Trump considers Iran land blockade as conflict reignites
Israel and the US consider are considering land blockade on Iran, as President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu look to tighten the economic squeeze on Tehran. Elsewhere, the security landscape has been rocked by the news that a British national has been arrested on charges of spying on a UK military base in Cyprus, casting fresh concerns over the regional expansion of this conflict.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Henry Bodkin, Jerusalum Correspondent speaks to Lottie Tiplady-Bishop, acting US news editor, about the geopolitical implications of this proposed land blockade, the fragile reality behind Trump’s Gaza disarmament deal, and attitudes inside the US. Plus, Henry and Lottie discuss the latest retaliatory strikes on US assets in Kuwait, the ongoing naval tension in the Strait of Hormuz, and how Saudi Arabia is scrambling to organize a new maritime alliance to secure the Bab el-Mandeb.HighlightsHamas agrees to disarm: Is this the first step to peace or a trap in Gaza?Iran land blockade: Could a US-Israel alliance tighten the economic vice on Tehran?UK spy arrest: British national detained for allegedly surveilling RAF AkrotiriCONTRIBUTORS:Henry Bodkin, Jerusalem Correspondent @HenryBodkinLottie Tiplady-Bishop, acting US news editor @lottietipbishopWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/31/israel-us-iran-blockade-economy-trump-netanyahu-middle-east/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/30/hamas-agree-to-disarm-gaza-strip/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trump prepares 14-Day Iran blitz as US tanker struck in Mediterranean
The conflict between Iran and the US has intensified sharply as President Trump delivers on his promise to strike “very hard,” launching a massive wave of attacks against IRGC command centres and drone facilities. Further afield, a drone strike on a US-owned gas tanker in Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta has now dragged the conflict into a new, volatile theatre, raising urgent questions about the reach of Iran’s drone warfare.On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophie O’Sullivan speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the reality of the US military’s 14-day strike plan, the tactical risks of widening the war to the Mediterranean, and why Saudi Arabia is now pushing for urgent de-escalation.Plus, Sophie and David discuss the Iraqi government’s furious response to the strikes, examine why US troops in the Middle East may soon be forced to surrender their mobile phones to maintain operational security, and analyse the latest developments in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.Highlights Trump prepares 14-day strike plan: Will this blitz effectively dismantle Iran’s capabilities?US tanker struck in Egypt: Is the conflict spreading to the Mediterranean?Security risk: US troops in the Middle East may be forced to surrender phones for security.CONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O’Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/30/trumps-general-draws-up-plans-for-14-days-of-iran-strikes/?recomm_id=1b169994-a91c-4c17-aad7-04111941eb17 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/29/iran-us-war-latest-israel-trump-strikes-strait-of-hormuz/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/20/us-prepares-all-out-war-iran-sending-more-jets-middle-east/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Saudi Arabia joins US strikes on Iran militias in Iraq as China arms Tehran
The conflict between Iran and the US has entered a volatile new phase as Saudi Arabia joins American forces in striking Tehran’s proxies across Iraq. The move comes after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities alongside Tehran’s surprise missile barrage against US positions in Jordan, the first unprovoked attack by Iran since the war began. Is Riyadh’s public military intervention a decisive check on Iranian expansionism, or has the regional firestorm spiralled beyond diplomatic control?On Wednesday’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Sophie O’Sullivan speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the strategic implications of Saudi Arabia’s involvement and what the 3.8 per cent spike in global oil prices signals for the international market.Plus, Arthur Scott-Geddes and Sophie discuss the deepening military collaboration between Tehran and Beijing, examine the fallout from the high-stakes Trump-Netanyahu meeting in Washington and ask why Iran has definitively rejected Oman’s latest proposal to stabilise shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.HighlightsSaudi Arabia joins US strikes: A strategic shift or a dangerous gamble?Tehran’s unprovoked missile barrage hits US bases in JordanChina arms Iran: The deal that could change the war’s trajectoryCONTRIBUTORS:Sophie O’Sullivan, journalist and Ukraine: the Latest producer Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/27/trump-us-more-weapons/ ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Red Sea chokepoint: Houthi rebels replicate Iran’s Hormuz strategy
Seventeen days into the conflict between the US and Iran, the frontline is expanding as drone attacks continue to test the ceasefire and new flashpoints emerge in the Red Sea. Is the Houthi blockade of critical shipping lanes a calculated attempt to mirror Iran’s strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, or a desperate move to force concessions from Saudi Arabia?On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Arthur Scott-Geddes speaks to Memphis Barker, The Telegraph’s Senior Foreign Correspondent, about the reality of these escalating tactics and what they mean for the global oil market. They discuss the significance of Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu today, and how the conflict is forcing nations as distant as Australia to fundamentally rethink their national energy security. Plus, Ben Farmer, our Africa Correspondent, joins the conversation to explain the unexpected and worrying resurgence of piracy off the coast of Somalia as a direct side effect of the war.HighlightsTactical diplomacy or a critical missile shortage?What the Israeli Prime Minister is demanding from WashingtonWhy the markets are reacting to the halt in hostilitiesCONTRIBUTORS:Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesMemphis Barker, Senior Foreign Correspondent @memphisbarkerBen Farmer, Africa Correspondent @benfarmerDTWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Somali pirates are back, fuelled by Iran war. By Mohamed Gabobe andBen Farmer: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/d08ca6627b5840c0 Iran’s deadliest kamikaze drone yet sends a message to Trump. By Akhtar Makoii: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/28/iran-new-kamikaze-drone-stealthier-faster-deadlier/ Trump caught between Zelensky’s wish for peace and Netanyahu’s thirst for war. By Joe Barnes and Connor Stringer: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/27/trump-caught-between-zelenskys-wish-for-peace-and-netanyahu/ Video Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US ‘runs out of missiles’ as Trump halts Iran strikes
The US has halted its air strikes on Iran, creating a sudden pause in a conflict that has raged for nearly two weeks. Is this a strategic move to allow for diplomacy, or has the American military been forced to back down by a critical shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles? On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Arthur Scott-Geddes speaks to David Blair, The Telegraph’s Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, about the reality of the situation in Washington and the potential fallout across the region. They discuss the growing concerns over dwindling US munition stocks, the impact of the pause on global oil prices, and what Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to secure in his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump. Plus, the team analyses a surprising new front in the war: Ukraine’s brazen strike on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, and what message Kyiv is trying to send to the White House.HighlightsTactical diplomacy or a critical missile shortage?What the Israeli Prime Minister is demanding from WashingtonWhy the markets are reacting to the halt in hostilitiesCONTRIBUTORS:Arthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesDavid Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdtWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkTL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: James EnglandExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.