US-Iran deadlock on war and Hormuz persists as Trump says no talks planned

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Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya on Wednesday to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied territories.

The prime minister welcomed Hamas's decision to accept the Trump-backed Board of Peace's roadmap for implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and expressed hope that the move would help bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement. 

He also stressed the need for the international community to pressure Israel to meet its obligations under the agreement and halt its continued violations of Palestinian rights.

رئيس مجلس الوزراء وزير الخارجية @MBA_AlThani_ يستقبل رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة "حماس"

الدوحة | 19 أغسطس 2026

استقبل معالي الشيخ محمد بن عبد الرحمن بن جاسم آل ثاني رئيس مجلس الوزراء وزير الخارجية، اليوم، الدكتور خليل الحية رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة المقاومة الإسلامية في فلسطين… pic.twitter.com/fuuwHru6L2

— الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) August 19, 2026

More than 100 US organisations have called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act "urgently" to secure the release of Palestinian-American student Sama Safi, who has been detained in Israel for over two months.

Israeli forces arrested Safi, a 20-year-old psychology student from the occupied West Bank, on 2 June, along with two other students and a graduate of the university.

Human rights organisations and US political figures launched a campaign for Safi's release days after her arrest.

A State Department spokesperson said at the time that it was following the case and took its commitment to protecting US citizens abroad seriously.

"During my detention, I was repeatedly subjected to verbal abuse... I was blindfolded and my hands were shackled," the letter quoted Safi saying.

Safi was arrested at her family home in the town of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, and charged with membership in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a party that Israeli authorities classify as a "terrorist organisation".

She denies the allegation, her lawyer Leah Tsemel told AFP.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf began a two-day official visit to Iraq on Wednesday morning, 19 August, amid mounting US pressure on Iran-aligned Popular Mobilisation factions, regional tensions and strained relations between Iran and Arab neighbouring countries.

Upon arriving at Baghdad International Airport, Ghalibaf immediately headed to the site where former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani was assassinated.

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A Yemeni minister has warned the country's Houthi rebels are plotting to seize land along the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which would allow them to further threaten the vital shipping artery.

Three Houthi military sources and a spokesman for the Yemeni government forces battling them near the waterway also told AFP the rebels are planning to advance south from their current territory.

Such an assault, if successful, could cement Houthi control over one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, which the Iran-backed rebels have disrupted with attacks on passing vessels since the Gaza war broke out in 2023.

It would also extend the hold of Tehran and its allies to a second vital waterway in the Middle East, after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in its war with the United States.

Greater Houthi control of Bab al-Mandab would threaten to choke off oil exports from Saudi Arabia, against which the rebels have announced a maritime blockade.

"The Houthi militia... is working to create the conditions for seizing control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait by expanding its presence along the western coast and attempting to control strategic Yemeni islands in the Red Sea," Yemen's information minister Moammar al-Eryani told AFP late Tuesday.

He said there had been a military build-up by the Houthis and that their plans were illustrated by "repeated targeting of ports, docks, civilian infrastructure, ships, and government naval capabilities".

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned on Wednesday violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers, backed by the Israeli army, against Palestinians.

He added that this justified France's recent sanctions against Israel's far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

"What is happening today in the West Bank is utterly disgraceful and should fill us all with revulsion," Barrot wrote on X.

"This is why we have sanctioned Israeli minister Ben-Gvir, whose recent comments are unacceptable and inhuman," added Barrot.

In May, France announced it was banning Ben-Gvir from French territory.

Barrot reiterated that new sanctions could be implemented against Israeli settlers deemed to be involved in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

US stock index futures were steady on Wednesday after a tech-driven selloff rocked Wall Street in the previous session as investors turned their attention to geopolitical tensions from the US-Israeli war on Iran as well as domestic retailer earnings.

Target shed 1.3% in premarket trading despite raising its annual sales forecastas its turnaround efforts bore fruit. Lowe's said it now expects no growth in annual comparable sales as consumers remained cautious on discretionary spending.

Quarterly earnings from retailers will be scrutinised to gauge the health of the US consumer amid the US conflict with Iran that is seeping into inflation expectations.

"A prolonged war means pressure on inflation via energy prices at a time when the Fed's policy outlook and its reaction function to inflation are no longer straightforward," said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank. "Something must give: either yields will come lower–if Middle East tensions ease, for example–or stock valuations will readjust."

Nine people have now been reported killed by the Israeli drone attack in central Gaza City, according to local media reports.

An Israeli airstrike killed six Palestinians at a police post in Gaza City on Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, a separate Israeli airstrike killed one Palestinian, medics said, taking Wednesday's death toll to at least seven.

The three under threat are Palestinian Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student in New York state; Palestinian Mohsen al-Mahdawi, also a Columbia University student; and Indian national Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University student in Washington.

They are experiencing successes and setbacks in cases being heard by US courts without a final decision.

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Iraq's parliament speaker urged that Iran give "special status" for Iraqi oil exports that go through the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with Iran's parliament speaker, Qalibaf.

France announced Wednesday that it will expel two staff members of the Iranian Embassy in France, in response to what the French Foreign Ministry described as an assault by Iranian security forces against two French diplomatic staff in the Islamic Republic last month.

Iran accused the French pair of taking part in a secret meeting with “suspects in a major case involving foreign infiltration and interference,” Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The French diplomats were expelled on Monday.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot slammed the Iranian authorities for not investigating what he called a “premeditated and deliberate attack.” He said the two Iranians will leave Paris in the coming days.

“Iranian authorities chose to make entirely false accusations against French personnel and fabricate a case of foreign interference to justify their actions,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

Israeli forces invaded Jubata al-Khashab in the northern countryside of south Syria's Quneitra province and abducted two Syrians.

