Summary

  1. Trump reinstating naval blockade of Iranian portspublished at 21:01 BST

    US President Donald Trump wearing a yellow tie, white shirt, blue suit and American flag pin. He stands at a microphone and is pointing, his mouth open.Image source, NurPhoto via Getty Images

    We're about to close this live page, but before we go here's a quick recap of some of today's key developments.

    • President Donald Trump has said the US is reinstating a naval blockade of Iranian ports and will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the Strait of Hormuz
    • He said this would stop "Iran's ships or customers" from entering or leaving the key oil shipping route, but "all other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait"
    • The blockade will be in effect from 16:00 Eastern Time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday
    • Iran's foreign minister later said whoever provides safe passage "should be compensated for this service", but Iran would remain the strait's "GUARDIAN" - using Trump's word
    • Tehran and Washington clashed over the strait's control after exchanging strikes in the region overnight
    • The US said it carried out strikes against military targets in Iran, targeting air defence systems, coastal radars, and missile and drone sites
    • Iran said it responded by striking US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, and radars in Oman

    You can continue reading with our latest story.

  2. Trump to address the nation on Thursday on unknown topicpublished at 20:42 BST

    US President Donald Trump has announced that he will be “making a Speech to the Nation” on Thursday - although he hasn't indicated what the address will be about.

    In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he says he will speak at 21:00 EDT (02:00 BST).

    He last addressed the nation regarding the war in April.

  3. Iran-backed Houthis say they have targeted airport in Saudi Arabiapublished at 20:30 BST

    The Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen says it has targeted Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport with ballistic missiles and drones.

    Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree says the Houthis were responding to "Saudi aggression that targeted Sanaa International Airport".

    Saudi Arabia has not yet commented.

    Earlier, there were reports Yemen's army had targeted a runway at the Sanaa airport in Yemen to prevent an Iranian plane from landing. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the attacks.

    Afterwards, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said its air defences had dealt with ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi rebels towards the southern region, without specifying if it meant in Saudi or Yemen.

    Yemen's internationally-recognised government has the backing of Saudi Arabia, but the Houthis control parts of the country including the capital Sanaa.

  4. Letter to Congress shows Trump informing senator that military activities have restartedpublished at 20:19 BST

    Cai Pigliucci
    Reporting from Washington DC

    The BBC has confirmed that Donald Trump formally notified Congress that military activities against Iran resumed.

    On July 10, the US president wrote a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley, president pro tempore of the United States Senate, to inform of military activities that resumed on 7 July.

    In the letter, Trump says the strikes are defensive and designed to "protect Americans and United States' interests at home and abroad".

    He also describes them as "limited, measured, planned, and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties".

    "I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution," Trump adds.

    Under the resolution, it states that the president must inform lawmakers within 48 hours of launching a military attack.

  5. UN shipping agency says 'no legal basis' for US tolls in Strait of Hormuzpublished at 20:03 BST

    The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) says it has "always been consistent" its in stance on fees, following President Trump's announcement that the US will impose a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

    A spokesperson says: "IMO stands firmly against charging fees for passage through straits used for international navigation.

    "There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait."

    The agency says it is aware of Trump's social media post announcing his plans and is "awaiting more information".

  6. Joint Maritime Information Centre issues advice ahead of blockade resumptionpublished at 19:52 BST

    An advisory note from the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) issues advice, ahead of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports beginning on Tuesday.

    The UK's Maritime Trade Operations shared the notice on X, writing that the regional maritime security threat level remains severe.

    "Further deliberate hostile activity" is likely under current condition, the notice adds.

    Mariners should expect a "sustained naval presence, increased IRGC hailing and monitoring along transit routes," and enforced protection measures should be anticipated.

    They are told to consider complying with the directions of blockading forces, demonstrating clear transit intentions and report unusual activity.

  7. US blockade to resume Tuesday, Centcom sayspublished at 19:35 BST

    US Central Command (Centcom) says the Strait of Hormuz blockade will resume at 16:00 ET (21:00 BST) on 14 July.

    Earlier, Donald Trump said the blockade would begin "immediately".

    "Centcom forces will enforce the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas," the US military says in a post on X.

    "The US military continues to support traffic flow through regional waters for all vessels not violating the blockade."

    It urges all mariners to monitor broadcasts and contact US naval forces when operating in the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz approaches.

