Russia took the lead and called for a de-escalation in the Persian Gulf on July 17, through Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “Russia calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and a return to the situation prior to the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.” “The Houthis have confirmed that they will close Bab al-Mandab if the bombing of Iran continues, and the consequences for global trade will be very serious.”
Lavrov continued: “Our American colleagues are calling for the restoration of freedom of navigation, but this freedom was already in place before the start of the aggression against Iran. The damage is not limited to the parties directly involved in the conflict, but also extends to the GCC countries, on whose territories American bases are located. Both sides are exchanging accusations of violations of the agreement and missile attacks, for which the Gulf states are also paying the price. The renewed escalation in the region is leading to an accumulation of risks for the region’s economy and security. We reiterate Russia’s initiative for dialogue between the Gulf coastal states and Iran.”
Finally, he said: “We renew Russia’s initiative for regional dialogue with the participation of Jordan, Iraq, and the Arab League, with the support of China, Egypt, and Pakistan. Iran has confirmed its willingness to engage in dialogue with China, Egypt, and Pakistan. We greatly appreciate Pakistan’s mediation efforts. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most vital arteries for global trade, and today it is no longer a free passage.”
The Israeli Shin Bet Ministerial Committee approved “the plan for Lifetime Security for Netanyahu. Lifetime security for the Prime Minister’s wife. The Prime Minister’s children will receive security for five years after the end of his term.”
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued a warning: “U.S. citizens in Iraq are advised to remain extremely vigilant, monitor local media, and follow the instructions of local authorities. Transportation disruptions and airspace closures are possible at any time without warning.”
Militias linked to the pro-Iranian Islamic Resistance of Iraq have announced they will offer a reward of approximately $10 million to anyone who kills US President Donald Trump. According to the organization’s statement, the sum was raised through donations from its supporters.
The United Arab Emirates announced the suspension of operations at the port of Fujairah following reports of Iranian forces attacking two VLCC oil tankers. Although the news has not yet been officially confirmed, the HFI Institute reported it on its social media channels. Fujairah is located off the Strait of Hormuz and is the UAE’s main oil export route, bypassing the narrowest point of the Persian Gulf. It handles a significant volume of oil and petroleum product exports and hosts major storage and bunkering facilities.
Iran has told the Houthis they must close the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb if the United States attacks its power plants. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi reiterated in his Thursday speech that “the Yemeni tribes are free and cannot accept Saudi tutelage and interference in Yemen’s internal affairs.” “The United States, Israel, and their allies pose a threat to global stability, and those who align themselves with them are a source of evil that threatens global stability.”
On the morning of July 16, a fire broke out at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran. Ali Khamenei was buried there last week. According to Iranian media, there was no damage.
Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Forces, Brigadier General Majid Mousavi, says that the south and Tehran are one and the same for Iran, warning that Iran’s effective and targeted strikes will continue to rain down on the “enemy until calm returns to Iran’s southern coast and the Strait of Hormuz.”
And now a look at the military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated as of 3:30 PM on July 17. The United States is reportedly preparing to cross the Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, at least two destroyers operated near the strait. However, they did not venture near Hormuz. However, CENTCOM appears to be planning another “lightning strike,” like the one on May 5. However, the 5th Fleet command does not yet consider the area sufficiently prepared for a breakthrough by any American warships. Therefore, on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, the US Armed Forces launched a new wave of attacks against the Islamic Republic, Central Command reported. Furthermore, the text explicitly states that “the United States is attacking Iranian military targets that could threaten the free passage of ships in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz.” On the night of the 16th, CENTCOM announced the beginning of a new series of attacks to “weaken” Iran’s military capabilities. At 11:00 PM Italian time the same day, an American F-35A fighter jet in the Persian Gulf transmitted a distress signal to 7700.
In response, Iran attacked US bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles. Satellite images show several impacts at the King Faisal base in Jordan in recent days.
On July 17, the IDF launched new attacks in Gaza. The area of Al-Kuneis, southwest of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, was attacked. Six people killed in IDF attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Clashes erupt in the village of Kafr Ein, northwest of Ramallah, and the IDF fire tear gas at residents of Ramallah. The IDF storms the Al-Aziz shrine in the town of Aqruta, east of Nablus.
Bombing continues in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon. Artillery shelling hits Jal Shihab below Ali Al-Taher Hill in the south of the country. The Israeli army carries out a bombing in the town of Kafr Tibnit.
The IRGC announced a surprise attack on the US Special Operations Command Center in the Al-Tanf region of Syria, “in response to US military aggression,” during the eleventh wave of Operation Nasr. The attack destroyed a radar system and several special operations helicopters, killing a large number of soldiers. Recall that the Americans left the base in February 2026; Jawlani/al-Sharaa’s military is now there. New Hezbollah weapons seizure in Syria at the al-Tanf crossing. On July 7, hundreds of drones, fiber optic cables, and many other small arms were seized at the crossing.
