Today's Essential

The escalation continues and intensifies on the Iranian front, particularly as the U.S. military has been bombing Revolutionary Guard positions and infrastructure across several regions of Iran for twelve consecutive days. The entry of Yemen's Houthis into the conflict is also being confirmed. Early Thursday, the pro-Iranian Houthi militia announced it had struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, as part of what it claims is a maritime blockade it is imposing on Saudi Arabia. The activation of the Yemeni front did not go unanswered on the American side. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to the Iranian regime and the Houthis. Condemning the attack on the two Saudi tankers, the U.S. president made it clear that if such aggression is repeated, he will hold the Islamic Republic responsible, "since it is the one pulling the Houthis' strings." Trump stressed that if such an attack happens again, he will inflict "severe punishment on Iran, as well as on the Houthis." For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the Houthis made the wrong choice by letting themselves be drawn into the ongoing conflict. With a hint of irony, he said they had been "played" when they decided to enter the war on Iran's side. The top U.S. diplomat added that the Iranian regime will continue to pay a heavy price — "which will be higher every night" — until it "comes to its senses." It is worth noting in this context that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, when asked in an interview about Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, stated that he had not met with him recently, indicating that very few people have access to him. Other troubling signs of escalation: the United Kingdom and France have closed their embassies in Tehran. Iranians have accused the British of allowing American B-1 bombers to take off from their bases to strike Iran. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers approved, by a narrow majority, a $95 billion plan to fund the war against Iran, though the bill still needs to go before the Senate for a vote. This vote comes as the price of oil has once again crossed the $100-per-barrel mark. Finally, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited Tehran on Thursday, where he was received by Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian. According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, "several bilateral agreements were signed." The young Iraqi politician, who had been received with great fanfare just days ago in Washington by Donald Trump and signed several agreements with the United States, appears to be seeking to maintain good relations with his neighbor, which remains powerful despite being weakened. The nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia The most significant development of Thursday was undoubtedly an announcement by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright regarding a future agreement on civilian nuclear development in Saudi Arabia. According to AFP, the minister raised the possibility of exporting American technologies and creating jobs toward the construction of nuclear power plants to replace oil and gas facilities. It should be noted in this context that President Trump emphasized Thursday that the nuclear deal taking shape with Saudi Arabia "is tied to the recognition of Israel and the ratification of the Abraham Accords" — which several Gulf states, notably the United Arab Emirates, have already signed with Israel. Until now, Riyadh had refused to consider recognizing the Jewish state without the creation of a Palestinian state. While the Saudi response has been slow to come, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to react following Trump's announcement. Netanyahu's office described a potential Saudi signing of the Abraham Accords as a "historic milestone." On the ground, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians are escalating. Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made a highly controversial visit to the Temple Mount, greeting Jewish worshippers there. The visit drew widespread condemnation, particularly from Jordan, which has custodianship over this major Islamic holy site. Under the existing arrangement, Jews are permitted to visit the compound but not to pray there. Meanwhile, clashes between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank continue: on Thursday, two Palestinians were stabbed to death during an altercation with a settler, who was also injured. In Lebanon, Hezbollah seethes In Lebanon, commentary is mounting over the outcome of President Joseph Aoun's visit to Washington and his meeting with President Trump on Tuesday. While much of the political class hailed the Washington visit as a success, Hezbollah launched a full-scale effort to discredit both the president and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. In a statement, the Hezbollah parliamentary bloc claimed that the presidential visit "failed to secure the fulfillment of even a single national sovereignty demand and yielded no American commitment regarding an Israeli withdrawal." The pro-Iranian group's statement argues that Lebanon's leaders are steering the country "toward a new form of foreign tutelage." It is worth noting that Parliament Speaker and Amal leader Nabih Berry — Hezbollah's main ally — called on the president upon his return to Baabda, even as relations between the two men had been rather cool in recent weeks.

The summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington marks a key milestone in the Lebanese government’s efforts to restore the authority of the state. Behind the summit lay a strategic objective that is part of the broader regional transformation now underway and that the United States fully supports because it also serves its own objectives: bringing an end to Iran’s influence in Lebanon. In practical terms, as is widely understood, that means resolving the issue of Hezbollah’s illegal weapons. The group continues to reject the authority of the Lebanese state and remains firmly opposed to the political course pursued by the president. For the Lebanese people and the international community, however, with the obvious exception of Iran, resolving the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons remains an essential prerequisite for restoring the state’s sovereignty. That issue, together with Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon under the June 26 Lebanese-Israeli framework agreement and, above all, support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, was at the heart of the talks between Presidents Trump and Aoun at the White House. President Aoun described his meeting with his American counterpart as excellent. Earlier, during a press conference ahead of the summit, Trump had reiterated the main pillars of his administration’s policy on Lebanon and Iran. On Lebanon, Trump reaffirmed his full support for both the country and his Lebanese counterpart, whom he said had “been fighting Hezbollah for a very long time.” He also said he wanted “to help Lebanon a lot,” describing it as “a very badly treated country for a long period of time,” before praising it as “the homeland of many of my friends.” Aoun thanked his host for what he called “a historic visit and the historic achievement we accomplished together