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Trump escalates pressure
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington held talks with Tehran on Tuesday and urged Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict, warning in a Fox News interview that U.S. military action would intensify if no agreement is reached.
“Iran says it launched 7th wave of drone strikes on US base in Jordan Iranian army says attack targeted F-18 fighter jet positions and other US military facilities at Azraq Air Base Tarek Chouiref 15 July 2026•Update: 15 July 2026 Iran said early Wednesday that it launched a seventh wave of drone strikes on a US military base in Jordan”
Trump warned Iran could face attacks on key infrastructure, saying, "Next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges," and adding, "We're going to knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."
The Deutsche Welle report tied the remarks to a renewed U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and to U.S. strikes that it said were aimed at reducing Tehran's ability to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Deutsche Welle also said the latest operation came as a renewed U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports officially took effect, with CENTCOM saying vessels were barred from travelling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.
In parallel, the report said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state television that the U.S. naval blockade had effectively ended the Pakistan-brokered agreement, adding that the move "dismantled the Islamabad memorandum."
Drones, ships, and regional hits
The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran struck a critical facility in Kuwait on Wednesday, causing multiple "massive" explosions and starting a fire, and said Kuwait's KUNA State News Agency reported the blaze had been brought under control.
In the same Jerusalem Post account, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper condemned Iranian attacks on seven commercial ships, saying in a statement on CENTCOM's X/Twitter that the attacks "result[ed] in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured."
Anadolu Ajansı said Iran launched a seventh wave of drone strikes on a U.S. military base in Jordan, with the Iranian army saying the attack targeted F-18 fighter jet positions and other U.S. facilities at Azraq Air Base.
Anadolu Ajansı also reported that CENTCOM announced another round of strikes on Iran aimed at degrading capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and that CENTCOM said U.S. forces resumed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas as of 4 p.m. ET (2000GMT).
Separately, Deutsche Welle said Iranian forces launched a drone attack on a military base in Jordan that hosts U.S. aircraft, and that Jordan's military said it had already intercepted four Iranian missiles on Tuesday.
New tools and widening stakes
CBS News said the U.S. military used one-way attack sea drones for the first time in combat Sunday to strike a submarine and ship maintenance facility at the Bandar Abbas Naval Base on Iran's coast in the Strait of Hormuz.
CBS News quoted CENTCOM calling the attack successful and saying it had "degraded Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial shipping" in the region, while Saronic said their 24-foot Corsair Autonomous Service Vehicle was used in the attacks.
Deutsche Welle reported that the U.S. has launched a fourth consecutive day of strikes against Iran, with the latest attacks aimed at reducing Tehran's ability to target commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
In Deutsche Welle's account, it said the conflict appeared to be spreading beyond Iran, including a drone attack on a military base in Jordan and explosions heard in Kuwait's capital overnight.
Deutsche Welle also said the remarks came as Washington enforces a renewed naval blockade on Iranian ports, and that Trump warned strikes would intensify next week if negotiations fail to produce results.
