Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned the US against making what he called another “miscalculation” over the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise. Araghchi accused the US of repeated intelligence failures and said “fake intelligence” could be more dangerous than fake news. His warning came after US President Donald Trump claimed the US had total control of the strategic waterway. Iran’s Basij commander Hossein Taeb, meanwhile, said Hormuz remains under Tehran’s control. The latest exchange highlights growing tensions over the key shipping route, which is crucial for global energy supplies. (PC: x)

Israel’s military will send more troops to the occupied West Bank village of Qusra after failing to remove Israeli settlers who have trapped 2 Palestinian families in their homes since Sunday. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families said their water and electricity were cut off and food supplies were running low. Israeli forces attempted to remove the settlers on Wednesday but faced confrontations with a larger group and failed. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers, calling them “Israeli terrorists”. The UN says 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank this year by Israeli forces or settlers. (PC: BBC)

US intelligence received multiple warnings of a possible Iranian missile attack targeting Donald Trump’s aircraft as he prepared to leave Ankara during the NATO summit on July 8, The New York Times reported. Officials said Iranian operatives were believed to know exactly where Trump was staying, including the floor of the building. A shoulder-fired missile was also reportedly spotted near the summit. The warnings prompted a secret security operation in which Trump left Turkey on a smaller military aircraft after a decoy Air Force One departed with staff and journalists. Trump later said he was not very concerned about the reported threat. (PC: NDTV)

An adviser to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander has said Tehran could prolong its war with the United States until Donald Trump leaves office. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told PBS NewsHour that extending the conflict could help Iran build military experience, impose costs on the US and strengthen deterrence against future attacks. Naqdi said Iran believes it is currently winning the war but has not achieved its final objective. He also claimed Iran is producing more missiles than it launches and could continue fighting for years. He warned that Iran could target US economic interests worldwide if its missile stockpile were exhausted. (PC: India Today)

The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest ever, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned. He said the outbreak, at its current pace, could surpass the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which killed at least 11,000 people. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has recorded more than 4,300 cases and over 2,000 deaths, according to the report. Health officials said the virus began spreading months before the outbreak was officially declared. The rare Bundibugyo strain is responsible, while insecurity is limiting health workers’ access to affected communities. (PC: BBC)

Japan has strongly protested Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup, one of 4 disputed Kuril islands claimed by both countries. Putin visited the island on Thursday, marking his first visit to the disputed chain, according to Russian state media. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the islands were “inherently Japanese territory” under history and international law. The Kuril dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a post-World War Two peace treaty. Russia administers the islands and has increased its military presence there. Japan has also imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and regularly protests Russian military activities near the islands. (PC: HT)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to step down later this month, with US President Donald Trump announcing her departure on Tuesday. Leavitt, who became the youngest White House press secretary at 27 when she took office in January 2025, called the decision “bittersweet”. In a lengthy social media post, she described her tenure as “the honour and adventure of a lifetime” and thanked Trump for trusting her to represent his administration. Her decision was influenced by the demanding nature of the job and her responsibilities as a mother. Trump praised Leavitt as a “real leader” and one of his most trusted aides, while wishing her well as she leaves the role. (PC: Radar Online)

Families of sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln say its nine-month deployment, including a record 250 consecutive days without landfall, is taking a severe toll, with reports of multiple suicide attempts. At a San Diego town hall, around 200 relatives confronted Navy officials over repeated deployment extensions and deteriorating conditions. One sailor’s wife said her husband tried to jump overboard after his deployment was extended, while another sailor reportedly stopped a colleague from doing so. The carrier’s roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines have spent only two days ashore since November 21 and are now in their fifth month of combat operations against Iran. Families also reported mouldy showers, broken toilets, laundry failures, water shortages and inadequate food. (PC: AFP)

A senior adviser to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander has said Tehran could deliberately prolong its war with the United States until President Donald Trump leaves office. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told PBS NewsHour that extending the conflict could impose attrition and deter future attacks by demonstrating that aggression against Iran carries a significant cost. Naqdi said Iran believes it is currently winning the war and suggested that maintaining the conflict could strengthen Tehran’s strategic position. His remarks indicate that Iran may view prolonged confrontation as a means of building deterrence and signalling staying power. The comments come amid continuing tensions between Iran and the US, with Trump maintaining pressure on Tehran. (PC: India Today)

A major Ukrainian drone and missile attack on Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk damaged 2 major grain export terminals and struck Russia’s key naval base, reports said. Local officials said 3 people, including an 8-year-old child, were killed and 24 injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack used rockets, jet and naval drones in a “unique operation”. Ukraine’s military said 4 Russian warships were hit. Russia’s agriculture ministry said it was redirecting cargo to ports in the Baltic and Caspian Seas and overland routes due to logistical constraints. The attack has further disrupted grain shipments through the Black Sea. (PC: BBC)