with the signing of the framework agreement.” The last visit by a Lebanese president to Washington was in 2009. He recalled that the framework agreement’s “ultimate objective” is “ending the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel forever.” Before the meeting, the Lebanese president had said he intended to ask his U.S. counterpart to pressure Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Since taking office, Aoun has pledged to disarm Hezbollah. In the Oval Office, he asked Trump for substantial support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and urged him to “continue supporting” the country’s regular forces. “Without them, everything will collapse. We don’t want that. I don’t think President Trump wants that either,” Aoun said. Trump replied that he had “very concrete plans” to help the Lebanese Armed Forces, which are to play a pivotal role in the process of disarming Hezbollah and restoring the authority of the state. But the U.S. president “will likely want further evidence that Joseph Aoun is serious about his commitments” to disarm Hezbollah and achieve peace with Israel, Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute, told AFP. In this context, Al Hadath, the Arabic-language channel, reported that President Aoun did in fact present Trump with a plan to disarm Hezbollah, which could lead to a drastic weakening of Iran's influence in Lebanon. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he would be willing to talk to Hezbollah “if President [Aoun] wanted me to.” “I can talk to anybody,” he said. He also praised Nabih Berri, speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament and leader of the Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s ally, saying he “wants the war to end.” Alongside the political dimension, one of the most notable immediate outcomes of the White House meeting was undoubtedly President Trump’s announcement that he had instructed his administration to authorize all U.S. airlines to resume direct flights to Lebanon. “Iran Has Not Seen Anything Yet” On Iran, Donald Trump reiterated his threats, saying that “the United States is not done at all” with the Islamic Republic, which is tightening pressure on the Strait of Hormuz through its Yemeni allies, the Houthis. The United States would “deal with” the Houthis if they carried out their threats, the U.S. president said. Washington had already mobilized against the group after it disrupted maritime traffic during the Gaza war, launching drone and missile attacks against ships. Trump also reiterated that Iran, which he said “hasn’t seen anything yet,” “desperately” wanted a meeting. But he added: “Until they are ready to do it in a constructive way, we don’t see any reason to do so.” Iran’s interior minister, who was in Islamabad on a diplomatic mission, was expected to return empty-handed after Trump made clear to Pakistan’s mediator that he was not interested in the 10-day truce proposed by Tehran. During his press conference, the U.S. president also raised the possibility of strikes against Mount al-Faas (literally “Mount of the Axe”), which houses one of Iran’s most heavily fortified and secret underground nuclear facilities. The Lebanese Army in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh The Aoun-Trump summit took place as the first phase of the June 26 Lebanese-Israeli framework agreement was being implemented on the ground in Lebanon. The Lebanese Army began deploying in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, a village in the Nabatiyeh district that had been occupied by Israel. Early Tuesday morning, the Lebanese Army announced the start of its deployment in the area, saying the operation was being carried out on the basis of contacts with the body established under the framework agreement, namely the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L). But shortly after the deployment began, tensions rose again following an incident that underscored the fragility of the process underway. The Lebanese Army accused Israeli forces of opening fire “near” its units as they were entering Zawtar. In a statement, the military command warned that the firing “hinders the implementation of the deployment in the pilot areas,” which were coordinated with the MCG4L and number three in total. They are Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh. Israel had maintained a presence only in the latter village. The Israeli army, quoted by Kan, confirmed the firing but said it consisted only of warning shots. According to the Israeli army, Lebanese soldiers accompanied by a bulldozer had crossed the agreed boundary for that pilot area. The warning shots were intended to make them turn back. The U.S.-led monitoring mechanism was immediately informed of the incident, according to the Israeli military. The Lebanese Army, for its part, barred residents from returning to Zawtar as long as calm remained fragile there, particularly as it was clearing the village of missiles and other unexploded ordnance. Shelling and Demolition Operations Despite the entry into force of the first phase of the framework agreement, the intensity of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon has not decreased. Blasting operations continued on Tuesday, particularly in the Bint Jbeil district, as well as in Khiam, where the Israeli army says it is destroying Hezbollah infrastructure. The heights of the strategic Ali Taher hill in Nabatiyeh were targeted again, while explosions were heard across the so-called security zone established by Israel along its northern border with Lebanon, where it continues to operate as long as it considers that Hezbollah’s capabilities have not been neutralized. Iranian Threats While the Lebanese issue is moving forward in line with the approach adopted by the Lebanese authorities, with U.S. backing, the regional issue – and more specifically the U.S.-Iran negotiations – has stalled. The day after another round of overnight U.S. strikes, which have become a daily occurrence over the past ten days, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened “even more violent” attacks against U.S. interests in the region. This means Gulf countries and Jordan, with Tehran refraining from striking Israel for fear of opening the gates of hell and facing the consequences. Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan intercepted Iranian missiles again on Tuesday. Kuwaiti authorities accused Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure for the fourth consecutive day, including power plants and water desalination plants, where fires broke out. Meanwhile, in Yemen, the Houthis intensified the maritime blockade they have imposed on Saudi Arabia in response to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. On Tuesday, they warned shipping companies that they would target any vessel traveling to or from Saudi ports, prompting Donald Trump’s warning during his joint press conference with Joseph Aoun. Finally, on the diplomatic front, Paris summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires following the assault on two French diplomats in Tehran. French authorities are demanding that those responsible be punished. They reiterated that no easing of European sanctions would be considered as long as Iran continues its nuclear program and what they describe as destabilizing actions in the region.