Satellite images indicate that a US Patriot AD system was destroyed in an Iranian Shahed-136 drone attack on Erbil airport, Iraq. Iranian attacks in Erbil have continued since the early hours of July 17. The explosion was caused by a kamikaze drone attack. Plumes of smoke are rising from the headquarters of the Iranian Kurdish rebel party in northern Iraq. The Iraqi news agency Shafaq News reports that nine members of the Komala group (Iranian Kurdish opponents) were killed in missile attacks that occurred early this morning against the group’s headquarters. According to a source from the agency, rescue teams in Komala have not yet been able to recover the bodies due to their location inside caves and the rugged terrain of this mountainous region. The source also stated that several Komala members were injured in the attack, with some in critical condition. The fate of the other members trapped under the rubble of the bombing remains unknown.
Attacks resumed against Iranian Kurdish minorities in Iraq on the afternoon of July 17. Iranian fears are that the Kurds could cross the border and spark revolts in Iran. Explosions rock the city of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq, and Erbil is still being hit. The IRGC also claims that two HIMARS launchers were destroyed in Basra, southern Iraq.
It was a very difficult night in Kuwait. Several explosions were reported, and a US HIMARS system in Kuwait was destroyed by Iranian drones. Large fires were reported on the Kuwaiti border. Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy announced today that one of the country’s power plants and desalination plants was hit during missile attacks by Iranian forces. Iranian media have released satellite images online showing the destruction of another hangar linked to American interests in Kuwait, following an Iranian attack.
Tehran attacked the King Fahd Bridge connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. There were reports of large numbers of ambulances heading toward the bridge, the only land link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. It also launched missile strikes against the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO). The shift from military targets to energy targets is a sign that the US and Iran are intensifying their escalation.
The US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters was filmed by satellites after an Iranian drone attack. The Iranian military has released footage showing drone strikes against US helicopters and P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir air base in Bahrain. New damage from Iranian attacks has been identified at the NSA base, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters. Satellite images show a large antenna at 26°12’27.17″N, 50°36’37.38″E.
On the night of July 17, loud explosions were heard in Qatar.
Satellite images taken on the morning of July 16 show that at least three large ammunition depots at the Zayed military base in the United Arab Emirates were completely destroyed by fire, the cause of which is still unknown. Each of these depots is located at least 250 meters apart and protected by an embankment, meaning it is unlikely that the spread of the fire could cause all three to burn simultaneously.
Iran has designated Donald Trump’s properties in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as legitimate targets for attacks, according to the Revolutionary Guards’ press service. This concerns golf courses and skyscrapers. These include the Trump International Hotel & Tower (Dubai), Trump Plaza (Jeddah), and Trump Tower (Riyadh).
Iranian airline Mahan Air has scheduled its second flight to Yemen for today, July 18, meaning that the Saudi blockade of Yemen is no longer acceptable to Iran. The leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen: “Saudi Arabia provides the United States, Israel, and Great Britain with coordinates and precise information on targets. By making its airports available, Riyadh has enabled the operations of Israeli spy planes. The real equation is Sana’a airport versus Riyadh airport.”
Reports of an unidentified explosion in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.
An oil tanker in the East Khabbah area, near the coast of Oman, was attacked by an unidentified projectile. The UKMTO reported an incident involving a vessel and military forces approximately 100 nautical miles east of the Omani port of Duqm. An Iranian missile struck a Thai vessel.
Iran was hit hard On the night of July 16-17: Explosions were reportedly heard in Bandar Abbas, a city in Iran’s southern Hormuzgan province. Eight explosions were reported near the village of Masneh on Qeshm Island, following an airstrike. The bridge connecting Bandar Abbas and Shiraz was attacked. Channels linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported: “A train station was attacked in the city of Ahvaz.” A US airstrike targeted a railway hub in Bandar Abbas, wounding two civilians. The latest US strikes targeted civilian infrastructure.
The US strikes targeted a total of six bridges in Iran, including: Bandar Khamir, a major overpass connecting Bandar Abbas to Lar. Cars were on the bridge at the time of the attack, resulting in at least one death and several injuries. The Gariveh Bridge, at least one death and several injuries. All bridges are located in Khomer, Hormuzgan province. A train station west of Bandar Abbas, a connection point between the railway and the passenger and freight lines of the Shahid Rajaei Port and the Bandar Abbas railway, was also bombed: two people have been injured so far. Precision missiles fired by fighter jets hit a telecommunications tower in Bandar Abbas, damaging several nearby residential buildings and causing civilian deaths and injuries. US missiles struck a civilian airport in Iranshahr, in southeastern Iran.
Two Iranian military statements claimed responsibility for the tenth and eleventh wave of attacks. “Tenth phase of the Army’s Operation Blitzkrieg; US bases and centers in Kuwait and Bahrain were targeted by Arash drone strikes, targeting US Army radar systems, the Patriot defense system, and fuel depots at the Ali Al-Salem base in Kuwait. Communications and radar systems, including Super Hawk radars, and US Army Patriot infrastructure and systems stationed at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain were hit.” Eleventh wave of Operation Nasr 2, […] surprise attack against the enemy special operations command center in the Al-Tanf region of Syria, in addition to destroying a radar system and several special operations helicopters, in retaliation for the blood of the soldiers martyred the previous night in Iranshahr, sending a large number of US-trained soldiers to hell.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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