US says it reached nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia The US and Saudi Arabia have reached a nuclear cooperation agreement, the US Energy Department said on Wednesday. The two countries have also signed an accompanying bilateral safeguards deal, the Energy Department said.
From Syria to UAE, the race to bypass Strait of Hormuz is on Submitted by Sean Mathews on Wed, 07/22/2026 - 18:46 A Houthi blockade against Saudi Arabian shipping underscores how new pipelines and export routes remain vulnerable A handout picture provided by energy giant Saudi Aramco shows one of its engineers at Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia's Medina province, on 16 January 2011 (Joe Lynch/Saudi Aramco/AFP) Off The Middle East is entering a pipeline-building boom from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman , as Arab oil producers rush to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is fighting to exert its dominance over global energy flows. Tens of billions of dollars will be spent in the coming years to bypass the chokepoint where the US and Iran are battling for control, experts say. And while the Middle East has a recent history of grandiose infrastructure projects that fizzle out, this time the commitments to rewire the flow of oil are real.
UK evacuates embassy staff from Iran The UK has temporarily withdrawn its embassy staff from Iran due to the security situation, while the embassy continues to operate remotely, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said on Wednesday.
Iran war: What is Pickaxe Mountain and why does Trump want to attack it? US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground facility at the centre of renewed Israeli claims about Iran's nuclear programme. "We'll be hitting that area very probably pretty soon.
Explosions heard in Erbil, report says Four explosions were heard in Iraq's Erbil, Al Jazeera reported.
Iran's Araghchi warns any aggression will draw decisive response Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said any aggression against Iran would draw a “powerful and decisive” response, adding that those who contributed to such an attack would also be considered legitimate targets. Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye. Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response.
Israel's spy chief held talks on Iran war in Washington, Axios reports The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency traveled to Washington two weeks ago to discuss the Iran war, in his first visit to the US capital since taking office, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two unidentified sources with knowledge of the situation. He met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House officials, the report said.
Iran's Qalibaf says no one will sell oil in the region if Iran cannot Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday that no one will be able to sell oil in a region where Iran is not able to do so, adding that if Tehran's security is not ensured, no infastructure will be safe. "The equation of this war is clear: either all or none," Qalibaf said in a post on X, adding that the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies in the absence of American forces. معادلهٔ این جنگ مشخص است: یا همه یا هیچکس!
Iran's Ghalibaf says no one will sell oil in the region if Iran cannot Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Wednesday that no one will be able to sell oil in a region where Iran is not able to do so, adding that if Tehran's security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe. "The equation of this war is clear: either all or none," Galibaf said in a post on X, adding that the security of the Strait of Hormuz lies in the absence of American forces. معادلهٔ این جنگ مشخص است: یا همه یا هیچکس!
Israeli strike kills at least one in Gaza, report says An Israeli drone strike killed at least one person and injured several others in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Al Jazeera reported, citing medical sources. The drone reportedly targeted a tent sheltering displaced people inside the camp. More than 73,300 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since 7 October 2023.
Lebanon, Israel to hold next talks in Italy on 4 August Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold their next round of US-brokered talks on 4 August in Italy, a Lebanese official told Reuters on Wednesday. The two longtime foes have held more than three months of face-to-face talks, billed as a way to put a permanent end to the war since 2 March. The ambassador-level direct meetings are unusual for countries that remain formally at war and have had no normal diplomatic relations through decades of invasion, military occupation and cross-border conflict.
Fifty three Iranian civilians killed since renewed US attacks in June US strikes killed at least 53 people, including three children, since 27 June, Al Jazeera reported. The Iranian health ministry said more than 590 others have been wounded in US attacks since the renewed US attacks on the country. At least 18 US soldiers have been killed and hundreds wounded since the war began in late February, according to US Central Command.
