after earlier confirming the deaths of three American troops in Jordan and Iraq.

"CENTCOM assets targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to further diminish Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said in a post on X.

"The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief's direction. CENTCOM forces remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," the post continued.

The strikes come after CENTCOM confirmed two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan on Friday during an Iranian attack, while a separate U.S. service member was killed on Saturday in Iraq during a “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone.

President Donald Trump on Sunday paid tribute to U.S. service members killed in recent attacks linked to Iran, saying American forces launched another round of strikes "in honor" of them.

At Joint Base Andrews, Trump also said the service members had sacrificed their lives to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"Well, we feel very badly. But you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting so that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

“We hit them very hard again tonight,” Trump said. “And we did that in honor of the” soldiers killed, he said.

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.