Friday 18 September 2026 07:30 UTC
Iran Tensions Rise as US Weighs Attacks and Saudi Arms Sale
In the 24 hours ending 18 September at 07:30 UTC, Iran tensions deepened as America considered wider attacks and major arms sales.
Donald Trump, the US president, neared a decision on resuming large-scale US attacks on Iran. Iran claimed it had recently destroyed another American MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island.
US forces have redirected 104 commercial vessels since resuming their blockade of Iran. Restrictions remain on ships entering and leaving Iranian ports.
UN-backed experts found reasonable grounds that America committed war crimes during two February strikes in Iran. One strike hit a school in Minab and killed more than 150 people, including many children.
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A preliminary US assessment found American forces were probably responsible. It said outdated intelligence may have wrongly identified the school as a military site.
The US State Department approved a possible $24.3 billion Saudi arms sale. The package includes 48 F-35A fighters, 49 engines, training, maintenance and electronic warfare support. Congress must still consider the proposal.
Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, discussed future high-level talks. A Trump-Xi Jinping summit is planned for 24 September.
China also urged Iran to restrain the Houthis at Saudi Arabia’s request. This placed Beijing between Riyadh and Tehran as regional fighting continued.
The Bank of England kept its main interest rate at 3.75%. Several major banks now expect another US rate increase in October or December.
General Motors delivered its first Patriot missile parts only 22 days after signing its production contract. The company supplied housing components for PAC-3 MSE interceptors to Lockheed Martin.
The US imposed sanctions on three Iranian people and two Iranian businesses. It also targeted three Cuban people and six Cuban state-owned organisations.