  8. Iran's foreign minister mocks Trump's blockade of Iranian portspublished at 19:22 BST

    Abbas Aragchi picturd from the side speaking into a microphone and wearing a grey suitImage source, EPA/Shutterstock

    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has posted a mocking reaction to Donald Trump's announcement that America will impose a charge on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

    "POTUS is absolutely right," he says on X. "Whoever provides secure and safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be compensated for this service."

    "Iran has always been the GUARDIAN of the Strait and will remain so FOREVER," Araghchi says.

    "20% is of course too much. We will be fair," he adds.

  9. Donald Trump speaks at White House Grand Prix showcase eventpublished at 19:01 BST

    The US president is attending a Grand Prix showcase event with race car drivers at the White House.

    We're listening across to Trump's remarks in Washington and will bring you any lines from him that are relevant to Iran.

    You can also watch live at the top of the page.

  10. Iran's foreign ministry condemns reported attack on Yemen's airportpublished at 19:00 BST

    Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail BaghaeiImage source, Reuters

    Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has condemned the reported attack on the airport in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, calling it a "blatant violation of international aviation law".

    Yemen's armed forces reportedly targeted the runway earlier today to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing.

    Yemen's capital Sanaa is under the control of the Iran-aligned Houthi group, while the internationally-recognised government, which has the backing of Saudi Arabia, operates out of Aden in southern Yemen.

    Houthi media subsequently said the Iranian plane had landed anyway.

    The details of the incident remain unclear, but it already appears to be the most significant escalation in the largely dormant conflict between the Yemeni government and the Houthis for several years, our correspondent wrote earlier.

  11. Analysis

    Where is Iran’s Supreme Leader?published at 18:44 BST

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    BBC Persian

    Mojtaba Khamenei pictured on screen during a rally in Tehran, supporters hold up an Iranian flagImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Mojtaba Khamenei pictured on screen during a rally in Tehran, 2 July

    Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in any verified videos or photos since his succession to the position of his father in early March.

    He was reportedly injured in the same strike that killed his father Ali Khamenei on 28 February in Tehran, when US and Israel attacked Iran in the first day of the war. But Iran’s health ministry has rejected claims that his injuries were severe.

    US President Donald Trump said about Mojtaba Khamenei today that he’s “90 per cent gone”.

    So far, since 8 March, we have seen several written messages attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei. In the latest one two days ago, Khamenei vowed to avenge his father’s killing. Iranian officials have followed suit recently.

    Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear publicly during the week-long commemoration ceremonies held in early July for his father, although brothers of Mojtaba Khamenei did.

    The question still remains about his whereabouts.

    But Israel had vowed before and after Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran’s supreme leader that it would target him, although we are yet to see when, or if, he will appear if public.

  12. Trump reimposes US blockade after striking Iran military targetspublished at 18:09 BST

    If you're just joining us, here's a quick rundown of events this afternoon:

  13. Trump's Hormuz plan - expected or a contradiction?published at 17:50 BST

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    White House reporter

    Donald Trump speaking into a microphone, Marco Rubio stood behind him.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously said that no country should "charge tolls or fees on an international waterway"

    On one hand, President Trump's announcement that the US will impose a 20% toll on all cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz is one that, broadly, is in line with his foreign policy.

    Trump often remarks that US allies do not pay enough for their own defence or security. The US, he claims, shoulders the financial and logistical burden for global security issues.

    Reimbursement for the heavy commitment of US naval and air power to secure shipping in the Gulf is aligned with that sentiment, even if allied nations push back on it.

    On the other hand, it directly contradicts recent statements from his own Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

    "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway," Rubio told reporters in early July.

    "That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here."

    Moving forward, the White House is likely to take steps to publicly differentiate between the tolls Trump announced and those that have been called for by the government in Tehran.

  14. Why is the Strait of Hormuz so vital?published at 17:34 BST

    The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea and is deep enough for the world's biggest crude oil tankers to pass through.

    In 2025, about 20 million barrels of oil and oil products passed through the Strait of Hormuz per day, according to estimates from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

    About 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas is shipped through the strait. The oil comes not only from Iran but other Gulf states such as Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

    About 3,000 ships usually sail through the strait each month but this dramatically decreased during the US-Iran war.

    At the narrowest point, the strait and its shipping lanes lie entirely within Iran and Oman's territorial waters - making it a particularly prominent sticking point in the ongoing hostilities.