The situation in Iran continues to escalate on every front. Tensions are rising both in the political and media spheres and on the battlefield. The U.S. military is continuing its strikes against the Revolutionary Guards’ strategic facilities and transportation networks, while the Guards are retaliating by targeting—not Israel—but Arab countries, primarily the Gulf states. In recent days, Revolutionary Guard attacks have extended to Jordan, where two American soldiers were killed, four others wounded, and a seventh remains missing while participating in air defense operations aimed at intercepting missiles and drones. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims that its attacks on Arab countries are intended to strike U.S. military bases located there. However, recent events contradict that claim, as Iranian strikes over the past two days targeted, among other sites in Kuwait, a power plant and a seawater desalination facility. Meanwhile, over the past 48 hours, a U.S. air bridge has been detected transporting dozens of aerial refueling aircraft as well as F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from Europe to Israel. These aircraft had been redeployed to Europe following the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran but have now been sent back to the Middle East. At the same time, the U.S. military is reinforcing its naval blockade of Iranian ports. On Saturday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that five commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade had been forced to turn back. The impact of the blockade has become even more severe as it has been accompanied by the destruction of key land transportation infrastructure, including seven bridges and railway lines, particularly around Bandar Abbas. New Message Attributed to Khamenei This renewed military activity has been accompanied since the end of the week by a sharp escalation in rhetoric. In a written message attributed—without independent verification—to the elusive Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the United States was threatened with "a lesson it will never forget" should it continue its attacks against Iran. The statement also declared that "Donald Trump's signature on the memorandum of understanding has no value." This echoes remarks made on Saturday by a senior Iranian official, who warned that "if U.S. attacks continue over the next two or three days, Iran will move from the defensive phase to the offensive stage." He added that Iran had decided to "suspend all of its commitments under the memorandum of understanding." Politically, the message attributed to Khamenei is significant because it calls on Iranian leaders to tone down their internal disputes while urging the population to moderate its criticism of the authorities. This dual appeal comes as signs of growing divisions between the regime's hardline faction and its so-called pragmatic camp have become increasingly visible, according to American and Pakistani officials. Aoun in Washington Against the backdrop of these mounting regional tensions, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun began an official multi-day visit to Washington on Saturday. On Sunday, he is expected to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Tuesday, July 21, he will be received at the White House by President Donald Trump to discuss ways to implement the framework agreement signed with Israel on June 26. The two presidents are expected to focus particularly on southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army continues its targeted raids and the demolition of Hezbollah infrastructure.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan came under fresh Iranian attacks on Friday, in retaliation for American airstrikes carried out on Iranian soil. For the sixth consecutive day, Washington's Gulf allies are directly bearing the cost of this military escalation. The damage inflicted on civilian infrastructure on both sides points to a further intensification of the conflict. Late Friday evening, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the US military had launched, for the seventh consecutive night, a new wave of strikes against Iranian military positions and infrastructure. Iran's official state media reported powerful explosions shortly before midnight in several areas of southern Iran, including Bandar Abbas. Communication routes have been a particular focus of US military strikes over the past 48 hours. Meanwhile, Tehran continues to ratchet up its rhetoric. Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, threatened on Friday that Iran would enter "a phase of all-out offensive" if American strikes continue beyond "two or three days." He also declared that "Iran will no longer limit itself to retaliating, and no border will be safe." Power grid restrictions Iranian authorities reported damage to the electricity grid in the south of the country. They also noted bombings targeting bridges, a port, an airport, telecommunications infrastructure, and a train station. In a statement, the relevant ministry urged residents to turn off their air conditioners during peak hours "in order to help ensure a stable electricity supply in the southern provinces, which are currently facing extreme heat and attacks on power facilities." In Kuwait, a power plant and a water desalination facility were struck in an Iranian attack, according to the emirate's authorities, who also called on residents "to reduce their electricity consumption during this exceptional period," as temperatures reach 48°C. Iranian strikes on all fronts The armed forces of Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Qatar — all close US allies — announced they had faced aerial attacks at dawn on Friday. In Kuwait, the military reported several injuries. In Qatar, which is serving as a mediator in the conflict, a child was wounded by debris. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have targeted the American Al-Udeid Air Base, stating they had destroyed radar systems and military aircraft in order to "punish the aggressor." US President Donald Trump had threatened earlier this week to strike Iran's bridges and power plants if its leaders refused to return to the negotiating table. The Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic's ideological army, warned that strikes "will continue until calm is restored on the southern coast and in the Strait of Hormuz." Trump 'open to talks' Donald Trump "remains open to diplomacy at the same time," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said. According to her, the Iranians "have signaled to the president that they still want to reach a deal. We are talking to them, but, again, the president is not going to let them fire on ships in the strait without consequences." In the Strait of Hormuz — through which nearly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas exports flowed before the war — maritime traffic continues to dwindle. Iraq-Syria oil pipeline In Washington, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's visit has yielded its first results. The United States welcomed on Friday an agreement between Iraq and Syria to restore the oil pipeline linking the two countries, which has been closed for decades, ultimately facilitating oil transport amid renewed hostilities between Iran and Washington. The pipeline is intended to connect Iraqi oil production to Mediterranean export markets and beyond. A genuine windfall, as crude oil prices surged following the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The price of oil continues to rise, but remains at around $87 per barrel — still well below the peak of $126 reached at the height of the conflict. The United States announced that it is leading an international consortium to handle the technical and financial aspects of the project, which, once restored, will have "an initial transport capacity of 2 million barrels of crude oil per day." Speaking last week in Damascus, on the sidelines of a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said he believed Syria could become an "important transit country for oil flowing from Iraq to the Mediterranean," offering "alternative routes" to the Strait of Hormuz. In Southern Lebanon Regarding the Lebanese front, a Lebanese diplomatic source cited by the Arabic-language channel Al-Hadath, indicated on Friday that the Israeli army is expected to begin its withdrawal this weekend from the pilot zones set to be handed over to the Lebanese army, in accordance with the framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel on June 26. On the military operations front, Israeli forces present in the South continued destroying the underground military infrastructure built by Hezbollah over the course of decades. At the same time, targeted air strikes were carried out by the Israeli army across multiple sectors of the country's southern region.

