US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Strait of Hormuz crisis escalates

The United States has launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Iran, marking the second American military operation against Iranian targets in two days as tensions intensify around the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The latest strikes were carried out on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) saying American forces targeted positions belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

CENTCOM said the operation followed what it described as recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members deployed in the region. (Reuters)

The renewed US military action came two days after American forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, in the first direct US attack on Iran in about a month.

The US military said IRGC personnel had been preparing to launch rockets and lay sea mines in the waterway. Washington described the operation as a limited action aimed at protecting shipping and US personnel rather than the beginning of a broader offensive. (AP News)

Iran responded to the earlier strikes by launching missiles towards US military positions in Jordan. Jordanian authorities said eight missiles that entered the country’s airspace were intercepted.

The latest exchange has significantly increased the risk of a wider US-Iran conflict, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as the central flashpoint.

The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, and disruption to shipping through the strait has already created significant concerns for global oil supplies and international trade.

The situation worsened on Monday when two supertankers carrying Saudi crude oil were struck by unidentified projectiles while passing through the Strait of Hormuz near Khasab, Oman.

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The vessels, identified as the Saudi-flagged Sidr and Liberian-flagged Senegal Prosperity, had each loaded about two million barrels of Saudi crude at the Juaymah terminal before the incidents. No casualties were reported among the crews. (Reuters)

The attacks on the tankers have raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through the waterway and the possibility that the conflict could disrupt international energy supplies even further.

Shipping activity through the strait has already fallen sharply, with vessel movements significantly below normal levels as operators assess the security risks associated with the renewed fighting.

The impact has also been felt in international oil markets. Oil prices climbed above $90 a barrel as traders reacted to the renewed US-Iran military confrontation and the possibility of prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz. (The Wall Street Journal)

The renewed fighting has also placed greater pressure on regional governments trying to prevent the crisis from escalating.

Qatar and Oman have been involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and restoring safer commercial navigation through the waterway, but the latest strikes and tanker attacks have complicated those efforts. (Reuters)

US President Donald Trump has defended the latest American military action and warned Iran against retaliating.

Trump said the strikes were justified, citing what he described as Iran’s attempt to deploy sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz and its missile attack on a US military base in Jordan.

He warned that Washington would respond with an even stronger military action if Tehran retaliated against the latest strikes. (Al-Monitor)

Iran, however, has rejected the US position and warned that Washington would face consequences for the renewed attacks.

Iranian officials have continued to insist that Tehran remains open to a diplomatic solution, but President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would respond positively if the United States returned to its commitments under an interim agreement reached in June.

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Pezeshkian’s comments came as regional efforts to restore a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz faced fresh complications following the latest military exchanges. (Al Jazeera)

The Iranian leadership has also warned that continued American pressure could have consequences for the flow of oil from the Gulf, increasing fears among energy-importing countries about possible supply shortages.

The United States, meanwhile, is combining military pressure with additional economic measures against Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that Washington could announce further sanctions targeting Iranian financial institutions this week. (Al-Monitor)

The latest escalation has effectively ended hopes that the weekend exchange of fire would remain a limited confrontation.

Instead, the conflict is increasingly centred on the Strait of Hormuz, where military operations, attacks on commercial vessels, threats from both governments and diplomatic efforts are unfolding simultaneously.

Any prolonged disruption to the waterway could have consequences well beyond the Middle East. Higher oil prices, increased shipping and insurance costs and disruptions to global energy supplies could place additional pressure on economies already dealing with inflation.

For Nigeria and other oil-producing countries, developments around the Strait of Hormuz are also being closely monitored because sustained disruption to global crude supplies could influence international oil prices and government revenues.

The immediate concern, however, is whether Iran will retaliate against the latest US strikes and whether Washington will respond with further attacks.

The coming days could therefore determine whether the latest confrontation remains concentrated around the Strait of Hormuz or develops into a much wider regional conflict.

With commercial shipping already under pressure and diplomatic efforts struggling to keep pace with the military escalation, international attention is now focused on Washington and Tehran and whether either side will take steps to prevent another cycle of retaliation.

US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Strait of Hormuz crisis escalates

US Teen Indicted for Aiding and Abetting Deadly San Diego Mosque Shooting

A 17-year-old North Carolina girl who recorded a livestream of the deadly May 2026 attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego and disseminated the attackers’ white supremacist manifesto has been charged with three counts of murder by aiding and abetting.

