IAEA investigates reports of attack on Iran’s Darkhovin nuclear power plant site
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday that it was investigating reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of Iran’s planned Darkhovin nuclear power plant.
The facility was in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last inspected, the agency said.
Bryony Gooch19 July 2026 15:00
In pictures: Shi’ite Muslim girls hold pictures of children who were killed in the Minab school attack
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
Bryony Gooch19 July 2026 14:45
The Trump toll: Why plan to charge ships 20% fee in Strait of Hormuz will never work
Donald Trump has announced a 20 per cent fee on cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would dramatically increase the cost of transporting oil through the vital waterway.
The US president vowed on Monday to charge the fee on all cargo shipped through the strait, a toll that would cover the cost of America’s self-declared role as the “guardian of the Strait”.
It is an announcement that has already sparked fury from major shipping companies. Hapag-Lloyd, a German firm, said charging fees for passage through international waters “would be fundamentally wrong”.
You can read more about what analysts think of the “Trump toll” below:
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 14:30
Jordan shot down three Iranian missiles, state news agency reports
Jordan’s armed forces said they shot down three Iranian missiles targeting the kingdom, while a fourth fell in a remote area, the state news agency reported.
There were no casualties or material damage, the agency said, citing a military official.
Bryony Gooch19 July 2026 14:15
In pictures: Iran suffers damage from US strikes as tensions ramp up
US strikes have caused damage in Iran (AFP/Getty)
An overturned car sits on a section of a destroyed bridge after a strike in Hormozgan province
A heavily-damaged bridge which was hit by a US strike is pictured along the road connecting Roudan and Bandar Abbas in southern Iran (AFP/Getty)
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 14:00
IDF says missiles launched from Iran toward Jordan’s Aqaba; spillover into Israeli territory possible
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it had identified missiles launched from Iran towards the Jordanian city of Aqaba, adjacent to Israeli territory.
It also warned of possible spillover into southern Israel, as sirens sounded across Jordan, according to Jordanian state television.
Bryony Gooch19 July 2026 13:30
Trump urges Republicans to ‘add Iran’ to Russian sanctions bill
US President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to add Iran to the Russian sanctions bill.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Republicans should add Iran to the Russian Sanctions Bill.”
Referencing the recent sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham he added: “That’s what Lindsey wanted to do, and it was going to happen. IMPORTANT!!!”.
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 13:14
Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: How Gulf countries are preparing for life without the waterway
The US and Iran continue tit-for-tat strikes over the vital shipping route while a fifth of the world’s oil supply remains at a standstill. But Gulf countries have been looking towards alternatives for a more independent future, Maira Butt reports.
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 13:00
Jordan has not ordered evacuation of Aqaba airport or seaport, gov’t spokesperson says
Jordanian authorities have not issued any decision on Sunday to evacuate the airport or seaport in Aqaba, the government’s spokesperson told Reuters, after the US embassy in Amman said they had been evacuated due to a credible threat.
“No potential threats have been recorded by the relevant Jordanian authorities in the past few hours,” government spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani told Reuters in a written statement. “The airport and port are operating normally.”
The US embassy had said the airport and seaport were evacuated due to a “specific and credible threat”, without providing further details.
It advised Americans to refrain from travelling to either location and to continue to follow all security directives issued by Jordanian authorities.
The US military said on Saturday that two of its personnel were killed in Jordan and another was missing after an Iranian attack.
Over the last week, Jordan has repeatedly said that it has intercepted Iranian missiles flying over its territory.
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 12:45
Watch: Vance says some Israeli leaders want conflict with Iran to continue ‘indefinitely’Vance says some Israeli leaders want conflict with Iran to continue ‘indefinitely’
Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 12:30