Tensions in the region are continuing to escalate, increasingly resembling a volcano on the verge of erupting at any moment. Iran turned up the heat further on Thursday, once again wielding the Houthi card in response to American warnings. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Hezbollah took its defiance of state institutions a step further, with some of its MPs launching a fierce attack on the President of the Republic to challenge the enforcement of Israel's partial withdrawal from pilot zones in the south of the country and the planned disarmament of the group. Just hours before the highly anticipated address by US President Donald Trump, scheduled for 1:00 AM GMT on the night of Thursday to Friday (4:00 AM Beirut time), Tehran announced that its military would target infrastructure across the region if the White House chief followed through on his threats to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure. The warning came from the spokesman for Iran's military high command, quoted by Reuters, who stated that Tehran 'would not tolerate any American interference in the Strait of Hormuz.' The issue, he said, represents 'a red line' for the Islamic Republic, whose ports have once again been subject to a US naval blockade since it closed that strategic waterway. Also according to Reuters, citing three sources, Iran reportedly asked the Yemeni Houthi movement to stand ready to 'close the Red Sea oil route through Bab el-Mandeb if the United States strikes Iranian energy infrastructure,' posing a significant new threat to global energy supplies. The idea was said to have been discussed within the leadership of the Islamic Republic, and the message was conveyed to Iran's Houthi allies, according to two senior Iranian sources and one regional source familiar with the matter, who, Reuters notes, spoke on condition of anonymity. Iran appears intent on getting ahead of Donald Trump's speech and is betting on a broader escalation of its conflict with the United States in the event of 'enemy strikes.' The Islamic Republic, long a master of proxy warfare, once again played the Houthi card on Thursday. The leader of the Yemeni group, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, launched a fierce attack on Saudi Arabia in an audio-visual message, threatening to strike Riyadh should the kingdom attack Houthi targets 'again.' He condemned what he called an 'unjustified' Saudi strike on Sanaa airport — even though it was his own group that had first launched missiles at an airport in southern Saudi Arabia on Monday evening, drawing a powerful Saudi response. President Trump's address is expected to mark a turning point in the conflict's trajectory, according to various international media outlets, who note that his last major speech, on April 1st, was filled with 'bombshell' announcements. The White House occupant has billed it as 'a very big announcement.' It is expected to touch on matters related to the US elections scheduled for November, as well as talks with Iran, which are currently deadlocked. The Pakistani mediator who had been shuttling back and forth to bridge the gaps now appears to be out of work. On Thursday, Islamabad limited itself to calling on Washington and Tehran to return to the negotiating table. That appeal, issued by the spokesman for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, largely reflects Islamabad's current inability to halt the escalating tensions. On the ground, the confrontation continues along the same lines: CENTCOM is launching waves of strikes, mostly at night, against Iranian installations. The Islamic Republic is retaliating by striking American targets in countries across the region, including Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. U.S. strikes were carried out early Thursday evening against sites near Bandar Abbas, on the Strait of Hormuz. Weapons for Hezbollah in Lebanon Meanwhile, tensions are also escalating in Lebanon, where the Lebanese army and Israel are preparing to implement a mechanism for a partial Israeli withdrawal from pilot zones in the south of the country. This is a move to which Hezbollah remains fiercely opposed, as it continues to reject the framework agreement reached between Beirut and Tel Aviv and to violently contest the principle of direct negotiations between the two capitals, which share a common goal: to reduce the pro-Iranian group's capacity for harm and impose a weapons monopoly in Lebanon. But this prospect is unfolding in a particularly tense climate. Hezbollah still refuses to surrender its weapons, as one of its MPs, Hassan Fadlallah, reaffirmed on Thursday, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz was reminding his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, that Tel Aviv intends to maintain its troops indefinitely in the 'security zones' established in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip in order to protect its borders. The announcement by the Syrian Interior Ministry, which reported the interception at the Syrian-Iraqi border of a truck carrying sophisticated weapons and rockets destined for Hezbollah, has nonetheless lent weight to Israel's argument for justifying the continued presence of its forces in Lebanon. This latest seizure, far from being an isolated incident according to Damascus, reinforces accusations that Iran is continuing to rearm its primary military proxy in the region, despite international pressure. It comes as Donald Trump had once again raised the possibility of giving Syria an expanded role in the fight against Hezbollah, which denied 'conducting any activities whatsoever in Syria' in a brief statement worded in very vague terms. The statement was published after the weapons seizure was announced, but makes no mention of it. It merely refers to 'fabricated information designed to harm [the group] and serve American-Israeli interests.' Hezbollah MPs, meanwhile, lashed out at President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese-Israeli framework agreement, which 'Tel Aviv will not succeed in imposing on those who oppose it.' Hassan Fadlallah sharply criticized the decision by Lebanese authorities to disarm the group he belongs to, 'when the weapons it possesses are what worries Israel.' In the meantime, the Lebanese army has begun reinforcing its presence in the south of the country, patrolling around a dozen villages, including Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces had previously entered. On the ground, Tel Aviv continues its limited military operations: an Israeli raid killed two people in Nabatieh el-Faouka during the day, while sporadic bombardments and demolitions of homes were also reported.

As Israeli forces continue their intermittent targeted raids in southern Lebanon and systematically dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure in the region, the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, which concluded Wednesday in Rome under U.S. auspices, appears to have officially and concretely launched the long and perilous process of the IDF's gradual withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Following two days of meetings on Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, in the Italian capital, both authorized American and Lebanese sources described the outcome of this sixth round of Lebanese-Israeli talks as "fruitful" and "positive." The U.S. Embassy in Beirut indicated that concrete measures had been agreed upon for the establishment of the first two pilot zones, which should allow the Lebanese army to deploy in sectors to be vacated by the Israelis. The precise technical details will be finalized in the coming days, the U.S. Embassy noted, adding that this will enable a move toward broader discussions leading to the implementation of "all aspects" of the framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel "with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement" between the two countries. This positive assessment of the Rome talks was shared by a Lebanese source as well as by a senior Israeli official, quoted by Maariv, who stated Wednesday that Lebanon and Israel had reached "an agreement regarding the first two pilot zones in southern Lebanon." The official further noted that both countries regard "the disarmament of Hezbollah as a fundamental objective" of the ongoing process defined by the framework agreement. Trump renews pressure over Sharaa Regarding the fate of Hezbollah, President Donald Trump renewed his pressure on Wednesday over the role that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa could play in dismantling the Hezbollah militia. "President Sharaa would like to step in and deal with Hezbollah, and I'm thinking of giving him the green light," the White House chief declared, elaborating that the Syrian leader would be "more precise than the Israelis in his approach to dealing with Hezbollah." "He will do it differently, without destroying buildings," he added. This proposal, already put forward by President Trump on several occasions in recent days but rejected by the Lebanese, will likely be raised during the visit President Joseph Aoun will make to Washington on July 21, where he will be received at the White House. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will also undoubtedly discuss it during his planned visit to Washington at the start of next week. Sleiman Frangieh and Mahmoud Komati sanctioned by Iraq Also worth noting, in the chapter on curbing the militia activities of the pro-Iranian party, the Iraqi government has added Lebanese Hezbollah to its banking sanctions list in an evident bid to cut off the pro-Iranian party's funding sources. At the same time, Iraqi authorities also imposed banking sanctions on Marada leader, former minister and MP Sleiman Frangieh, and on the Deputy President of Hezbollah's Political Council, Mahmoud Komati—both of whom had already been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. These sanctions come in the wake of meetings held a few days ago in Washington between Iraq's new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and President Trump. Al-Zaidi framed those talks as centered on a "strategic partnership" with the United States. President Trump set the tone for that partnership by indicating that American companies would handle the extraction of Iraqi oil. "The Iraqis," the president stated, "no longer want to deal with anyone else — they want to deal with the United States, and that is actually one of the reasons I was convinced he (al-Zaidi) would make an excellent Prime Minister." U.S. strikes on IRGC positions On the Iranian front, the U.S. military continued its attacks on Wednesday morning and throughout the day and evening, targeting missile and drone launch sites, as well as radar systems and military infrastructure belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in southern Iran, along the coastline facing the Strait of Hormuz. The island of Hengam, also in southern Iran, was likewise struck in the American attacks. President Trump noted in this regard that "next week could be the worst Iran has ever experienced"… It is worth noting in this context that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), under the U.S. Department of the Treasury, has imposed sanctions on seven individuals and entities accused of involvement in an international network participating in the IRGC's arms procurement efforts.