A 17-year-old girl from North Carolina has been charged with three counts of murder after prosecutors alleged she helped record and publicise a deadly attack on a mosque in San Diego that left three people dead. The teenager, identified in court records as Sarah Lindsey Santiago, was arrested last week and indicted by a grand jury on Monday, just before she was due to begin the new school year. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill announced the charges at a news conference in Winston-Salem, explaining that under North Carolina law, a person who aids and abets a crime can be held criminally responsible in the same way as the person who carried it out. “The individual here, locally, was the person who was recording the livestream,” O’Neill said. “She disseminated that information and she published their manifesto.”

The teenager now faces three counts of murder and one count of conspiracy under North Carolina law. Prosecutors allege that Santiago agreed prior to the attack that she would record the livestream, distribute it, and release a document written by the attackers. According to the indictment, she carried out those tasks and also purchased a patch bearing a white supremacist symbol and sent it to one of the gunmen to wear during the attack. O’Neill explained that investigators were concerned about the teenager’s potential actions after the attack and decided to arrest her before she could return to school. “The thought of her going back to school or with the weekend approaching, holy days approaching, we didn’t know what she was capable of,” he said, referring to the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

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The shooting took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 18, 2026, at approximately 11:40 a.m. local time. Two teenage gunmen, identified as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, stormed the mosque armed with guns and wearing cameras mounted on GoPro-style helmets to record their attack. Prosecutors said the attackers had two aims that day: “Number one, to kill as many people as possible on that day. Secondly, they wanted this carnage and destruction recorded … livestreamed.” According to investigators, Clark and Vazquez entered the mosque and were confronted by security guard Amin Abdullah, who exchanged gunfire with them and initiated a lockdown that helped protect approximately 140 children who were inside the mosque’s school. Abdullah, who had worked as a security guard at the mosque for about a decade, was shot dead after forcing the attackers back outside. The gunmen re-entered the building and searched through rooms that had been emptied during the lockdown. They later exited again, and worshippers Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad confronted them in the parking lot. Both men were fatally shot. The suspects then fled in a vehicle and were later found dead, having apparently taken their own lives.

The three men killed were mourned as pillars of the Muslim community and credited with saving countless lives. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described Abdullah’s actions as “heroic” and said they “undoubtedly saved lives” . “All three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities.” Abdullah was a security guard for the mosque for about a decade and was known to friends as Brian Climax. His daughter, Hawaa Abdullah, paid a tearful tribute to her father as a man who doted on his family and was dedicated to his job. “He stood against any form of hate,” she said. Kaziha was a 78-year-old mosque elder known as Abu Ezz, and Awad was a 57-year-old Uber driver whose wife worked as a school teacher in the building. Imam Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center called them “our brothers in the community. We call them our martyrs and our heroes.”

Authorities said the teenagers had an arsenal of about 30 guns and a crossbow, which investigators believe were taken from Clark’s parents. Clark’s mother had reportedly called police about two hours before the shooting to report that her son, whom she described as suicidal, had run away from home taking three of her guns and her vehicle. Prosecutors also alleged that Clark and Vazquez had planned further attacks “at a local Jewish temple and finally at a predominantly African American high school” in San Diego. O’Neill credited the victims at the mosque with having saved countless lives by disrupting these plans.

The attackers left behind writings containing racist and antisemitic views, references to white supremacist ideologies, and hateful rhetoric toward Jewish people, Muslims, Black people, the LGBTQ+ community, and women. They cited the shooter who killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019 as one of their models for violence. Investigators said the shooters used cameras attached to their helmets to record the attack and livestream it. The FBI has conducted more than 100 interviews, executed 30 search warrants, and reviewed over 4 million messages in connection with the investigation. FBI Columbia Acting Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis said: “When someone has credible knowledge that a crime is being planned or committed, particularly any act of violence, the law requires them to come forward and report it. Failure to do so is not only irresponsible, but it can also be a crime.”

US Teen Indicted for Aiding and Abetting Deadly San Diego Mosque Shooting

‘They will hang me’: Putin reportedly fears ending Ukraine war without victory

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly expressed concern that ending the Ukraine war without securing a significant victory in the Donbas could threaten his political future.

