This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.
Catch up on Tuesday's top developments here:
- Trump says no talks taking place or planned with Iran
- Iran says US failed to achieve war objectives
- Ghalibaf says Hormuz to remain closed until US meets Islamabad MoU commitments
- Erdogan stresses continued support for lasting regional peace in call with Trump
- UAE says air defenses detect two ballistic missiles launched from Iran
Trump threatens economic punishment on 'any country' helping Iran
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 23:30 GMT | by AFP
US President Donald Trump said he was launching a major new campaign to target Iran's economy, threatening "tremendous" punishment on any country that helps or does business with the Islamic republic.
"Today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences," he said.
Talks with Iran could take place 'at some point': Trump
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 22:49 GMT | by Web Desk
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that negotiations with Iran could take place “maybe at some point,” after saying a day earlier that no talks were underway or scheduled.
US President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Iran could take place “maybe at some point,” after saying a day earlier that no talks were underway or scheduled, Iran International reported.
Negotiations with US ‘does not mean surrender’: Pezeshkian
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 21:37 GMT | by Web Desk
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that negotiations with the United States on the ongoing conflict “does not mean surrender,” adding that war was not the goal for Tehran.
“We are proceeding step by step in the course of negotiations at the peak of our power, while upholding wisdom, dignity, and expediency; our goal has been to end the war, lift the siege, release blocked resources, and then engage in nuclear dialogue,” Pezeshkian said according to Iran’s ISNA state news agency.
UN chief calls far-right Israeli minister's Gaza remarks 'dangerous': Spokesman
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 17:55 GMT | by AFP
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday slammed remarks by Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir that Israel should kill "30 or 40" people every night in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
"These remarks are appalling. They're outrageous. They're dehumanizing, and they're dangerous. And we condemn them unequivocally," said Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Israel army launches criminal probe into killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 16:34 GMT | by AFP
The Israeli military said Wednesday it had ordered a criminal investigation into the 2024 killing in Gaza of five-year-old Hind Rajab, whose death drew international outrage after a harrowing recording of her last words.
Hind's body was recovered from a car riddled with bullets in Gaza City days after she was last heard from in a desperate, hours-long phone call to the Palestinian Red Crescent on January 29, 2024.
"Following review of the findings and due to alleged failures in the coordination of the movement of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance, it has been decided to initiate a criminal investigation of the incident by Military Police Criminal Investigation Division," the military said on Wednesday.
Alongside the Hind Rajab case, the military published reviews into four other high-profile incidents in Gaza, saying it was also launching a criminal probe into the 2025 killings of 15 Palestinians, including medics and humanitarian personnel.
Oil rises, stocks waver amid tech sell-off
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 15:35 GMT | by AFP
Stock markets mostly eked out gains while oil prices climbed further Wednesday as higher global bond yields, fuelled by inflation and debt concerns, rattled confidence and took a heavy toll on technology stocks.
Global bond yields have surged to multiyear highs in recent days, reigniting wariness about the huge piles of debt AI firms in particular are taking on to develop their models.
On Wall Street, the tech-heavy Nasdaq opened lower and extended losses seen Tuesday, while the Dow and S&P were slightly higher, following the trend in Europe after losses in Asia.
Gaza health officials say Israeli strike on police station kills 9
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 14:45 GMT | by AFP
Gaza health officials said an Israeli strike on the municipal police headquarters in Gaza City killed nine people on Wednesday.
Attacks in the Palestinian territory have continued in recent days, despite a renewed push by the United States to advance a long-term Gaza peace plan.
Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital reported the arrival of nine bodies, including a woman and a girl, and at least 20 wounded following the strike in Gaza City.
France FM condemns far-right Israeli minister's 'inhumane' Gaza remarks
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 11:36 GMT | by AFP
France's foreign minister on Wednesday condemned "inhumane" remarks by Israel's far-right national security minister that Israel should kill 30 to 40 people every night in Gaza.