This Tuesday marks the sixth round of direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations, held this time in a European capital — Rome — rather than Washington. From the very first day, an initial breakthrough: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced from Jerusalem that Israel is ready to "move forward" with the implementation of two "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, according to AFP. However, under the terms of the June 26 framework agreement, implementation of the zones must begin with an Israeli withdrawal. He described the process, led under US auspices, as the "only way forward." Also according to AFP, the Lebanese delegation "was instructed to demand the immediate start of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from two pilot zones before any further discussion," the Lebanese presidency had indicated on Monday evening. According to a Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the substance of the negotiations, "the Lebanese army is ready to gradually take control of the localities from which the Israeli army withdraws." The July 14 meeting ended around 6 p.m. and was described as "positive" by LBC sources. This first confirmation of a result is significant for the Lebanese, even though many more details remain to be discussed and obstacles are plentiful. These negotiations will be a test on multiple fronts for the Lebanese side, which is under pressure to deliver results during this round, given the progress made in the previous one in June that led to a framework agreement. The main focus of these talks, therefore, is the establishment of "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon from which the Israeli army must withdraw so that the Lebanese army can deploy, with no Hezbollah presence whatsoever. However, this process still faces significant opposition on the Lebanese political scene. Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan stated on Monday that "this framework agreement is tripartite in appearance only, when in reality it is unilateral — meaning Israeli." Opposition to the framework agreement also comes from his ally, Amal movement leader and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry, who made a notable statement on Tuesday. While apparently hostile to the continuation of direct negotiations, he nonetheless leaves the door open to a degree of flexibility. "The pilot zones are rejected," Berry said in an interview with the newspaper al-Joumhouria , arguing that these zones should have been far larger, "otherwise the withdrawal will take two years." He did, however, add this enigmatic remark: "If I notice the slightest sign of success, I am prepared to stay silent — but I see none." Although Israel claims to be willing to withdraw from buffer zones, it continues on the ground to carry out demolitions in southern villages. On Tuesday, it was noted that the Israeli army particularly targeted the area expected to become one of the pilot zones — the two villages known as Zawtar (east and west). Regardless, the Lebanese authorities are showing consistency in pressing ahead with these negotiations, despite all the challenges. From the Baabda Palace, developments are being closely monitored, with results not expected to be known until tomorrow in principle. President Joseph Aoun, who was in Qatar along with his wife to offer condolences for the death of the country's former emir, Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, closely followed the Rome talks. He is also preparing for his visit to Washington on July 21. The Iranian front still ablaze In southern Lebanon, on the ground, the semblance of a truce — at least on Hezbollah's side, which appears to need it to regroup — persists despite the deteriorating situation on the Iranian front. American strikes on Iran continued throughout the night from Monday into Tuesday and throughout the day on Tuesday, and the blockade promised by US President Donald Trump takes effect at 8 p.m. (Levant time). Iranians have condemned new strikes on the city of Bushehr, where the nuclear power plant is located. The turmoil around the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of hostilities have triggered a fresh surge in oil prices, with the barrel once again crossing the $80 mark. Negotiations appear to be at an impasse for the time being, with the exception of a statement by President Trump on Tuesday in which he suggested that a deal is still "possible". In a television interview, however, he stressed that the memorandum of understanding was a "test" for the Iranians, and that they had shown they were unable to abide by it. He assured that victory will be American, whether through negotiations or war. Meanwhile, according to Arab media outlets, the U.S. military is currently deploying more than 50,000 troops in the region. The Iranians, for their part, are attempting to respond — still through increased strikes on countries in the region, while sparing Israel for the time being. Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan have all had to intercept Iranian missiles. These attacks were directly claimed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as were the ongoing strikes targeting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Another direct offensive move from Iran came in the form of a bill passed by the Iranian Parliament imposing a toll on vessels transiting the Strait — a response to President Trump's statement the day before, in which he said he wanted countries to pay for the protection of their ships passing through. It should be noted that natural straits are, by international law, free passages for all vessels, and only services provided by neighboring countries can be charged for. Meanwhile, Monday evening's ballistic missile attack on a Saudi airport — launched from Houthi rebel-controlled territory in Yemen, with the Houthis being Iranian allies — continues to draw statements of support for the kingdom. Most notable among these are those coming from Lebanon, particularly from President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, which serve as clear signals of solidarity with Saudi Arabia against the Iranian axis.

