Trump threatens more strikes on Iran, and other developments in the Middle East

A Palestinian man rides his bicycle by the rubble of buildings that were destroyed during the Israel-Hamas-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="175587" data-entity-type="event">Israel Hamas war, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) By SAMY MAGDY and AAMER MADHANI Updated 12:10 PM MESZ, August 1, 2026 Leer en español Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit CAIRO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened more strikes on Iran as the United States presses for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later on Saturday, Kuwait said it responded to a new round of drone attacks from Iran while a tanker was struck in the strategic waterway. Meanwhile, Israel heavily struck the Gaza Strip after the Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed to disarm. Here are the most important developments in the Middle East today: US threatens new strikes in the conflict with Iran Speaking to reporters Friday during a meeting with members of his Cabinet at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, Trump said “we just want to win” in Iran and signaled that he expected U.S. military action to continue for some time. He said the U.S. will hit Iran “very hard” until they can’t take it anymore. Later that day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the U.S. administration’s frustration anew, charging that Tehran last month signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on a truce but then quickly “broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers.” “President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur,” Leavitt said in a statement on Friday evening. “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.” Kuwait’s military said Saturday that its forces were responding to drone attacks, which were part of Iran’s assaults on the country. In a statement, Maj. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, spokesman for Kuwait’s Defense Ministry, said the drones hit “a number of vital facilities,” including a government structure in the country’s north. He said there were no casualties. White House signals Trump is weighing new strikes on Iran, and other developments in the Middle East 6 MIN READ Israeli fire in Gaza kills 6 people, including a little girl, health officials say 4 MIN READ 40 Mediators see progress in efforts to halt Iran war as drone attacks rattle region 4 MIN READ 40 The British Navy said Saturday that a tanker was struck and a separate explosion hit close to a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. No casualties were reported in either incident, it said. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said an unknown projectile hit the vessel on Friday 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman. The attack damaged the vessel’s engine room. The group said that on Saturday a large splash and an explosion were reported close to another tanker while it was sailing 21 nautical miles northwest of Khasab city. Iran has repeatedly attacked vessels attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorization as part of its ongoing conflict with the U.S. Israel strikes Gaza after Hamas says it will disarm Intense Israeli strikes Friday night killed at least two people in central Gaza and injured dozens more, according to local health officials. The strikes came after Hamas confirmed Friday that it will disarm in a potential breakthrough for ending the war in Gaza, though major obstacles remain. Israel has not officially commented on the Hamas deal, which is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire announced last October. That agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. Israel was to withdraw and an International Stabilization Force was to be deployed. In a post on X Friday, Israeli far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir called the deal “unacceptable” and said the killings in Gaza must continue. “Israel must win,” he said. The strikes overnight in Gaza followed evacuation orders by Israel’s military. An Israeli military official said it was striking Hamas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The Associated Press is tracking the progress of Trump’s plan to end the Israel-Hamas war. — Houthi rebels forced eight Saudi ships to reroute from the Bab el-Mandeb strait after the Iranian-backed rebels announced a blockade on Saudi shipping in the chokepoint. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthis, said in a statement Friday that the vessels changed route to the Cape of Good Hope around Africa to avert the blockade. — In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces set off explosions Friday to destroy an underground tunnel network under the Crusader-built Beaufort Castle that Israel says had been used by Hezbollah militants as a command center. The 12th-century castle, also known as Al-Shaqif, was seized by Israeli forces in May. It was recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List over Israel’s objections. — Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said the Israeli operation sent “negative messages” ahead of upcoming talks in Rome. Israeli and Lebanese negotiating teams are set to meet again there to continue hammering out a plan under which Israel would withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament. SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto AAMER MADHANI Madhani is a White House reporter for the Associated Press whose reporting focuses on U.S. foreign policy. Contact him securely on Signal at aamermadhani.39 twitter mailto