The remarks on a podcast by Itamar Ben Gvir "are intolerable and inhumane," said Jean-Noel Barrot.
UAE halts all trade, financial dealings with Iran
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 07:06 GMT | by Web Desk
The United Arab Emirates has said it is suspending all trade and financial dealings with Iran after reporting an Iranian missile attack directed at its ships.
The announcement comes after a period of relative calm in the UAE, with no Iranian missiles aimed at the country since May, after it bore the brunt of attacks in the early weeks of the Middle East war.
Abu Dhabi has, however, accused Tehran of repeatedly targeting its tankers at sea in recent weeks.
"In light of regional escalations... all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran have been halted until further notice," said UAE foreign ministry communications director Afra Al Hameli.
The UAE is home to a sizeable Iranian community and has been a major trading partner for US-sanctioned Iran, at least before the war.
They share deep cultural and historical ties as neighboring countries across the Gulf, with centuries-old links between coastal communities, trade routes and family networks.
FM Dar to attend Regional 4 Foreign Ministers’ meeting
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 07:06 GMT | by Web Desk
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has invited his Pakistani counterpart Senator Ishaq Dar to attend the upcoming Regional 4 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held in Istanbul later this month, said a statement from the foreign office in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The statement further said that the two leaders spoke on telephone and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Senator Ishaq Dar accepted the invitation.
The Regional 4 (R-4) Foreign Ministers' meeting brings together top diplomats from Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to coordinate on regional peace, security, and bilateral cooperation.
The 4th meeting of the forum was held on June 21, 2026, in Cairo, Egypt, with an upcoming session planned in Istanbul, Türkiye later this month.
According to the foreign office statement, Pakistani and Turkish foreign ministers also exchanged views on recent regional developments, and discussed efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
Pakistan condemns Israeli attacks against Syria
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 06:52 GMT | by Web Desk
Pakistan has strongly condemned the unprovoked attack carried out by Israeli occupation forces on Abu al- Duhur Airbase in Idlib, Syria, said a statement from the foreign office in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The statement said, “Such provocative actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law, and have the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability.”
Syrian state media reported on Tuesday that Israel bombed an airbase in Syria, drawing condemnation from Turkey and criticism from a US envoy who called it an "unnecessary escalation".
Syria's state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo in northwest Syria.
Pakistan’s foreign office statement further said, “Pakistan expresses its unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria, and reiterates its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as peace and prosperity of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
Pakistan also called on the international community to play its role in ending repeated violations of international law by the Israeli occupation forces, and to hold it accountable for its destabilizing actions in the region.
Turkiye rejects Israeli claims after strike on Syria air base
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 00:58 GMT | by Web Desk
Turkiye rejected Israeli allegations that it posed a threat by preparing to send troops to a base in Syria, which was hit in a strike that the United States blamed on Israel.
"The frivolous allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister's office aim to legitimize Israel's unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement quoted by the Anadolu state news agency.
Tuesday’s important developments at a glance
Published: Aug 19, 2026 | 00:00 GMT | by Web Desk
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that no US talks with Iran are under way or planned and insisted the blockade of its ports remains in force, adding that “Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated."
Contrary to US president’s comment, Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the United States meets Tehran's demands, including lifting a naval blockade.
Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the US initially wanted Tehran to “unconditionally surrender,” and then changed its objectives to “regime change, partition, internal unrest,” but failed every single time.
He added that the perception that Iran was a weak country had been completely dispelled, arguing that Tehran’s post-war foreign policy will be fundamentally different from the period before the conflict.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defence announced that the air defense systems detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran towards the country. The first fell outside the country's territorial waters, while the second fell within its territorial waters.
In response, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei "categorically rejected the United Arab Emirates' claim that Iran had launched a missile toward that country," calling it harmful to regional trust and security efforts.
For earlier developments, read our Aug 18 live blog here.