On Monday, July 13, Yemen is dominating the regional news agenda as the fragile truce reached in April 2022 is coming under intense strain following an Iranian power play that has reignited the Yemeni front. This military gambit is attribuable to the continuing escalation in the conflict between Tehran and Washington, after the United States decided to reinstate the blockade it had previously imposed on Iranian ports. Specifically, the Yemeni government carried out strikes on the runways of Sanaa International Airport, which is under Houthi control, in an attempt to prevent an Iranian aircraft carrying a delegation from the Iran-backed Shiite group from landing. The delegation was returning from Tehran, where it had attended the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Despite repeated warnings from Yemeni authorities, who had instructed the group to return aboard a flight operated by Yemenia, the country’s national carrier, the delegation insisted on flying back on the Iranian aircraft, even though Yemeni airspace is closed to Iranian aviation. The aircraft nonetheless continued its flight despite the government’s objections, but reportedly landed in Hodeidah, the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port city in western Yemen. The tone quickly hardened. Yemen’s Ministry of Defense said the strikes were prompted by the Houthis’ insistence on returning aboard an Iranian aircraft. According to the government, the flight not only violated Yemeni airspace but also represented “a new act of interference by the Islamic Republic.” The Houthis immediately threatened retaliation after explicitly accusing Saudi Arabia of carrying out the strikes, raising the prospect of renewed hostilities with Riyadh for the first time since the U.N. brokered truce reached in 2022. The Straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Amid steadily rising regional tensions, the Sanaa incident can only be seen as another chapter in the standoff between Tehran and Washington, largely centered on the Strait of Hormuz. The incident followed another night of intense U.S. strikes against Iranian military and logistical targets, and Iranian retaliatory attacks against American positions in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and even Oman – a country that had until then been spared by Tehran, which had sought to reach a cooperation agreement with the sultanate for the management of Hormuz. The architect of a network of allied groups, each more nefarious than the last, Tehran appears to have chosen the Houthis this time to take center stage. By doing so, it is giving its main regional ally, Hezbollah, room to breathe after being decapitated and weakened by Israel during the two disastrous wars referred to as wars of support for Hamas and then for the mullahs’ regime. At the same time, it is avoiding the involvement of another regional actor, Israel, whose territory has been spared Iranian strikes despite hosting U.S. bases. Activating the Lebanese front could have given Tel Aviv the pretext it has been seeking to resume its attacks against Iran. Whatever the case, the central question is whether the Sanaa incident is merely a warning to Washington, with which Tehran is engaged in an open confrontation, or whether it marks a new phase in that confrontation. The seriousness of the incident will therefore be assessed based on what happens next. This is because the geostrategic stakes involved in bringing the Houthis into the ongoing conflict are considerable. The main one concerns the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Houthis, who control the port of Hodeidah along this strategic waterway, have the ability to block access to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, thereby significantly disrupting international trade. Tehran, which again announced on Monday the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has thus shifted the conflict to another equally strategic geographic area, at the risk of seriously disrupting global trade. In this devious game it is playing, Iran is seeking to show the Americans that it still holds several cards it will not hesitate to play in order to secure concessions in its negotiations with Washington. Those negotiations have not been broken off. They have merely been suspended, with Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei confirming on Monday that diplomatic efforts were continuing with Qatar, Pakistan and Oman to “prevent an escalation of tensions.” According to him, Tehran had been in contact “in recent days” with Qatar and Oman, despite both having been targeted by Iranian strikes, as well as with Pakistan. The events from Sunday night into Monday, and throughout the day on Monday, clearly show that these efforts have fallen far short of being conclusive. Could they lead to a complete breakdown? Only the next developments will tell. Esmail Baghaei also warned that Tehran would no longer consider itself bound by the memorandum of understanding reached with the Americans in June if they failed to honor their commitments. A way of responding to Donald Trump, who had effectively sounded the death knell for the ceasefire the previous week. Houthi Strikes on Southern Saudi Arabia While exchanges of threats are common during sensitive negotiations that could determine the fate of the entire region, developments on the ground take on a far more significant – and potentially dangerous – dimension. The Houthis were quick to carry out their direct threats against Saudi Arabia, which they accused of striking Sanaa airport. Early in the evening, they launched ballistic missiles at Abha airport in the southwestern part of the kingdom, near the border with Yemen. At least six missiles targeted the facility, according to media outlets affiliated with the Iran-backed group. The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed the attack, saying that the missiles had been intercepted. The strikes follow the same logic as the Iranian attacks against Gulf countries, which were carried out in retaliation for U.S. strikes. Through its Yemeni ally, Tehran appears to be seeking to drag Riyadh into a conflict from which it had kept its distance from the outset. The objective is the same as that pursued in the strikes against Gulf countries: to pressure Arab monarchies into reconsidering their alliance with the United States. An objective the Islamic Republic has never sought to hide, but one it has so far failed to achieve. “A 20% Fee” Washington, for its part, is pursuing a strategy largely inspired by Iran’s own tactics. In response to Iranian provocations, the Americans are responding with counter-provocations. U.S. President Donald Trump announced bluntly on Truth Social that the naval blockade that had helped severely cripple the mullahs’ regime’s economy would be reinstated, along with U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz. Just as Tehran seeks to impose service fees, Trump said he wanted to collect “a fee equivalent to 20% of the value of cargoes” transiting the maritime route, despite the fact that the waterway is governed by international law, which is supposed to guarantee freedom of navigation without obstruction. Iran responded by saying that it would “under no circumstances allow” Washington to interfere in the management of the strait, which Tehran wants to place under its strict control. President Trump also announced that he would address the nation on Thursday evening. According to The New York Times , Trump notified Congress of the resumption of hostilities with Iran. In his message to Congress, he said that U.S. forces had carried out defensive military operations on July 7, the newspaper reported. Blockade or not, Tehran is holding on to its regional influence through its allies. According to several analysts, the Houthis possess numerous “disruptive assets” that prompted Sanaa’s forceful response. By striking the city’s airport themselves to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing, Yemeni authorities are sending Tehran a direct political message: it is not permitted to use Yemeni facilities under the current circumstances. This is because the Iranian aircraft incident carries another message, one that was quickly understood by the Americans and may have contributed to Donald Trump’s decision to reinstate the naval blockade. Tehran sought to show that it still retains freedom of movement and the ability to take the initiative despite the sustained strikes, and that its allies still have the ability to disrupt its adversaries’ plans. The Iranian flight shows that, in the event of a blockade, the Islamic Republic could still have an air corridor to its Yemeni allies. This corridor would allow it to deliver the equipment and personnel (members of the IRGC) needed should it decide to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and reactivate the Yemeni front. It is, however, too early to speak of a genuine reactivation of that front. Western Pressure On the diplomatic front, Western pressure on Iran continues to intensify. London has announced a ban on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on its territory, while French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has ruled out any lifting of European sanctions as long as Tehran continues its nuclear program, ballistic development and destabilizing actions in the region.

