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 Saturday's top developments here:
- Iranian envoy says US lacked serious intent for deal
- UAE expresses deep concern over regional developments, calls for immediate de-escalation
- Supreme leader says Iran will teach US 'unforgettable lessons'
- CENTCOM says two service members killed in Jordan, on missing
- Saudi Arabia slams ‘brutal Iranian aggression’ against Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan
US says service member killed in controlled detonation in north Iraq
Published: July 19, 2026 | 20:48 GMT | by AFP
A US service member died during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone in northern Iraq, the military said Sunday.
The death on Saturday takes to 17 the confirmed number of American military fatalities since the US and Israel launched the war with a wave of strikes on Iranian targets on February 28.
Two US service members were killed on Friday in Jordan, and unidentified remains have been found at the location, the US Central Command added Sunday.
Palestinian killed in Israeli strike on tent in Khan Younis
Published: July 19, 2026 | 17:52 GMT | by Web Desk
At least one Palestinian has been killed and 10 wounded by an Israeli air strike that hit tents sheltering displaced people in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, AL Jazeera reported.
UN watchdog calls for restraint as Iran says US attacked unfinished
Published: July 19, 2026 | 16:32 GMT | by AFP
The UN's nuclear watchdog called for restraint on Sunday after Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said the United States had attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country's southwest.
Tehran's Atomic Energy Organization said US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday", according to a statement carried by state TV.
Rubio hails Lebanon for 'move towards peace' after meeting president
Published: July 19, 2026 | 14:32 GMT | by AFP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington on Sunday, hailing the country for its "move towards peace" after the latest round of Lebanon-Israel talks.
Rubio "commended the courage of the Government of Lebanon, under President Aoun’s leadership, for their determined effort to reclaim Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and move towards peace," the State Department said.
Israel warns will respond to any Iran attack with 'full force'
Published: July 19, 2026 | 14:32 GMT | by AFP
Israel's defense minister said Sunday that his country would respond powerfully to any attack by Iran, after Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile launched towards the Jordanian city of Aqaba.
"If Iran files missiles at Israel, we will attack them with full force," Israel Katz said during a visit to a rescue service facility. "If the United States changes its policy, which is also something that could happen, we are prepared for both defensive and offensive" action against Tehran, he added.
Israel says Iran missile towards Jordan's Aqaba intercepted
Published: July 19, 2026 | 12:30 GMT | by AFP
Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile aimed at the Jordanian city of Aqaba on Sunday, the Israeli military told AFP.
When asked by AFP about reports of explosions near the Israeli city of Eilat, a military spokeswoman said both Israeli and Jordanian forces had intercepted a projectile.
Sirens sound in Jordanian capital
Published: July 19, 2026 | 12:00 GMT | by AFP
Sirens sounded in the Jordanian capital Amman on Sunday, an AFP correspondent said, as the United States and Iran exchanged drone and missile attacks.
Jordan's state-run Al-Mamlaka channel also reported that "sirens have been activated in different parts of the kingdom".
Kuwait says another Iranian attack on water, power plant causes fire
Published: July 19, 2026 | 11:40 GMT | by AFP
An Iranian attack on a power and water plant in Kuwait caused a fire for the second day in a row on Sunday, Kuwaiti authorities said, as Tehran retaliates to US strikes with attacks across the Gulf region.
"As a result of the heinous Iranian agression on Kuwait, a power and water distillation plant, for the second time in two days, has been subjected to an attack that caused a fire in some facilities of the station," the Kuwaiti ministry of electricity, water and renewable energy said in a statement on X, adding that firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze.
Iran says US attacked under-construction nuclear power plant
Published: July 19, 2026 | 10:55 GMT | by AFP
Iran's Atomic Energy Organization on Sunday said the United States attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country's southwest, as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate.
US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday," the organization said in a statement carried by state TV.
US embassy says Jordan evacuates Aqaba airport, seaport over threat
Published: July 19, 2026 | 10:35 GMT | by AFP
The US embassy in Amman said Sunday that Jordanian authorities evacuated the airport and the seaport in the coastal city of Aqaba, citing a threat that was not immediately specified.
"Due to a specific and credible threat, Jordanian authorities evacuated the international airport and seaport in Aqaba. We strongly advise all Americans to refrain traveling to either the airport or seaport," the embassy said in a statement.
Jordanian authorities did not immediately confirm it had taken such measures.
Iran says stopped two ships trying to transit Hormuz strait
Published: July 19, 2026 | 10:33 GMT | by AFP
Iran said on Sunday that it stopped two ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz without authorization, as tensions escalate between Tehran and Washington over control of the crucial waterway.
"Four violating ships, with the mischief and support of American terrorists... intended to disrupt and exit the Strait of Hormuz via an unsafe route, two of which had an accident and were stopped in place,"
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement, adding the two other ships abandoned their journey.