Why Turkey's new opposition party is both good and bad news for Erdogan Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Wed, 07/22/2026 - 14:35 The new party could surpass the ruling AKP in polls, but opposition divisions may give Erdogan a path to victory In a handout photo on 11 June 2024, then-leader of the Republican People's Party, Ozgur Ozel, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shaking hands in Ankara (AFP/Turkish Presidency Press Service) Off Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel announced on Tuesday that he will launch a new political party after a court removed him as chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in May, deepening a split within the country's main opposition. The announcement follows months of prosecutions targeting the CHP through a series of investigations that have led to the arrest of 26 opposition mayors on corruption charges, including Istanbul's popular mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu . A separate case alleged that Ozel was elected party chairman through bribery and irregular lobbying.
Israeli press review: US-Saudi nuclear deal slammed as Netanyahu's 'failure' Anger and fear swept Israel on Wednesday after the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that the US had agreed to provide Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear programme. According to the reports, US President Donald Trump approved one of the landmark policies of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, granting Riyadh a 30-year civilian nuclear deal that could allow uranium enrichment in the kingdom. Israeli politicians took to social media to voice their concerns regarding the agreement, with some stating that it harms Israel's security interests and signals yet another failure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Tunisia: Fears grow for Rached Ghannouchi after reported collapse in prison Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 07/22/2026 - 15:00 Haifa Chebbi, the daughter of another jailed opposition leader, said she saw the former speaker of parliament lose consciousness due to the extreme heat in prison In this file photo, Rached Ghannouchi can be seen at his office in the Tunisian capital Tunis on 31 March 2022 (Fethi Belaid/AFP) Off Fresh concerns have emerged over the health of Tunisia 's jailed opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi after an eyewitness said she watched the 84-year-old politician lose consciousness inside prison. Haifa Chebbi, the daughter of imprisoned opposition politician and lawyer Ahmed Chebbi, said in Facebook video on Tuesday that she witnessed Ghannouchi faint whilst she was visiting her father at Mornaguia prison amid an intense summer heatwave that has swept across the country. Chebbi said that Ghannouchi later regained consciousness, but she described the incident as alarming, particularly given his age and declining health.
Israel releases 35 Palestinian detainees 35 Palestinian detainees got released by Israel and delivered by the Red Cross to Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
No meeting set yet between Trump and Netanyahu, Axios reports The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is discussing with the White House a potential meeting with Trump in the Oval Office during Netanyahu's trip to the US next week, but no meeting has been set yet, according to Axios. Officially, Netanyahu's trip to the US last week was cancelled due to the postponement of Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. White House sources denied the existence of any set meetings between Netanyahu and Trump just one day before the announcement of the cancellation last week.
Israeli press review: US-Saudi nuclear deal slammed as Netanyahu's 'failure' Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Wed, 07/22/2026 - 14:44 Meanwhile, President Herzog warns of threats to Israel's upcoming elections, and a former National Security Ministry official faces indictment over illegal gun licences Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a cornerstone laying ceremony for the Atarot Jewish Heritage Centre at an abandoned Palestinian airport in occupied East Jerusalem on 5 July 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP) Off Israel alarmed by Saudi nuclear push Anger and fear swept Israel on Wednesday after the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that the US had agreed to provide Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear programme. According to the reporting, US President Donald Trump approved one of the landmark policies of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, granting Riyadh a 30-year civilian nuclear deal that could allow uranium enrichment in the kingdom. Israeli politicians took to social media to voice their concerns regarding the agreement, with some stating that it harms Israel's security interests and signals yet another failure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iran will target region's US-linked infrastructure if Washington strikes Iranian bridges or power plants "Tehran will retaliate agianst region's infrastructure like bridges or energy sites linked to the US if the US strikes Iranian bridges or power plants," the Iranian Tasnim news agency reported, citing military source.
Hamas's new leader delivers statement Newly elected Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has delivered his first statement as the head of the political bureau of the movement. The Gaza-born leader named stopping the bloodshed in Gaza and restoring a dignified life for its people among Hamas's current top priorities. The West Bank was also addressed in Hayya's statement, described as "a responsibility and a trust".