Tensions between the Americans and Iranians had been gradually escalating for several days, against a backdrop of Iranian strikes on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The worst-case scenario materialized overnight Wednesday into Thursday: the Americans launched heavy strikes on Iran, as US President Donald Trump had threatened the day before. Iran, true to form, fired missiles at several Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar — and this time added Jordan to the list. Jordan intercepted 10 missiles fired at its territory around midday. A significant escalation, to say the least. The American strikes on Iranian soil are the heaviest in months: the province of Bushehr, in particular, was targeted by missiles that struck within the perimeter of the nuclear site located in the region, according to Iranian media. A provincial official denied mid-afternoon that Kharg Island — through which the bulk of Iranian oil is exported — had been hit. US Central Command announced in a post on X that it had struck nearly 90 military targets in Iran by Thursday morning. The Iranian regime reported 14 deaths and 78 injuries over the past two days, and accused the United States of war crimes for what it called 'strikes on civilian infrastructure,' specifically bridges and the railway leading to the city of Mashhad. The rhetoric matched the renewed tensions on the ground, this time coming from Iran's chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf. He declared that 'the Strait of Hormuz will only reopen on Iran's terms, not under the pressure of American threats.' Indeed, the strait remained closed yesterday due to the tensions, reflecting an unchanged Iranian stance. There was no indication on Thursday that tensions would ease or that negotiations would resume anytime soon, even as Donald Trump said during the day that 'the Iranians have called and want to make a deal,' while adding that he was no longer confident in 'their willingness to honor any agreement.' Pakistani and Qatari mediators worked to push for a return to calm. But broadly speaking, Iran appears increasingly isolated. Echoing statements made the day before by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte — who had called for firmness against the Iranian regime — French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Thursday that it was Iran that had violated its agreement with the United States, and that its 'maneuvers' must stop if negotiations were to continue. In the meantime, Iranians pressed on with the drawn-out ordeal of the endless funeral ceremonies for their assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his family. The coffins arrived in Mashhad during the day for burial — an event somewhat overshadowed by the American strikes. Yet crowds still turned out, along with the usual bellicose chants calling for Trump's death. The Israelis, who have been allied with the Americans throughout this conflict with Iran, made no official comment on the latest escalation. However, according to leaks in Israeli media, Israeli sources confirmed that the army remained ready to respond to any potential Iranian attack. A diplomatic flurry in Beirut As usual, Lebanon is acting as a sounding board for events unfolding across the region. The Lebanese capital was the scene of a flurry of diplomatic activity on Thursday, with a series of visits by US Ambassador Michael Issa alongside a tour by an Iranian delegation. Issa's main visit was to Baabda, where he met with President Joseph Aoun to deliver the official invitation for his visit to Washington on July 21. He also took the opportunity to discuss the implementation of the framework agreement signed by Israel, Lebanon, and the United States, particularly regarding the mechanism for the Israeli withdrawal from pilot zones, where the IDF is to be replaced by the Lebanese army "without leaving a vacuum." The key announcement was that an American delegation would be arriving within the coming days to oversee the process. Mr. Issa also met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. As for the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, all eyes are on Rome on July 15 and 16, a change of venue that has unsettled the Lebanese side, which fears a less effective American involvement — previous rounds having taken place in Washington. The change of venue does not signal a lesser American commitment, but is due to logistical considerations, as the U.S. Ambassador assured President Aoun on Thursday. In turn, the Lebanese president asked him to pressure Israel into complying with the terms of the framework agreement signed with Lebanon in June. On the ground, the Israeli army continues its destruction in occupied villages, targeting both buildings and tunnels. Thursday was marked by a sharp statement from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, responding to Trump's remarks the previous day regarding the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. "We did not ask anyone's permission to enter Lebanon, and we will remain there until Hezbollah is disarmed," he declared. For now, Hezbollah is not retaliating against Israeli operations. Concerns about a new escalation in southern Lebanon — should Iran find itself in a difficult position in its confrontation with the United States — were expressed by various sources in the media. The other diplomatic tour on Thursday was that of an Iranian delegation led by the Deputy Foreign Minister. It was received by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry, to whom it reaffirmed Iran's support for Lebanon. From Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, the delegation heard remarks reaffirming Lebanon's resolve to stand against any occupation and foreign interference. These statements echoed those of Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Rajji, who was visiting Cyprus on Thursday and reiterated that Lebanon must stop paying the price for wars it did not choose, and that no single party should ever again monopolize decisions of war and peace — a clear reference to Hezbollah. For the Iranians, times have certainly changed… In this context, it is also worth noting the visits by the Russian Ambassador to President Aoun and to Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar. Syria removed from the U.S. terrorism list Another major development on Thursday: the U.S. president announced his intention to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Following Trump's meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa the previous day in Turkey, on the sidelines of the NATO summit, this move is the culmination of a process that should allow the young Syrian government to attract greater investment and international engagement. On the Iraqi front, the disarmament of armed groups and the fight against corruption continue to be pursued in tandem. A curious discovery was made on Thursday: an enormous sum of money, stolen from the Treasury, was found hidden inside a rainwater drainage pipe… In Iraq as well, a strike was carried out against a group of Iranian Kurdish dissidents in Iraqi Kurdistan. This is not the first time these groups have been targeted by the Tehran regime, which seeks to maintain its grip on Iraq as much as on Lebanon.