US strike damages bridge in southern Iran
Published: July 19, 2026 | 10:17 GMT | by Web Desk
Iranian Students' News Agency shared on X on Sunday images of a bridge damaged by a US strike along a road connecting Roudan and Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
Palestinians say Israeli settlers torch mosque, factory
Published: July 19, 2026 | 10:07 GMT | by AFP
Israeli settlers set fire overnight to a mosque in a village in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian official said Sunday, as an AFP journalist saw the structure's entrance scorched and Hebrew graffiti sprayed on its walls.
The incident came during a period of increased attacks against Palestinian communities by settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.
More than two dozen settlers, some masked, attacked the Al-Taqwa mosque in the village of Al-Tuwani during the night and set it on fire, Mohammed Rabie, head of the village council, told AFP.
The settlers also set fire to two houses and a dairy factory, he said, adding the attackers spray-painted Hebrew graffiti on the walls of the mosque.
Rabie said the settlers fled after villagers emerged from their homes, adding that local volunteers managed to extinguish the flames before they spread further.
AFP photographs showed a child and an elderly man inspecting the charred entrance and windows of the mosque, where part of a prayer carpet had also been burned.
Rabie said the dairy factory, run by women from the Masafer Yatta community, suffered extensive damage.
"We thank God that this attack did not turn into a tragedy with loss of life," he said.
Air raid sirens sound in Bahrain: Interior ministry
Published: July 19, 2026 | 09:33 GMT | by AFP
Air raid sirens sounded in the tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain on Sunday as Iran and the United States traded fresh strikes over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz.
"The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," the interior ministry said in a statement, while an AFP journalist confirmed sirens had rung out in Bahrain's capital Manama.
Venezuela FM 'acknowledges Pakistan’s role in promoting dialogue in regional situation'
Published: July 19, 2026 | 09:05 GMT | by Web Desk
Venezuela Félix Plasencia in a call with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar "acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting dialogue and de-escalation in the regional situation involving the United States and Iran and commended its commitment to peace and diplomacy".
They agreed to remain in close contact and to meet at the earliest appropriate opportunity, said a post shared by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X on Sunday.
IRGC Aerospace Force shoots down US MQ-9 drone: State media
Published: July 19, 2026 | 08:11 GMT | by Web Desk
The IRGC Aerospace Force shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Ahvaz using the new advanced air defense system, Iranian state-run Press TV reported in a post on X on Monday.
Kuwait military says responding to Iran missile, drone attacks
Published: July 19, 2026 | 06:47 GMT | by AFP
Kuwait's military said on Sunday it was responding to aerial salvos fired by Iran a day after the Gulf state faced barrages from the Islamic republic that struck a power plant and oil facility.
"Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression," the army said in a statement, as an AFP journalist reported warning sirens sounding in Kuwait City.
US completes 8th consecutive night of strikes against Iran: CENTCOM
Published: July 19, 2026 | 05:49 GMT | by Web Desk
US Central Command (CENTCOM) completed another round of strikes against Iran on July 18 at 11:30 p.m. ET, at the Commander in Chief's direction, said a post shared by CENTCOM on Sunday.
"During the eighth consecutive night of US strikes, CENTCOM forces successfully hit Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone storage sites to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities."
The post further said, "American military assets also targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces that launched attacks against US service members in Jordan on July 17."
"More than 50,000 US men and women in uniform are operating across the Middle East."
"They remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready," the social media post added.
US says targeted Iranian Guards behind deadly Jordan attack
Published: July 19, 2026 | 04:23 GMT | by Web Desk
The US military said Saturday that it carried out an eighth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, with targets including units behind the attack that killed two American troops in Jordan.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck Iranian military facilities and "targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces that launched attacks against US service members in Jordan on July 17."
Iran army says targeted US bases in Kuwait with drones: State TV
Published: July 19, 2026 | 04:23 GMT | by Web Desk
Iran's army said on Sunday it had targeted two US bases in Kuwait with drones in response to American attacks on Iranian territory.
The Islamic republic's army said it carried out "large-scale attacks with kamikaze drones against the US military's ammunition depot at Camp Udairi and the Patriot radar system and air surveillance radar at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait," according to a statement carried by the state broadcaster.
At least six missiles hit outskirts of Qeshm
Published: July 19, 2026 | 01:05 GMT | by Web Desk
Al-Jazeera, citing Tasnim news agency reported that at least six missiles have struck areas on the outskirts of Qeshm Island.
US forces launch new airstrikes against Iran, says CENTCOM
Published: July 18, 2026 | 22:17 GMT | by Web Desk
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces began launching new airstrikes against Iran at 6 p.m. ET on the direction of the Commander in Chief.
According to the statement, the strikes are intended to further “degrade” Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly “punish” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces that launched attacks against American service members in Jordan the previous night.
For earlier developments, read our July 18 live blog here.