US-Iran war Highlights: IRGC claims attack on US base in Kuwait under Operation Nasr-2

The United States on Thursday issued new Iran-related sanctions that target global networks supporting Mahan Air, the Iranian carrier Washington says transports Iran's Revolutionary Guards personnel, as well as weapons and drones.

The U.S. Treasury designated six entities and individuals in China, India, Russia and Iran for acting as sales agents and support networks for the U.S.- and E.U.-sanctioned airline, the department said in a statement.

– Reuters

China has dismissed a Reuters report claiming that Iran was set to receive 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers within weeks, describing the report as “not true and not factual at all”.

Reuters, citing unnamed official sources, had reported that Iran was expected to receive air-defence systems from China.

The report further claimed that the first batch of deliveries would be transported by air from Urumqi in western China and would pass through Pakistan before arriving in Iran.

Asian stocks swung between gains and losses on Thursday as a deepening selloff in semiconductor shares extended losses in the US. Long end of Treasuries dropped, sending yields to their highest levels in almost two decades amid uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.

The Kospi Index edged 0.8% higher after the government stepped up leveraged ETF curbs following a rout on Wednesday. Samsung Electronics Co. advanced after its earnings beat estimates. SK Hynix Inc. slipped.

A chip selloff deepened on Wall Street, sending a semiconductor gauge down 5.3%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 headed into a technical correction, with the index now down 11% from its record high.

Tech remained in focus as Microsoft Corp. jumped over 8% in extended trading after reporting its fastest cloud-computing growth in four years. Meta Platforms Inc., however, slid over 7% in post-market trading following a disappointing revenue forecast for the current year. Some stability came as futures contracts for Wall Street gauges climbed over 0.3%.

— Bloomberg

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday informed the Rajya Sabha that as many as 2,557 Indian nationals were evacuated from Iran through Armenia or Azerbaijan for their onward journey to India following the escalation of hostilities in West Asia.

Responding to a series of separate questions in the Upper House of Parliament on the government's measures to protect Indians amid the Iran-USA-Gulf tensions, Singh said the Indian Embassy in Tehran facilitated the cross-border movement of Indian citizens from Iran to neighbouring countries to enable their return.

"Since the onset of hostilities in West Asia in February 2026, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has facilitated the cross-border movement of 2,557 Indian nationals from Iran to Armenia/Azerbaijan for their onward travel to India," Singh stated in the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The Minister said the government estimates that around 7,000 Indian nationals continue to remain in Iran, including seminary students, medical students, workers, seafarers and fishermen.

"The Government is closely monitoring the security situation in Iran and has issued timely advisories to Indian nationals depending on the developments," Singh said.

He added that the Indian Embassy in Tehran has maintained a 24/7 emergency helpline and email facility to assist Indian nationals in distress and ensure continuous communication during the crisis.

In its latest advisory issued on July 19, the government advised Indian nationals already present in Iran to consider temporarily exiting the country using available flight options. Those planning to travel to Iran were advised to postpone their travel plans until the situation improves.

Addressing concerns related to Indian medical students who had to return from Iran due to the conflict, Singh said the government has taken up the matter with Iranian authorities and is exploring ways to mitigate the difficulties faced by affected students.

The Minister also highlighted India's broader diplomatic efforts amid the West Asia crisis, stating that the government has remained in close contact with regional and international stakeholders.

"India has reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to arrive at a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict," Singh said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held discussions with counterparts on the issue, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has remained engaged with his counterparts in the region and beyond.

Singh underlined that India has also stressed the importance of ensuring "unimpeded freedom of navigation and the safe flow of energy and commerce in and around the Strait of Hormuz."

The government, he said, continues to engage with regional partners to protect India's strategic and economic interests while ensuring the safety and security of Indians abroad.

On energy security, Singh said India has diversified its energy and fertiliser imports and strengthened its strategic petroleum reserves to safeguard long-term national interests.

The Minister also informed the Parliament that Indian missions in conflict-affected regions have operated 24x7 emergency helplines, coordinated with local authorities, facilitated transit arrangements, provided logistical support, and assisted citizens with travel documentation and emergency requirements.

The government said a multi-layered crisis response mechanism, including the Rapid Response Cell of the Ministry of External Affairs, continues to coordinate evacuation and assistance operations for Indians facing emergencies overseas.

— ANI

The US military said no American aircraft were damaged or destroyed during the recent attempted Iranian attack.

The US military said the commercial vessel M/T Nora has not breached the American blockade.

Oil prices edged lower as Tehran and Muscat exchanged proposals for an agreement on the management of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Brent crude futures dropped $1.42, or 1.56 per cent, to $89.32 a barrel by around 13:30 GMT, after earlier touching a high of $93.31.

Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $1.14, or 1.35 per cent, to $83.32 a barrel, having climbed to an intraday high of $85.94 earlier.

At least three members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the latest US air strikes targeting Zanjan province in northwestern Iran on Thursday, according to state media.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday claimed responsibility for an attack on a US military base in Kuwait, according to Press TV.

The report said the strike was carried out as part of Operation Nasr-2, targeting the Ali Al-Salem Air Base, and claimed that two drone hangars and a fuel depot were destroyed.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei paid tribute to an Iranian Air Force pilot who was killed during a mission in March, as funeral ceremonies commenced across the country.

In a statement posted on X, Baghaei said funeral processions had begun for Second Brigadier-General Pilot Majid Kazemi, whose remains were recently recovered and identified.

Qatar on Thursday condemned the latest Iranian attacks targeting Jordan and Kuwait, calling them a “flagrant violation” of the two countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as a breach of international law and the UN Charter.

In a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry, Qatar cautioned that the attacks could furtheer intensify tensions in the region and hamper diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating the situation. It called for an immediate halt to military actions and urged all sides to return to dialogue and negotiations.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions with Oman in Tehran are continuing through multiple rounds, while accusing US and Israeli military actions of causing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and disruptions to international shipping, reported Al Jazeera.

Baghaei said talks with Omani officials, which began in Tehran last week, remain ongoing, with additional rounds of discussions held on Thursday.

“What is clear is that currently, the Strait of Hormuz is closed due to American actions and the insecurity that America has imposed on this waterway,” Baghaei told the ILNA news agency, adding, "International shipping is being harmed and damaged solely because of American actions.”

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had attacked the Azraq air base in Jordan, according to Iranian state media.

Two tankers carrying Saudi crude oil to India exited the Red Sea after switching off their tracking signals, or going "dark", amid security risks in the region

Vessel tracking data showed commercial shipping continuing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait even as Yemen's Houthi movement considers imposing fees on ships transiting the southern Red Sea, according to regional sources cited by Reuters.

London's marine insurance market has expanded the Red Sea area classified as high risk following recent attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen's Houthi movement. The move is expected to influence war-risk insurance premiums for ships operating in the region, according to a Joint War Committee advisory.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they "will punish the aggressor today" following the recent US attack, according to Iranian state media. The statement comes amid rapidly escalating military tensions in the region.

Iran is expected to receive within weeks a first shipment out of up to 400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defence missile launchers, three sources familiar with the deal told Reuters, as it rebuilds its defences amid war with the United States.

An Iranian attack hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait on Thursday, killing a worker and inflicting significant damage, the Kuwaiti defence ministry spokesperson said in a post on X