A weekend marked by reciprocal attacks between the United States – CENTCOM – and Iran. The Persian Gulf regions were affected, in addition to Iran. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Arab counterparts from Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan condemned Iran’s repeated attacks against countries in the region and rejected any action that undermines state sovereignty or threatens regional security and stability, according to SPA and Al Arabiya.
The coordinated diplomatic initiative came after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Sunday and struck several Gulf states, including Qatar, where three people were injured, and fired missiles that fell in Jordan. The ministers also discussed efforts to restore security, reduce tensions, and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military insisted that the strait remains open despite Iran’s closure.
On July 13, European Union Foreign Ministers met to discuss the possibility of introducing a ban on the import of goods from Israeli settlements. Meanwhile, Russia and China vetoed a resolution to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue in the United Nations Security Council.
On July 10, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions related to Iran. Sanctions were imposed on eight individuals and six companies linked to Iran.
Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that preparations for the merger of the Pentagon and the Israeli military will begin soon. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu is expected to travel to the United States next week to attend Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral, with a possible meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the visit.
Regarding foreign policy, the Israeli Foreign Ministry held a meeting with U.S. President Trump. “We have communicated directly to US President Trump all our concerns regarding the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Our concerns are growing. It is crucial to ensure that Israel always maintains a dominant position in the region,” the department reported.
The United Nations, in a statement, announced that last weekend the food distribution center in the Jabaliya area, in the northern Gaza Strip, was closed due to its capture by Hamas militants. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories addressed the residents of Gaza: “Hamas militants are only busy consolidating their power, spreading terror, and depriving you of your human rights.” “…of technical assistance intended for you.”
Ibrahim al-Mousawi, Hezbollah’s representative in the Lebanese parliament, told the press regarding the ongoing negotiations, “that the movement completely rejects the ‘framework agreement’ because it considers it invalid, illegal, and contrary to the Constitution.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed France’s participation in the international coalition, alongside the United States and Italy, aimed at supporting the Lebanese army. The goal of this initiative is to ensure continuous monitoring of the ceasefire and allow the Lebanese army to regain full control of certain strategic areas, thus ending the conflict without turning Lebanon into a regional hostage.
The Islamic Resistance of Iraq announced: “We are steadfast and committed to the path of resistance. Let the enemies know that the forces of the Axis of Justice are like one body, according to the jihadist framework outlined by our leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. […] We will not rest on our laurels; we will work […] to increase our readiness in response to the growing challenges and threats posed by the Israeli-American enemy.”
Saudi banks are actively delaying or rejecting financial transfers to recipients in the United Arab Emirates, disrupting trade between the two countries. Since mid-May, transactions from Saudi accounts to individuals and companies in Dubai have been blocked for days without explanation and regularly canceled. Political and economic tensions are rising, including disagreements over the conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, divergent oil policies, and the competition to become the leading regional financial center. On July 13, fearing a retaliation from Ansar Allah, the routes of two flights operated by a Saudi-affiliated airline, departing from Cairo and Jeddah and bound for Aden, were diverted to Djibouti.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Muscat on July 11. The Iranian representative and his Omani counterpart held discussions of ways and mechanisms to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, citing paragraph 5 of the joint statement. During talks with Iran in Muscat, Oman proposed the creation of two separate navigation corridors in the Strait of Hormuz, according to CNN. Oman reportedly offered Iran free navigation on both routes. On July 13, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated: “Talks with Oman on Saturday focused on the management of the Strait of Hormuz, but the United States, by pressuring Oman, prevented the parties from reaching an agreement.”
On July 10, a Qatari delegation arrived in Iran. According to the Tasnim news agency, the Qatari delegation arrived to restore its role as mediator after Qatar accused Iran of involvement in incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran has informed Fars: “Negotiations with the United States will not take place until that country abandons its position.”
In a statement, Tehran said it has not asked US President Donald Trump to resume negotiations, but has agreed to contact the government through intermediaries, according to IRIB television and radio. “We have not requested a new round of talks with the United States, but we have agreed to receive mediators in Iran,” an Iranian diplomat told the station.
And now a look at the military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated at 3:00 PM on July 13. Satellite images show reconstruction activity at the Parchin nuclear power plant. Satellite images already showed the USS Lincoln and USS Bush aircraft carriers very close to the Iranian coast on July 10, between 220 and 250 kilometers from the Iranian coast—the closest they have been since the start of US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
More than half of the American military personnel refueling aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia left the base between July 7 and 10. On July 12, CENTCOM reported that “The United States has struck 140 military targets, including missile and drone systems, naval infrastructure, ammunition depots, communications centers, and coastal surveillance facilities.” “The third series of strikes against Iran in a week has been completed; over 300 targets have been hit in three days.”
“So far, CENTCOM’s strikes have focused on Iranian territory in and around the Strait of Hormuz, not on broader attacks on Iran’s entire southern coast.” CNN, citing CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins, reports that US warplanes shot down an anti-ship cruise missile and a UAV launched against ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. At 4:37 a.m. Italian time, CENTCOM announced it had concluded its recent wave of strikes against Iran, which targeted dozens of sites linked to air defense systems, coastal radar, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats. The operation employed fighter jets, naval vessels, one-way aerial drones, and, for the first time, one-way naval drones. Reports of the deaths of three US service members at US bases in the Middle East have been denied.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it struck a weapons production site belonging to Hamas in Gaza City. The IDF says several Hamas members were inside at the time of the attack. The airstrike occurred in Sabra, western Gaza City. Two Israeli airstrikes hit the area of ”Roni” Street in the Mawasi district of Khan Younis city, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israeli settlers attacked the village of Beitlo, Al-Zarqa, west of Ramallah, on July 11. Three Palestinian citizens from the Rezwan family were injured. According to Israel Army Radio: “Last night, Israeli forces observed an Israeli citizen entering a military site in Hebron on foot without authorization. After leaving the site, he got into a car and attempted to escape. During his escape attempt, he struck an officer, the deputy company commander, causing minor injuries.”