    Map of Strait of Hormuz.
  15. 'We don't need foreign workers to protect the strait' - Iranian parliamentarianpublished at 17:11 BST

    We've heard from Iranian parliamentarian Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for the country's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, following Trump's announcement of a new blockade of Iranian ports.

    In response to the US president's assertion that the US will be the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz, he writes on X: "We don’t need foreign workers to protect the strait!"

  16. BBC Verify

    How much oil is thought to have left Iran since the first US blockade was lifted?published at 16:55 BST

    By Thomas Copeland

    After the deal to end the war between the US and Iran was signed on 17 June, Washington lifted its two-month blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.

    It also eased decades-old sanctions by allowing for the temporary sale of Iranian oil.

    This was due to expire on 21 August but the US withdrew its permission after a series of attacks on ships in the strait early last week.

    In the month since the license was issued, 59 tankers left the Gulf laden with oil and petrochemicals, according to United Against a Nuclear Iran, an advocacy and monitoring group.

    It says the exports amounted to about 72 million barrels of oil which could provide potential revenue of more than $5.5bn (£4.1bn) for the Iranian government.

  17. US stock markets fall as conflict fuels inflation fearspublished at 16:40 BST

    Michael Race
    Business and economics reporter

    US stock markets have fallen in morning trading on Monday as investors react to the escalating situation in the Middle East.

    All three of the main indexes, the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P 500, are down amid fears of inflation, with oil prices climbing more than 4% to around $79 (£59) a barrel for Brent crude, the global benchmark.

    The US and Iran renewed attacks over the weekend and Tehran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway used in global trade.

    However, President Trump says the strait will remain open and that he will reinstate a blockade on Iranian ports, which he claims will stop "Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving", but be open for other countries which will be required to pay a 20% cargo charge.

    Concerns over global oil supplies since the outbreak of the war have led to prices becoming volatile. While they have risen on the latest news, they remain well below where they were in May.

    The US stock markets are also being affected by a tough start to the month for technology and microchip firms, with investors continuing to grapple over high valuations and concerns of an AI bubble. Shares in Nvidia, SpaceX and Intel were all in the red in early trading.

  18. US struck submarine and ship maintenance facility in overnight Iran strikes - Centcompublished at 16:33 BST

    Video footage from US Centcom shows overnight strikes on Iranian targetsImage source, Centcom / X

    US Central Command (Centcom) says, in an update, that American military forces struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran overnight.

    It says multiple one-way attack surface drones hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base in southern Iran, and shares video footage of the operation.

    "Last night’s strikes degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping," Centcom adds in a statement on X.

    The US had previously said it conducted its strikes in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

  19. BBC Verify

    What happened during the last US blockade?published at 16:14 BST

    By Thomas Copeland

    President Donald Trump first introduced a US naval blockade of Iranian ports three months ago to the day on 13 April, after Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

    The blockade was lifted last month as part of a deal to end the war between the US and Iran.

    During the blockade, the US military says it redirected at least 142 commercial ships going to or from Iranian ports and fired on at least nine vessels which it said refused to comply with its directions.

    While the Pentagon did publish a blockade line, stretching across the entrance to the Gulf of Oman, US forces intercepted multiple ships well outside of the region too.

    A tanker called Tifani, for example, was intercepted east of Sri Lanka more than a week after leaving the Gulf.

    A map showing a line stretching from the coast of Oman to the Iran-Pakistan border which the US military termed its blockade line. It said non-Iranian linked ships would be able to cross freely but those linked to Iran could be intercepted or ordered to turn back.
  20. Trump offers few details of how Hormuz blockade will work in practicepublished at 16:03 BST

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    White House reporter

    What Donald Trump's latest announcement of a new blockade on Iranian ports means in practice remains unclear.

    Many US allies are likely to baulk at the prospect of reimbursing the US and paying 20% of all cargo shipped - and his detractors at home and abroad are likely to point out that the strait was open and unencumbered before Operation Epic Fury began on 28 February.

    The announcement could also become politically complicated for the president domestically.

    Some lawmakers - including Republicans - had openly questioned what the US gained from the ceasefire, its extension and further negotiations.

    Many Americans are also likely to wonder why - despite repeated promises to the contrary - oil prices are inching up again. Trump is not on the ballot for the upcoming midterm elections, but other Republicans are and will be hearing from constituents concerned about prices.

    The announcement could also be a bid to restart negotiations and push other countries to be more involved, a tactic that Trump has used in the past.

    In a few hours' time we will hear from Trump on-camera, when he may provide more detail about the announcement.