Is the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran entering its final days – or even its final hours? The question has taken on renewed urgency since Wednesday morning, as tensions between the two capitals have escalated sharply amid a new military standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. Since the end of the Israeli-American military campaign against its territory, the Islamic Republic has pursued a policy of brinkmanship, pushing its provocation to the limit in an effort to extract as many concessions as possible from President Donald Trump under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the two countries signed last June. Tehran appears to be betting that Trump’s preference for a diplomatic resolution to the conlict – driven by economic, financial and U.S. domestic political considerations – in order to push the envelope further without fearing that negotiations, which are expected to resume in the coming weeks, will be called into question. Is Tehran also testing Trump’s patience? That, too, is a legitimate question. Whatever the answer, the Islamic Republic is playing a dangerous game. Its strategy could ultimately shatter the Memorandum of Understanding and prompt the U.S. president to follow through on his threats of a large-scale – but limited – military operation aimed at forcing the Iranian leadership in accepting his terms. By sounding the death knell for the June agreement with the terse but unequivocal declaration, “The MOU is over,” on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, and by calling the leaders of the Islamic Republic every name in the book – the mildest of which were “liars” and “sick people” – President Donald Trump made no secret of his exasperation. Yet he stopped short of announcing measures suggesting a complete break. Instead, he said it would be up to his negotiators to decide whether talks with the Islamic Republic should continue. If they choose to do so, he added, they will have to report back to him. Still, late Wednesday evening, Trump sought to make clear the extent of his frustration. “I’m not sure I want to make a deal with them [the Iranian leaders],” he said. “We can play games, but I’m not sure I want to make a deal. Let’s just finish the job.” Asked by a reporter what had changed, given that he had praised some senior Iranian officials just last month, President Trump replied: “I got to know them.” U.S. Strikes Against 80 Targets Iran has its own calculations. Donald Trump has his own as well. The question is which side will ultimately prevail. The latests U.S. statements came after another overnight flare-up of violence around the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by Iranian fire earlier on Tuesday against three oil tankers transiting the Omani shipping corridor, which Tehran rejects. According to Washington, the attacks constitued a blatant violation of the June ceasefire. The U.S. response was immediate: the reinstatement of the ban on the production and sale of Iranian oil and its derivatives. A few hours later, U.S. forces launched strikes against more than 80 military targets in Iran, leaving eight people dead, according to Iranian media. Explosions were reported near the Strait of Hormuz, particularly around Bushehr, not far from Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal. The Islamic Republic retaliated by striking back, claiming through state media that it had targeted “85 U.S. military facilities located at bases in Kuwait and Bahrain,” as reported by Iranian media. In Kuwait, the Iranian strikes caused widespread power outages. Threats and Counterthreats Wednesday was marked by a succession of American threats and Iranian counterthreats, with Tehran – whose bad faith is by now well established – arguing that Washington was the party that violated the ceasefire and that “Donald Trump should bear the consequences himself,” according to Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. In a post on his X account, Velayati warned that “the axis of resistance will not stand idly by if American adventurism continues,” a reference to the possible involvement of Iran’s regional proxies. Tehran also vowed to take “decisive measures” to defend its interests if Washington were to step up the pressure. Iran’s military command warned that “any country facilitating U.S. military operations against Iranian territory would become a legitimate target,” in a thinly veiled threat aimed at Bahrain and Kuwait. But in this dangerous game, Iran finds itself virtually alone. The United States, Europe, and the Gulf countries all reject what Tehran is attempting to impose by force: exclusive control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which would allow it to exert influence over global maritime trade and compensate for the erosion of its regional influence. In Ankara, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed international opposition to Iran’s ambitions. Rutte said the U.S. response was “absolutely necessary,” arguing that a firm stance toward Iran was essential. The German chancellor described it as “fully justified.” Donald Trump did reiterate his threats against the Islamic Republic throughout Wednesday, but the tone he struck this time was noytably different from his previous statements. The U.S. president appears ready to cross that threshold, as American and Israeli media reported possible Israeli-U.S. coordination in this context. For Trump, however, the pressure would continue to mount: the restoration of a maritime blockade, control of the strategic island of Kharg, and the resumption of military strikes. He announced late Wednesday afternoon that attacks against Iranian military targets “could resume overnight.” Later that day, CENTCOM announced on its Telegram channel that “more than 20 U.S. warships are patrolling the waters of the Middle East – with providing further details – to ensure stability and security.” The announcement was a reminder of the U.S. military presence in the region. NATO, Syria and Lebanon The NATO summit, during which the U.S. president addressed several issues, was expected to set the record straight on several issues. Although he was highly critical of NATO and of European countries that he said had failed to support him in his war against Iran, Donald Trump announced that he had no intention of withdrawing from the alliance. He also said he was considering selling F-35 fighter jets, the crown jewels of the U.S. military aviation, to Ankara – a move likely to anger Tel Aviv – and removing Syria from U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Regarding Lebanon, Trump referred to Israel’s stated willingness to withdraw from the areas it still occupies in the southern part of the country, but did not elaborate. He placed the withdrawal within the framework of ongoing negotiations between Tel Aviv and Beirut, which are expected to resume in Rome on July 15 and 16. According to several media reports, Lebanese authorities have yet to be officially informed by the Washington of those dates and have expressed reservations about the announcement, which was made without prior consultation with them. The dates and location were specified by Italy and Israel. According to the same sources, Lebanon has made Israel’s withdrawal from two “pilot areas,” as provided for in the framework agreement, a condition for attending the Rome talks. Another important engagement for Lebanon is President Joseph Aoun’s official visit to Washington on July 21, at the invitation of his U.S. counterpart. The Lebanese Embassy in Washington announced the visit on Wednesday. The invitation is expected to be formally delivered to President Aoun in the coming hours by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa. The main focus of the discussions will be the implementation of the framework agreement recently signed between Israel and Lebanon, which notably provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah’s disarmament. In this context, it is worth noting that President Trump was asked about possible Syrian involvement in Hezbollah’s disarmament on the sidelines of the NATO summit. His response was less categorical than his previous positions on the issue. “They could help. We’ll see. I think progress is being made, and I think they could do a good job,” he said.