Дата публикации: 14-07-2026 11:13:04

Iran strikes tankers, US bases as Gulf conflict escalates
Welcome back to the Daily Briefing.This is Ezgi Akin, filling in for Gabrielle. In today’s edition:Iran strikes tankers, US bases as Gulf conflict escalatesLebanon, Israel hold talks in RomeIraqi PM Zaidi to meet TrumpHouthis accuse Riyadh of striking Sanaa airportThanks for reading,Ezgi (ezgi_akin)Iran strikes tankers, US bases as Gulf conflict escalatesVessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam,Oman, July 13, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo/File PhotoIran continued to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and infrastructure across the region on Tuesday following overnight US attacks on Iranian military targets.In one of the deadliest incidents, the United Arab Emirates said Iranian cruise missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers transiting the southern lane of the strait in Omani territorial waters, killing one crew member and injuring eight others.India also reported casualties from attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway. The Indian Foreign Ministry said one Indian crew member was killed and several others were wounded aboard two ships, prompting New Delhi to summon the deputy chief of mission at Iran’s embassy to lodge a “strong protest.”The maritime attacks come as part of a broader Iranian response. Tehran said it had also targeted US military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, as well as two oil supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz, further widening the conflict around the critical energy corridor.The escalation prompted renewed calls for de-escalation from China, which urged Washington and Tehran to restore safe navigation through the strait. “Restoring normal and safe passage through the strait as soon as possible is a shared aspiration of the international community,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, adding that Beijing would continue efforts to ease the crisis.The latest attacks come as US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Washington would resume a naval blockade of Iran’s seaports in response to repeated Iranian strikes on commercial shipping. The blockade is expected to start by 4 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. Trump also described the United States as the “guardian of the Hormuz Strait,” saying Washington would charge 20% on all cargo shipped through the waterway to cover the cost of protecting commercial traffic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by endorsing the principle of charging vessels for safe passage while rejecting Washington’s claim to guardianship.“Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER,” Araghchi wrote on X, adding that “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”Listen to a breakdown of the top headlines on today’s episode of the Middle East Minute podcast with Adam Lucente.Lebanon, Israel hold US-brokered talks in RomeLebanese President Joseph Aoun attends a press conference with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (not pictured), at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, Feb. 16, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed AzakirLebanon and Israel resumed talks in Rome on Tuesday over implementing a US-brokered framework aimed at ending hostilities and securing a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.The two-day talks at the US Embassy will focus on a June 26 agreement calling for the disarmament of Iran-linked Hezbollah, the deployment of Lebanese troops to the south and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.Beirut is seeking a phased pullout under a pilot-zone plan, in which Hezbollah would disarm, Israeli troops would withdraw and the Lebanese military would deploy area by area. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that the talks would produce “tangible and practical steps on the ground.” On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadowIraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a Council of Ministers meeting in Baghdad on July 11, 2026. — Iraqi Prime Minister's OfficeIraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday during his first official foreign visit as Baghdad seeks to deepen its relations with Washington around energy and investment in addition to security. Zaidi is expected to announce several commercial agreements, including a declaration of intent to revive the Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline linking northern Iraq to Syria’s Mediterranean coast. A consortium including Chevron, Capital TI and Qatar’s UCC recently secured Iraqi approval to study the project. Despite the business-focused agenda, Washington’s main demand remains the disarmament of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, some of which attacked US and Gulf targets during the latest Iran conflict.Zaidi has set a Sept. 30 deadline for armed groups to surrender their weapons, though the most hard-line factions have refused.The Iraqi leader is also trying to curb corruption and reduce Baghdad’s reliance on Tehran as renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz disrupts Iraqi oil exports.Zaidi faces significant constraints, however, including entrenched militia influence, pressure from Iran-aligned political factions and demands from US energy companies for stronger security guarantees. Read Amberin Zaman’s analysis. Yemen’s Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa airport: What to knowThe destroyed control tower of the Sanaa International Airport, which was shut after Israeli strikes last May, is seen in the background during a protest by Yemenis, demanding that it be reopened on Dec. 7, 2025. — Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP via Getty ImagesYemen’s internationally recognized government said Monday that its forces struck the runway at Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing after accusing the Houthis of blocking a Yemeni plane and granting access to the Iranian flight. Local reports said the Mahan Air aircraft diverted to Houthi-controlled Hodeidah carrying delegates returning from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the strike, calling it an act of aggression that ended a fragile de-escalation with the Saudi-backed government and warning of retaliation. Riyadh has not commented. Beatrice Farhat has details. 
eakin@al-monitor.com
Tue, 07/14/2026 - 07:13



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