Iran rejects Oman's Hormuz proposal, suggests partial management of Omani route

Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV on Wednesday that Tehran rejected Oman’s proposal to split transit routes equally between the two countries. Instead, he said, Tehran proposed managing shipping on its side of the strait, while Muscat would manage part but not all of the opposite lane.

“Oman proposed to us the creation of a route in the Strait of Hormuz, with 50% of it located in our territorial waters and 50% in Omani territorial waters. The route for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz could involve entering through our waters and exiting through Omani territorial waters,” he said.

“Our proposal to Oman is that part of the transit route in the Strait of Hormuz be within our territorial waters, and that the part of the route passing through Omani waters also be under our control.”

Gharibabadi said the strait will remain closed if Oman rejects the plan.

GCC chief condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed groups

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) secretary-general denounced the “continued terrorist attacks” on Saudi Arabia by militias in Iraq, according to Al Jazeera.

In a statement, Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said the violence represents a “dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty, and [is] a direct threat to its security and stability and to regional security and peace”.

GCC countries stand alongside Saudi Arabia and fully support the decisions it takes to protect its “security, sovereignty and territorial integrity”, he added.

He “stressed that the continuation of these terrorist attacks poses a direct threat to regional peace and security, and undermines international efforts aimed at de-escalation and consolidating security and stability”.

EU’s Kallas raises regional tensions in call with Iran’s Araghchi

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said she discussed the situation in the Gulf as well as Iran’s support for Russia in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Al Jazeera.

“In the Gulf, the reprieve from fighting can buy mediators time to find a way back to diplomacy and prevent a return to full-scale war,” Kallas said in a post on X.

I spoke by phone today with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi about the situation in the Gulf, as well as Russia's war against Ukraine, which Moscow has further intensified in recent days.

In the Gulf, the reprieve from fighting can buy mediators time to find a way back to…

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) July 28, 2026

Kallas also condemned the brief detention of two French diplomats in Iran, calling it an “unacceptable” act of “aggression”. She also addressed Iran’s support for Moscow, saying she reiterated her call “on Iran to end its military support for Russia”.

She added that it was “encouraging” that Araghchi spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha to reduce tensions following a deadly Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea.

Saudi, Gulf foreign ministers discuss de-escalation, condemn Iran-linked attacks

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud received phone calls from his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, during which the diplomats “stressed the importance of continuing efforts to de-escalate tensions”, according to his office.

Al Jazeera reported that Prince Faisal spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

The ministers stressed the importance of safeguarding “freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait” to help mitigate the security and economic fallout of the crisis.

They also condemned attacks by Iran and “its affiliated militias in Iraq and Yemen”, and emphasised continued coordination and stronger joint action through the Gulf Cooperation Council.

US says it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards US forces in Middle East

The US military said on Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles ​launched by Iran towards US forces in the Middle East in what Washington cast ‌as "an attempted surprise attack" by Tehran.

The statement by the US Central Command did not mention the exact location it said Iran attempted to target.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards later said they fired several ballistic missiles at ​a US air base and a US military Central Command centre in Jordan, in ​what they described as a response to US actions against Iranian interests.

Axios ⁠reported earlier, citing a US official, that Iran had launched ballistic missiles towards a ​US base in Jordan and the missiles were intercepted.

"Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic ​missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted," the Central Command said on X.

https://t.co/4gooax78lx

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 29, 2026

US President Donald Trump, who abruptly called off a two-week ​US bombing campaign on Iran over the weekend, has said there were "good talks" underway with Tehran but threatened to restart strikes unless negotiations delivered. Iran has denied seeking to resume talks ‌with ⁠Washington.

Read: Trump cites 'good' talks on Iran, reiterates threat to hit targets

The US military said later that the Central Command and Saudi Arabia's armed forces conducted strikes in Iraq on what the US said were sites of Iran-backed militant groups that were directed by Tehran to attack American forces and Saudi energy infrastructure.

US and Saudi fighter aircraft ​struck those groups' logistics ​and weapons sites ⁠across eastern Iraq, Washington said, urging Iran and its proxies to "cease these attacks to avoid further US military response."

Saudi Arabia also confirmed the ​strikes in Iraq that it said were coordinated with the Central ​Command. Saudi ⁠Arabia's government said it did not seek escalation but would respond to any "aggression." Riyadh cast the strikes as a response to drone attacks on oil facilities.

#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation in the strongest terms of the continued launch of drones by Iran-backed militias in Iraq targeting oil facilities in the Eastern Province. pic.twitter.com/yICYdFtnqa

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) July 28, 2026

The Iran war began on February 28 ⁠when ​the US and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran responded with ​its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on ​Lebanon have since killed thousands and displaced millions, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.

Kuwait condemns attacks on Saudi oil sites, holds talks with Qatar on regional security

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike on oil infrastructure in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia as “blatant aggression” and a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty, according to Al Jazeera.

It said the attacks reflect the “insistence on escalating tensions” by armed groups despite Riyadh’s “sincere efforts” to de-escalate tensions. Kuwait reaffirmed its “absolute solidarity” with Saudi Arabia and backed any measures it takes to protect its security and resources.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry on Wednesday condemned continued attacks allegedly carried out by pro-Iran Iraqi militia groups on Saudi Arabia, decrying the "militias’ insistence on escalating tensions" and expressing support for "all measures taken" against them - Statement

"The… pic.twitter.com/8GBnGgQ19E

— The New Region (@thenewregion) July 29, 2026

In a separate statement, the ministry said Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah held a phone call with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss the broader regional security situation and diplomatic efforts to curb further escalation.

The two ministers also discussed measures to safeguard the safety and freedom of maritime navigation in strategic waterways critical to global energy supplies.

Jordan says it intercepts 5 Iranian missiles

Jordan's armed forces said on Wednesday that its air defences intercepted and shot down five missiles launched from Iran that were heading toward the kingdom early Wednesday morning.

According to the official Petra news agency, the missiles were detected by the military's surveillance and monitoring systems and intercepted and destroyed in accordance with the armed forces' approved rules of engagement.

Jordanian authorities did not immediately report any casualties or damage.

Separately, Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said ballistic missiles had targeted a US air base in Jordan in response to what it described as "the aggressive actions of the US military."

The IRGC said its operations would continue as long as "threats against the Islamic Republic of Iran" and what it called "illegal and malicious actions" by US forces against Iranian interests persist.

Jordan has now come under attack for a third consecutive day. On Tuesday, the military said it intercepted a drone after it entered Jordanian airspace, a day after announcing it had shot down two drones. Authorities did not identify the source of those drones.

Iranian official denies any link to projectiles fired at targets in Saudi Arabia

An informed military official told Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster that Tehran strongly denied “any connection to projectiles fired from other countries towards targets” in Saudi Arabia, as per Al Jazeera.

“Attributing any action against US interests in the region to the Islamic Republic of Iran is a major calculation error and stems from a lack of awareness regarding the region’s situation,” the official said, according to the IRIB.

IRGC Navy says it 'targeted and stopped' 3 oil tankers over alleged violations in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said early Wednesday that it "targeted and stopped" three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz after the vessels ignored its warnings, according to local media.

In a statement, the IRGC said the vessels were intercepted "a few hours ago" but did not provide details on the tankers' identities, ownership, locations or the nature of the alleged violations.

"The IRGC Navy once again warns that the illegal interventions and orders of the US, a child-killing army, will not go unanswered by vessels in the region," it said.