Among the damage inflicted by Iranian attacks on American infrastructure in the Middle East, low-quality satellite imagery reportedly shows the destruction of at least two warehouses at the Muwaqqar military base in Jordan. Air defense in operation on July 13 in Jordan, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards: “In the first phase of the response to these attacks, […] Islamic fighters set fire to several large missile depots and fuel dumps at the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, using missiles and drones. On the morning of the 13th, ballistic missiles were launched from Khomein, Iran, toward Jordan. At least six missiles were fired. The Jordanian army announced it had intercepted four Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward the country.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reconnaissance drone activity over Dahieh, Lebanon. Israeli bombing was reported in Lebanon in Bint Jbeil.
On July 12, gunfire was heard in the Green Zone in Baghdad. Tanks were also spotted, but the cause has not yet been disclosed. Explosions were also reported in Iraq, at a US military base on the Kuwait-Iraq border. Kuwait accuses Iraqi resistance factions. targeting an offshore oil platform and several border crossings.
Three border crossings in northern Kuwait and an offshore oil platform were attacked by drones during an Iranian strike. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that they had targeted fuel depots and a MIM-104 Patriot air defense system at Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and an AN/FPS-117 system at Ahmed Al Jabar Air Base, also in Kuwait.
At 6:30 a.m. Italian time, the IRGC announced it had struck a “surface-to-surface missile base” belonging to the United States Army in Kuwait, claiming to have hit munitions depots containing ballistic missiles and two M142 HIMARS launchers. The base in question is likely Camp Buehring; the HIMARS missiles are primarily stored there. The Iranians have called this the fourth phase of their response to the United States.
Bahrain has been hit several times. The IRGC: “Following our In response, we targeted the U.S. Army drone command and control center in Bahrain, a helicopter maintenance facility, and the P-8 electronic warfare aircraft hangar at Sheikh Issa Air Base. Three direct hits were reported in Bahrain. At least four ballistic missiles were launched from Jam, in Bushehr province, toward Bahrain. The base was hit twice in a matter of hours.
According to reports from some Bahraini residents, Naval Support Activity Bahrain was also hit. At 7:30 a.m., the IRGC announced it had targeted Naval Support Activity Bahrain, an AN/FPS radar, and a maritime surveillance radar in Oman, with missiles and drones.
The UAE Ministry of Defense: “A fire broke out in one of the warehouses at Zayed Military City.” Intercepts near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, near Al Dhafra Air Base.
Saudi airstrikes against Sana’a International Airport in Yemen to prevent an Iranian Mahan Air flight from landing. This comes after an Iranian plane entered Yemeni airspace despite the Saudi blockade. Yahya Saree, spokesman for Ansar Allah in Yemen: “[…] the criminal enemy Saudi Arabia has targeted Sana’a International Airport with a series of airstrikes. By doing so, they have put an end to the de-escalation phase and will take full responsibility for the consequences of their aggression. We affirm that this attack will not go unpunished and will not go unnoticed.” The Iranian plane landed at Al Hudaydah airport. Saudi Arabia-backed militias controlling areas of Yemen have ordered the immediate closure of all airports until further notice.
The Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The ceasefire with Saudi Arabia has ended.” On the afternoon of July 13, an oil tanker was reportedly attacked off the coast of Yemen.
Before the wave of attacks on July 12, President Trump had asked Iran to issue a public statement affirming “that all routes to the Strait of Hormuz are open.” Iran’s response was to close the Strait of Hormuz. On the afternoon of July 12, commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely unchanged despite the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region. According to Axios, “About 20 commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours in coordination with the U.S. military, while several others have crossed it without U.S. coordination.” According to MarineTraffic.com reports that no ships used the US-backed southern corridor, but did use the passage through Omani waters. On July 12, the Persian Gulf Authority (the Iranian body that controls the Strait of Hormuz) responded to CENTCOM: “Dear interested parties, Due to recent illegal activities by US military forces in the region, transit through the Strait of Hormuz is currently impossible.” On July 13, amateur videos showed ships still stuck in the Strait. Merchant ships began transiting the Strait of Hormuz with their transponders turned off, Bloomberg reports, citing data from analytics firm Kpler.
Beginning at 6:00 PM on July 12, the US military struck several targets in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian sources, the following locations were hit: Khormogan; one missile was reportedly intercepted over Isfahan, in central Iran. At least 10 explosions have hit the port of Bandar Abbas, hitting the port area and the airport. Iran reported one death and four injuries in a US attack on a pumping station in Mashahar, including three explosions. Minab was hit. Several towns in the Khuzestan region were also hit, including Behbahan and Dezful. “Four towns between Omidiyeh and Mahshahr were hit by new US attacks,” confirmed Hayati, deputy governor of Khuzestan. Explosions were reported in Ahvaz, Khuzestan; the deputy governor denied that the airport was hit. According to local sources, Dezful airport/Vahdati airbase was hit, as were Andimeshk, Abadan, and Shadega, also in Khuzestan. The IRIB reported three explosions in Jask; local sources stated they were not related to maritime military activity. Khondab, in Markazi province, well inside mainland Iran, was hit; unconfirmed reports claim the Khondab nuclear facility was hit. Air defense activity in Kermanshah. Explosions in Behbahan, southwestern Iran. A communications tower near the village of Taherouyi in Sirik was hit again, the same site targeted in previous attacks, IRIB reports.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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