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The United States Central Command announced another series of strikes on Iranian territory, with reports indicating the operation continues for an 11th consecutive night. The strikes aim to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to meet with the US but is not yet ready to do so in a meaningful way, predicting that Tehran will be ready 'very soon' to reach an agreement. His remarks come amid ongoing US and Israeli military operations against Iran that began in late February and resumed in July.
EU ambassadors failed to reach an agreement on the 21st package of anti-Russian sanctions during a Brussels meeting, according to a European source. Disagreements persist over LNG transport restrictions, with Greece blocking the proposed ban.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran will block regional oil sales if it cannot sell its own, and that the Strait of Hormuz will only open under Iranian arrangements. The threat follows renewed US and Iranian strikes, with Ghalibaf warning that strikes will be met with counterstrikes.
The European Commission has proposed a 21st sanctions package targeting 215 Russian individuals and 94 legal entities, including 90 banks. The proposal faces serious disagreements among EU member states, while some specific sanctions have already been imposed on figures like Vladimir Tabak and Arkady Dvorkovich.
The Bank of Russia has set official exchange rates for the dollar, euro, and yuan for late July 2026, with multiple adjustments reported by TASS across several days. The dollar rate declined to 78.0308 rubles for July 25-27, while the euro fell to 88.8927 rubles.
Israeli and Lebanese delegations are set to meet in Rome on August 4 for a new round of US-brokered talks, according to a senior official. The talks follow a framework agreement outlining Hezbollah's disarmament and Israel's phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon, with the first withdrawal under a pilot zone program already completed.
Russian military officials report intensified strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels used for military supplies, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying strikes will continue. A Russian legislator accuses Western nations of prolonging the conflict, while reports note the deaths of four Indian citizens in a strike at Odessa port.
Iranian officials and the IRGC have warned that any US attack on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, will be met with reciprocal strikes on US and allied infrastructure across the Middle East. The warnings follow US President Donald Trump's threats to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants in response to attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Russian air defenses repelled Ukrainian drone attacks on Sevastopol over several days in late July, with conflicting reports on casualties and damage. Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev reported downed drones and some civilian casualties in certain incidents, while other statements indicated no injuries.
President Donald Trump has threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant each time Tehran attacks a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has warned of retaliation against US interests and oil exports. The conflict has escalated with US strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
A June heatwave across Europe is estimated to have cost grain farmers more than €2 billion in lost revenue and destroyed 9 million tonnes of crops. The European trade association Coceral cut its grain production forecast for the EU and UK by nearly 9 million metric tons, with France and Hungary suffering the largest losses.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed Alexander Syrsky as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and appointed Mikhail Drapaty to replace him, amid a political crisis and protests. The reshuffle also affected the General Staff chief, with Igor Skibyuk named as his successor, though questions remain about the legality of the appointment given the vacant defense minister post.
Japan's Foreign Ministry plans to resume sending students to Russia for the first time in seven years, with 15 students to study Russian in St. Petersburg this August. The move comes despite ongoing difficulties in bilateral relations and Tokyo's continued sanctions policy toward Moscow.
TASS reports that a NATO Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II reconnaissance aircraft is flying over Black Sea neutral waters, following a routine route. Separately, a NATO RQ-4D Phoenix drone experienced a communications failure during a recent flight but landed safely; it is currently circling over the Mediterranean near Crete.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that continued hostilities around the Strait of Hormuz are not in the interests of Washington or Tehran, and called for an end to the conflict, denying that Russia is supplying weapons to Iran.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko held separate meetings with Chinese and Bahraini diplomats, urging an immediate end to US-Iran hostilities and a return to negotiations based on the Islamabad memorandum. Both sides condemned attacks on civilian facilities as inadmissible, while Russia presented its proposals for collective security in the Persian Gulf.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he will discuss ending the war in Ukraine with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while the Kremlin welcomes the prospect of high-level contacts, describing current interactions as primarily technical.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country's key economic sectors remain stable despite external attempts to destabilize the fuel and energy complex. He acknowledged temporary difficulties in the fuel market, partly linked to Ukrainian military actions, but stressed Russia's strong energy foundation and ongoing work on a supply system for Crimea.
Mikhail Drapaty's appointment as Ukraine's commander-in-chief has drawn criticism from Russian officials and reports of discontent among Ukrainian troops, highlighting challenges in Kyiv's military leadership.