Friday 7 August 2026 07:30 UTC
Hormuz Corridor Plans Advance as Gulf Tensions Persist
In the 24 hours ending 7 August at 07:30 UTC, Iran and Oman prepared to announce a Hormuz shipping corridor. Donald Trump, the US president, said an Iran deal and an end to the war could come soon.
An Iranian draft law would tighten traffic rules across the Strait of Hormuz. It would ban vessels linked to hostile states and impose fines reaching 20% of cargo value. Iran also sought fees worth 5% to 7% of cargo value.
The proposed route would initially divide incoming and outgoing ships between Iranian and Omani waters. All traffic could later move into a central corridor. Two explosions also shook buildings near Qeshm Island, but authorities had not established their cause.
Iran warned that renewed US attacks would trigger strikes on essential Gulf infrastructure. Possible targets include oil, electricity, water and transport systems. Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, urged Trump to delay attacks and continue diplomacy. Saudi Arabia said it would respond with force if attacked.
The Houthis, an Iran-backed armed group in Yemen, attacked Saudi-backed forces at several sites near Marib. Initial figures put the death toll at 45, with dozens wounded. Saudi Arabia also prepared for possible joint attacks by the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi groups.
US blockade enforcement had redirected 49 commercial ships near Iran by 6 August. US forces also disabled two vessels and boarded two others. Trump said US weapons supplies remained strong, but he also said the country needed more ammunition.
US intelligence now assesses that Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, could test NATO before 2029. Possible actions include cyberattacks, secret operations and a limited ground attack against a NATO member.
Ukrainian forces launched hundreds of drones into Russia. Strikes set a large distribution centre in Yekaterinburg on fire. Another attack hit a Russian military equipment base in occupied Kerch.
European governments refused to provide Ukraine with more Patriot interceptors. They fear further transfers would leave their own air defences too weak.
Israel struck a Hezbollah position in southern Lebanon after an attack on an Israeli position. Israel ordered nearby residents to move at least one kilometre north before the strikes.
At least six people died and 15 were injured in a school shooting in Thailand.
US imports of Saudi crude oil fell to zero in July. It was the first full month without those imports since 1985. Venezuelan oil shipments to the United States rose to about 600,000 barrels daily. Brent crude briefly climbed above $82 a barrel.
A phone-based ransomware campaign targeted more than two dozen major US financial companies. Fake technical support sites stole employee passwords and security codes. Some victims paid ransoms.
A US budget estimate put the cost of 15 proposed Trump-class battleships at about $275 billion. That figure is roughly 50% above earlier Navy estimates. The first ship could cost $23.4 billion and take at least eight years.
US labour productivity rose 1.4% during the second quarter, beating forecasts. New jobless claims remained low at 199,000. However, pending home sales reached a five-month low as mortgage rates rose to 6.69%.
Anthony Fauci, a former senior US health official, declined to answer Senate questions and cited his legal rights. A Senate committee voted to hold him in contempt. The full Senate must approve the measure before any possible criminal referral.
Oklo, a nuclear energy company, achieved a self-sustaining chain reaction in its small modular reactor. No small modular reactor yet operates commercially in the United States.
DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence company, restarted fundraising. It is seeking $8 billion at a $74 billion valuation. Nvidia may reduce advanced memory in its next Rubin Ultra processor because of a chip shortage.