Syria’s state news agency SANA reports that the operation included more than 100 Israeli military personnel and 15 military vehicles, in which they searched several residential properties before abducting two individuals.

Additionally, SANA says Israeli forces shelled the Yarmouk Basin area in the western countryside of Deraa.

A NATO official commented on the Financial Times report that Iran is considering strikes on sites in Europe if the war expands, saying that "the alliance is prepared to deal with any threat, and will always do what is necessary to defend all its members."

"Our position became clear when our air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles heading from Iran to Turkey in four incidents," the official added.

Over 300 Arab intellectuals from around the world are opposing the growing normalisation with Israel and affirming the right of Arabs to self-determination.

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Overnight Israeli air strikes destroyed a home in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh al-Fawqa, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.

Israeli strikes also hit the nearby Ali al-Taher Hill area.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump's order to curb joint military drills appeared aimed in part at pressuring Seoul to support U.S. efforts in the Iran war, alongside other unresolved issuessuch as investment.

"I think President Trump's message includes pressure over several pending issues concerning the South Korean government, as well as a message to North Korea and an intention by the United States to break a stalemate in the Iran war," Cho said.

One potential source of friction could be South Korea's pledge to invest $350 billion in the United States under a trade deal signed last year, Cho said.

Seoul has yet to announce details of the investment plan, although Cho said Washington had sent Seoul a proposal outlining projects that could be considered.

Turkey firmly rejected on Wednesday what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel regarding its military position in Syria, after Israel bombed a Syrian air base near the Turkish border and said Syria was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there.

Israel carried out airstrikes against the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo on Tuesday, drawing condemnation from Turkey, the Arab states, and others, as well as criticism from a US envoy who called the attack an "unnecessary escalation".

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed late on Tuesday that Syria was on the verge of violating a "status quo agreed with Israel in security matters" by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the airbase, adding that such a deployment would threaten Israel's security and it would not tolerate this.

In response, Turkey's presidency said the "imputations" from Netanyahu's office stemmed from his intention to pursue "expansionist and destabilising policies" ahead of elections in Israel, adding that lasting regional peace could only be achieved if Israel respected international law and abandoned its "aggressive and coercive policies".

"The untenable allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office are intended to legitimise Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said on X, without explicitly referring to any potential deployment plans.

"Turkey will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilisation of Syria."

The Pentagon is conducting an assessment of the US military presence in the region, according to the Washington Post, citing US officials, in what appears to be an indication of Iranian strikes that targeted the locations where US forces were deployed having an impact.

Two informed officials said to the Post that among the main points being studied by the US Ministry of War is the issue of withdrawing US forces from the Gulf region, where US military bases have been subjected to Iranian strikes over the course of several months.

The Pentagon's Policy Office is responsible for evaluating whether or not these rules will continue.

A ministry official noted in a congressional session months ago that the Pentagon had not taken a position regarding rebuilding bases that had been subjected to Iranian strikes on several countries in the region. The newspaper considered that the damage to these facilities provided “a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Pentagon to reconsider its presence in the region.”

A senior Pentagon official, who requested anonymity, also revealed that, in addition to the Policy Office, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the US Central Command are studying the issue, adding that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has not yet issued an order to conduct an official review of the US military positioning in the region.

The US official described the analysis being conducted as careful planning that contributes to the decision the administration will make regarding rebuilding bases damaged during the war, and said: "Decisions must be made about some of these matters."

Iran received $7.5 billion in oil-related foreign currency revenue from the first four months of the year, which was made available to the Central Bank, according to Fars news agency.

It added that the revenue is 1.5 times the amount generated in the same period last year and is expected to cover the government’s foreign currency expenses through this coming December.

European shares were flat on Wednesday due to uncertainty over the US-Israeli war on Iran, while gains in basic resources stocks, supported by higher gold prices, provided some support ahead of the release of minutes from the US Federal Reserve's July meeting.

The pan-European STOXX 600 was flat at 652.07, as of 0715 GMT.

Basic resources rose 0.6%, tracking higher gold prices as investors awaited the Fed's July meeting minutes for fresh clues on the outlook for U.S. interest rates.

On the flip side, technology stocks fell the most among sectors, down 0.4% after a bond sell-off pushed yields higher, while reports that Anthropic's annual revenue run-rate reached $65 billion at the end of July failed to meet some lofty investor expectations, prompting selling in semiconductor stocks.

Iran is considering attacking US targets in Europe if US President Donald Trump decides to return to all-out war, according to the Financial Times, citing sources close to the regime in Tehran.

The sources claimed that Tehran examined the possibility of attacking targets in the eastern part of the continent, such as Bulgaria, which just last month approved the use of its airfield for US refueling aircraft.

Another source said that Cyprus could also be included again in the Iranian target bank.

The United Arab Emirates has said it is suspending all trade and financial dealings with Iran after reporting an Iranian missile attack directed at its ships.

The announcement comes after a period of relative calm in the UAE, with no Iranian missiles aimed at the country since May after it bore the brunt of attacks in the early weeks of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

But Abu Dhabi has accused Tehran of repeatedly targeting its tankers at sea in recent weeks.

"In light of regional escalations... all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran have been halted until further notice," said UAE foreign ministry communications director Afra Al Hameli.

Oil prices are increasing once again, with Brent going up by 0.29 percent to reach $91.28 per barrel and WTI reaching $85.31.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said on Wednesday, in a post on X, that the Gulf countries “issue various statements confirming that they do not allow the United States to use their lands against Iran, should know that nothing is hidden from our eyes.”

Abdollahi added, "It is unlikely that this amount of military aircraft, especially refueling aircraft, will be present at regional bases without the knowledge of the countries hosting them." 

He warned that "any assistance or facilities provided to the aggressor US army will be considered as participation with the US military forces."