★IRAN
Hormuz Remains Open, But Traffic Slows Under Fire
Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, but it has not fully stopped maritime passage. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center says the southern route through Omani waters remains available and that Iran has no recognized authority to impose routes or fees. Commercial traffic has nevertheless slowed sharply because of Iranian attacks, threats, and the need for military coordination; vessel-tracking data showed no ships transmitting inside the strait early Monday, although ships crossed during the preceding 24 hours under U.S. protection.
CENTCOM Says Iran Strikes Now Top 300 Targets This Week
CENTCOM struck dozens more Iranian targets Monday, including air-defense systems, coastal radars, and missile and drone capabilities, using fighter aircraft, naval vessels, and one-way attack drones for the first time, saying the strikes aim to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The Monday strikes, ordered by the president, began at 5 p.m. ET and added to a total CENTCOM says has now exceeded 300 targets hit across three rounds this week, including roughly 140 hits in Saturday night’s strikes alone. CENTCOM denied an Iranian claim that three US service members were killed in Kuwait, reporting zero US casualties. Iran’s IRGC claimed it intercepted a US cruise missile near Khorramabad, struck a second US vessel in the strait, and hit Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Port of Duqm in Oman, while Iran’s Army said it launched drone attacks on facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iranian State Media Celebrates Death of Lindsey Graham
Iranian state TV presenters reacted to Graham’s death on air with visible satisfaction, with one anchor saying he was “so happy about Graham’s death” he had to read the news twice. Tasnim called Graham a warmonger and one of Congress’s most anti-Iran figures, crediting him with sanctions targeting companies that did business with Iran. Pro-regime social media accounts, including one from a Tehran University professor, mocked Graham’s death, and a graphic previously showing figures marked for “revenge” over February’s strikes reappeared with Graham’s face crossed out, suggesting his “removal had been completed.”
Iran Declares Weekly Friday Prayers Campaign For Blood Revenge Nationwide
Iran’s Friday Prayer Policy Council declared weekly nationwide services “Fridays of Blood Vengeance and Revenge” until those responsible for Ali Khamenei’s killing are punished. Clerics across the country rejected further negotiations with Washington, defended Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, demanded retaliation against the United States and Israel, and warned that U.S. actions had violated the memorandum governing the waterway.
US Sanctions Target Financial Network Linked To Iran’s Supreme Leader
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Iranian businessman Ali Ansari, three major exchange companies, and other entities accused of moving billions of dollars for sanctioned Iranian banks and financing networks linked to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the IRGC. The measures followed renewed Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and freeze U.S.-controlled assets while barring American transactions with the designated individuals and companies.
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★ISRAEL
Israel-Egypt $35B Gas Deal Advances With Pipeline Completion
NewMed Energy completed the Ashdod-Ashkelon undersea pipeline, increasing gas transmission capacity to Egypt by roughly 2 billion cubic meters annually. The upgrade marks the first stage of Israel’s $35 billion gas export deal signed in August, expected to raise Leviathan’s committed supply to Egypt by about 40%, from 4.7 to 6.7 billion cubic meters yearly.
Netanyahu May Attend Lindsey Graham’s Funeral, Possibly Meeting Trump
An Israeli official told i24NEWS that Netanyahu is considering traveling to the US for Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral, with a possible meeting with Trump if the trip occurs. Graham, 71, died Saturday night after a sudden brief illness. Netanyahu mourned him as one of Israel’s greatest friends, saying America and Israel each lost a great ally.
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★IRAQ
Zaidi Heads to Washington With Reform Agenda, Facing Domestic Pushback
Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi departs for a week-long Washington visit Monday to meet Trump, Congress members, and US officials on investment, energy, and bilateral security, framing the trip in a Washington Post op-ed as a shift from crisis management to economic partnership. He cited progress in disarming armed groups within 60 days and pointed to September 30, when the international coalition’s mission ends, as the start of a new US partnership phase. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq rejected the visit, warning against U.S. political and economic influence, demanding the withdrawal of American forces, and calling for parliamentary oversight of major agreements.
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★LEBANON
Israel Continues Lebanon Strikes as Rome Talks, US Coordination Loom
Israeli forces shelled Kfar Tibnit and the Hamra Farm area near Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and carried out demolitions in Bint Jbeil, Majdal Zoun, Hadatha, al-Qantara, and other southern Lebanese towns, with a drone dropping a sound bomb near al-Mansouri. US and Lebanese officials discussed preparations for the first “pilot zone,” where Lebanese troops would replace Israeli forces, ahead of Rome talks July 14-15. In a call, Trump told Netanyahu that mediators were working to end Hormuz attacks, with US strikes set to halt if Iran’s attacks stop, though he saw low odds of a broader agreement; Netanyahu affirmed alignment with Washington while insisting any deal must fully prevent Iranian nuclear weapons acquisition. The two also discussed the trial IDF-to-Lebanese Armed Forces handover at two southern Lebanon sites.
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★GULF STATES
Qatar’s Father Prince Hamad Dies After Transforming Qatar Into Global Power
Former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani died Sunday at 74, prompting widespread mourning across Qatar and the Gulf. During his 1995–2013 rule, he developed Qatar’s liquefied natural gas industry, launched Al Jazeera, expanded its diplomatic mediation role, secured the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and transformed the country into an influential regional and international actor before voluntarily transferring power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Iranian Attacks Hit Gulf States, Draw Regional Condemnation
Iranian missile and drone attacks struck three Kuwaiti border posts and an offshore drilling platform, wounding one worker, while Jordan intercepted four missiles without casualties. Oman summoned Iran’s ambassador over strikes on Musandam and Al Wusta, and the UAE said detected threats remained outside its territory. Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, the GCC, and the Arab League condemned the attacks, while the GCC also denounced strikes on Saudi and Qatari tankers and held Iran responsible for the escalation.
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★SYRIA
Al-Sharaa Inaugurates Syria’s First Post-Assad Parliament And Reform Era
President Ahmed al-Sharaa inaugurated Syria’s first parliament since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, calling on lawmakers to uphold the rule of law, strengthen state institutions, support reconstruction, and place the public interest above political divisions. Parliament elected constitutional law scholar and former judge Abdul Hamid al-Awak as speaker through a competitive vote, marking a new step in Syria’s transitional political process and efforts to establish a more representative and accountable state.
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★ Disclaimer: This publication is a digest of various news sources compiled by the Early Phoenix team and edited by Rania Kisar. The items are curated, concise summaries of news items hyperlinked within each story. The items and summaries presented do not necessarily represent the views of the American Center for Levant Studies.
