Iran-US war latest: Tehran’s army chief tells Trump ‘we’ll break your legs’ and places $30k bounty on US soldiers

An Iranian army commander has threatened to break Donald Trump’s legs over remarks made about the Strait of Hormuz. As the US and Iran continue their conflict and dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, the American president has threatened to declare the vital waterway a US territory. Responding to his remarks, major general Amir Hatami said: “Joking about such remarks is a major mistake, because this is Iran, and it has defenders who will break your legs,” according to Iranian broadcasters IRIB. He added that the US forces had “effectively been driven out” and no longer had permission to enter the Gulf, the Sea of Oman or the Strait of Hormuz. Hatami also said US bases would not be allowed to return to their previous status, adding that “Iran will never allow this”. Iranian officials previously told Trump to “accept the reality of defeat” after declaring that it would not resume talks with the US with the Strait of Hormuz set to remain closed. His comments come as Jared Kushner, Trump’s envoy and son-in-law, held rare talks with Hamas to discuss the implementation of the Gaza peace plan. Iran used MoU with US to prepare for bigger war - report Iran used the 60-day pause in war with the US to prepare for a bigger conflict in the region, according to the Wall Street Journal. The memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June expires today and it is not immediately clear what will happen next. Iranian leaders viewed the agreement as a possible attempt by the US and Israel to ease global economic pressure and "buy time before another attack down the road", according to the report. “There is also a widespread view in Iran that the main war has not yet begun,” Mohammad Hassan Sangtarash, a Tehran-based defence analyst close to the Iranian government, told the WSJ. "What we have seen so far is increasingly interpreted through the lens of ‘salami-slicing’ tactics – limited, incremental escalation designed to weaken capabilities before a larger confrontation." Alisha Rahaman Sarkar17 August 2026 05:45Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with Seoul President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea, saying it declined to help “denuclearise” Iran and citing his good relationship with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises slated to begin this week are not only costly but “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House. “Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump wrote. The president added that he recently asked South Korea’s president to join the US in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, “and they said, ‘No thanks!’” Alisha Rahaman Sarkar17 August 2026 05:20Shipping slows through Strait of Hormuz Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed over the weekend, data showed, following attacks ​on tankers, while US-Iran talks to resolve the Middle East ‌conflict stalled. Five commodity vessels transited the strait on Saturday, with none registered for Sunday, shiptracking data from Kpler showed, versus 31 in the prior weekend. Shipping appeared to grind to a near standstill after the UAE said three vessels operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company were ​attacked in transit last week. The United States said it could ​maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar17 August 2026 05:00Iran-US memorandum of understanding will expire today The Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June between Iran and the US will expire today, even as the impasse in talks continues. The 60-day memorandum was signed to halt the US and Israel's war on Iran and address Tehran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. It was not immediately clear what would happen once the MoU expires. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar17 August 2026 04:45Oil nears $90 as US-Iran peace talks stall Oil prices rose this morning over fading expectations of a US-Iran peace breakthrough and as slower tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reinforced geopolitical risk concerns in the market. Brent crude ​futures rose as much as 1 per cent to $89.40 per barrel and were last trading ​up 72 cents at $89.20. The US West Texas Intermediate crude futures ⁠rose 44 cents to $82.83 a barrel. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar17 August 2026 04:30Recap: Israeli officials shocked by the speed of Iran’s military recovery after war, report says Iran launched missiles at Israel at the beginning of June and rose to an escalation in early July with renewed strikes on Arab states in the region. They were also accused of striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining a hold over the vital waterway. Top Israeli defence officials have now been forced to admit that Iran appears to have figured out creative ways to rebuild its offensive threats, according to the Israeli outlet. Holly Bancroft17 August 2026 04:01Five ways Trump could target Iran’s economy from ‘teapot’ sanctions to land blockade US President Donald Trump pledged on Friday to inflict severe economic damage on Iran following Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's announcement that Washington plans to levy unprecedented restrictions on Tehran as early as next week. Trade embargoes, asset freezes, and sanctions have been imposed by the United States, European Union, and United Nations since the late 1970s, citing Tehran's nuclear ambitions, human rights abuses, and backing of militant factions. Here Andrea Shalal explores the options the Trump administration could pursue against Iran: Holly Bancroft17 August 2026 03:06Comments surface showing Israel's Ben-Gvir advocating for killing '30 to 40' people in Gaza each night An extremist Israeli lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza each night, comments that surfaced Sunday and were quickly shared by Palestinian media. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir made the statement while speaking to a former Gaza-held hostage, Rom Braslavski, on Braslavski's podcast. The two were discussing Israel's recovery from the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, when Ben-Gvir criticized Israel's recent drawdown of strikes in Gaza. “It’s no secret, I disagree with the prime minister," he said. “I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night. Not just those who pose an immediate threat — there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people.” In the past, similar statements by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials were widely condemned. Many have been presented to the UN’s world court as evidence of genocidal intent. Israel denies it has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel’s domestic media has made scarce mention of the statement, highlighting how once-fringe ideologies like Ben-Gvir’s are surging in the leadup to Israeli elections Oct. 27. Figures like Ben-Gvir have become more popular among Israelis since Hamas’ brutal attack in 2023, when the militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. Many hostages have recounted long-term starvation, physical and psychological abuse and, in some cases, sexual abuse. Holly Bancroft17 August 2026 02:06Israel continues strikes on Gaza The Israeli military said on Sunday that its aircraft struck two Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. At least five Palestinians were injured in the strike which hit a tent encampment, medics in the enclave said. One of the injured in the strike on Khan Younis in southern Gaza died from their wounds, medics at Nasser hospital said later. A separate airstrike, which the Israeli military said targeted another militant, hit an apartment in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, wounding several people, medics said. Earlier, Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya met with Egypt's intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Cairo. Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, Hazem Qassem, said Al-Hayya would brief mediators on what he said were Israel's ceasefire violations. Holly Bancroft17 August 2026 00:57US Central Command chief says visit to Abraham Lincoln was 'awe-inspiring' The ​leader of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, wrote on Sunday that his recent visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln ⁠was "awe-inspiring" and hailed the crew's "resilience" following reports of concerns about mental health and deteriorating conditions aboard the aircraft carrier. The ship has not made a port call in more than 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers who have called for answers after sailors' families raised concerns about worsening conditions on the Lincoln. Cooper wrote in a statement posted on social media on Sunday that ‌the Lincoln had the lowest ‌number of mental health cases of the Navy's 11 active aircraft carriers. He praised the carrier's leadership ⁠for prioritizing mental health and crew resilience. The Lincoln left its home port of San Diego in November and was later redirected to the Middle East to support US military operations in the war with Iran. The carrier ‌has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard. Holly Bancroft16 August 2026 23:53