According to a report by The Economist, cited in subsequent media reports, sources close to the Russian president claimed that Putin had told members of his inner circle, “They will hang me,” while discussing the possible consequences of ending the conflict without achieving Russia’s objectives.

The alleged remark has not been independently verified, and the Kremlin has not publicly confirmed that Putin made the statement. The report also did not identify the people who allegedly heard the comment or establish precisely when it was made.

The account comes as the Russia-Ukraine war enters another prolonged phase, with the Donbas remaining at the centre of Moscow’s military objectives.

The Donbas primarily comprises Donetsk and Luhansk, two eastern Ukrainian regions that Russia has claimed as its territory despite not having full control over them.

Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has captured large areas of the Donbas but has continued to face resistance in Ukrainian-held parts of Donetsk.

The remaining Ukrainian-controlled territory includes a heavily fortified defensive line often referred to as the “Fortress Belt”, encompassing strategically important cities such as Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

Control of the area would give Russia greater territorial continuity across much of Donetsk and strengthen Moscow’s position in any future negotiations.

Recent battlefield assessments have indicated that Russian forces have continued to apply pressure around the Fortress Belt, while Ukrainian forces have reinforced their defensive positions and sought to slow Russian advances.

The battle for the region has consequently become one of the most important military contests of the conflict.

The Economist report suggested that some figures close to the Russian leadership believe the war has become increasingly costly and politically difficult, particularly because Russia failed to achieve the rapid victory many initially expected when the invasion began.

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Russia has suffered substantial military losses and economic costs during the conflict, while Western sanctions have continued to restrict parts of the Russian economy.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has increasingly relied on long-range drone attacks against Russian military, energy and logistics infrastructure.

Ukrainian strikes have targeted oil facilities and other infrastructure considered important to Russia’s war effort, while Moscow has continued its own missile and drone campaign against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

The continuing attacks have added pressure to both countries as the war enters another year without a comprehensive peace agreement.

For Putin, the political challenge could extend beyond the battlefield.

An agreement that does not deliver substantial territorial gains could expose the Russian leadership to criticism over the enormous human, financial and political costs of the war.

This is reportedly why the Kremlin continues to attach significant importance to the capture of the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk.

Russia has repeatedly maintained that it is prepared to continue fighting until its stated objectives are achieved.

Ukraine, however, has rejected demands for territorial concessions and continues to insist on respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia could intensify its military campaign if it believes negotiations are not producing the concessions Moscow wants.

Against this backdrop, international diplomatic efforts to end the war have continued.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Putin to work towards peace, stressing that continued warfare harms humanity and that progress towards a negotiated settlement would offer renewed hope.

During a recent meeting with Putin, Modi said that every day of war sets humanity back, while every step towards peace creates hope.

Putin, in response, said Russia was moving towards resolving the conflict, although Moscow has continued its military operations and maintained its demands regarding territory and security.

India has maintained close relations with Russia throughout the conflict while also calling for dialogue and diplomacy.

The diplomatic push comes as disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv remain substantial, particularly over the future of territories occupied by Russia and the security arrangements that would follow any peace agreement.

The reported comments attributed to Putin therefore come at a critical point in the conflict.

If Russian forces succeed in taking the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donetsk, Moscow could portray the achievement as a major strategic victory after years of fighting.

But if Russia fails to achieve that objective and eventually accepts a settlement without full control of the Donbas, Putin could face difficult questions over whether the war delivered the results promised by the Kremlin.

The alleged “they will hang me” statement appears to reflect that concern, but it remains a reported private remark rather than an established fact.

There is currently no public evidence that Putin faces an actual threat of being executed if the war ends without a Russian victory.

Nevertheless, the report highlights the potentially high political stakes surrounding any decision by the Russian leadership to end the conflict.

With Russian forces continuing their offensive and Ukraine maintaining its defences, the Donbas remains a crucial factor in determining how the war could eventually end.

The outcome of the fighting in the region could influence not only the battlefield balance but also Russia’s negotiating position and the political narrative Putin uses to justify the war to the Russian public.

For now, Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its territorial ambitions, while Kyiv continues to resist Russian advances and calls for international support.

The future of the Russia-Ukraine war therefore remains uncertain, with the battle for the Donbas likely to remain central to both military operations and any serious negotiations over a potential peace settlement.

‘They will hang me’: Putin reportedly fears ending Ukraine war without victory