US and Israel weigh strikes on Iran's power grid and a land blockadeHamas confirms Gaza disarmament deal as sequence stays disputedCongo's Ebola outbreak becomes second-largest on recordIran declares Hormuz closed after striking escorted tankersOil climbs as US-Iran fighting disrupts Hormuz tanker trafficNearly all migrants return to Morocco after mass crossing into CeutaVenezuela state puts number missing after earthquake at 1,338Russian ballistic missiles kill at least nine in KyivOpenAI cuts GPT prices by up to 80% as Chinese labs release new modelsKumamoto quake toll rises to 35 as search of wrecked mall continuesAmazon completes $50bn investment in OpenAIUS Treasury joins Japan in buying yenTrump threatens harder strikes as US envoys keep talking to IranBig Tech earnings split investors over AI spendingItaly moves to suspend Schengen travel with Spain over Ceuta arrivalsUkrainian drones hit Volgograd refinery and Wildberries warehousesSaudi Arabia plans Red Sea naval coalition as 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officials dissent as inflation debate sharpensUS adds dozens of Chinese firms to forced-labour blacklistUS and China prepare ground for Xi's Washington visitSolar set to pass coal in China as nuclear projects clearHackers hit US water utilities in wave of attacksMethane blast kills at least 34 miners in PakistanSouth Korea asks US for uranium enrichment rightsEU to make AI labels compulsory as Google pulls Earth toolUkraine presses on with drone and robot warfare amid turmoilUS economy grew 1.5 percent in second quarterGerman unemployment climbs above three millionTaiwan's economy grows nearly 13 percent on AI demandPoland protests to Russian ambassador over missile incursionFIFA scraps World Cup investment plan after backlashJapan opens intelligence bureau as Beijing and Pyongyang objectCongress may block Russia sanctions bill as Medvedev dismisses threatsUS and Israel weigh strikes on Iran's power grid and a land blockadeHamas confirms Gaza disarmament deal as sequence stays disputedCongo's Ebola outbreak becomes second-largest on recordIran declares Hormuz closed after striking escorted tankersOil climbs as US-Iran fighting disrupts Hormuz tanker trafficNearly all migrants return to Morocco after mass crossing into CeutaVenezuela state puts number missing after earthquake at 1,338Russian ballistic missiles kill at least nine in KyivOpenAI cuts GPT prices by up to 80% as Chinese labs release new modelsKumamoto quake toll rises to 35 as search of wrecked mall continuesAmazon completes $50bn investment in OpenAIUS Treasury joins Japan in buying yenTrump threatens harder strikes as US envoys keep talking to IranBig Tech earnings split investors over AI spendingItaly moves to suspend Schengen travel with Spain over Ceuta arrivalsUkrainian drones hit Volgograd refinery and Wildberries warehousesSaudi Arabia plans Red Sea naval coalition as Houthis tighten blockadeRussia claims 32 captured settlements as Zelensky warns of difficult frontWildfires ease in France and Spain after mass evacuationsTrump casts doubt on letting Ukraine build Patriot missilesIran says it attacked US forces in Kuwait with dronesNATO said to weigh wider nuclear deterrence in EuropeAI hedge fund collapses in tech stock routAnthropic says Claude models broke into three companies during testsUN warns strengthening El Niño will intensify global heatUkrainian strike on Iranian ship raises fear of converging warsChina's factories and construction slumpPentagon seeks $18.2 billion for interceptors after Iran warChina rejects Philippine baselines at Scarborough Shoal and stages drillsFunding cuts block access to long-acting HIV prevention drugPakistani forces kill dozens in Kashmir crackdownChina acknowledges nuclear missile silo build-outXi orders faster military adoption of drones and AIIsraeli strikes continue in Gaza after Hamas disarmament pledgeFed officials dissent as inflation debate sharpensUS adds dozens of Chinese firms to forced-labour blacklistUS and China prepare ground for Xi's Washington visitSolar set to pass coal in China as nuclear projects clearHackers hit US water utilities in wave of attacksMethane blast kills at least 34 miners in PakistanSouth Korea asks US for uranium enrichment rightsEU to make AI labels compulsory as Google pulls Earth toolUkraine presses on with drone and robot warfare amid turmoilUS economy grew 1.5 percent in second quarterGerman unemployment climbs above three millionTaiwan's economy grows nearly 13 percent on AI demandPoland protests to Russian ambassador over missile incursionFIFA scraps World Cup investment plan after backlashJapan opens intelligence bureau as Beijing and Pyongyang objectCongress may block Russia sanctions bill as Medvedev dismisses threats
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Symbolic image: US and Israel weigh strikes on Iran's power grid and a land blockadeSymbolic image

US and Israel weigh strikes on Iran's power grid and a land blockade

6 sources

US and Israeli forces could open a bombing campaign against Iranian power plants and refineries as early as this weekend, CBS News reported on Friday. Both governments are also weighing a land blockade of Iran involving its neighbours.

What happened

  • CBS cited multiple sources: Trump discussed the plan on Friday, 31 July, at a Camp David cabinet meeting, without final approval.
  • The Wall Street Journal reported Trump did authorise it, with US officials saying diplomatic progress could still cancel the strikes.
  • Officials also weighed cutting Tehran's electricity and ending the operation before financial markets open on Monday, Politika and Daily Sabah report.
  • The Telegraph reported Trump raised a land blockade with Netanyahu in Washington on Tuesday; it would need Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
  • Per TASS, the war began on 28 February; a June ceasefire collapsed and US strikes resumed on 8 July.

The view from outside

Turkey's Daily Sabah sets the plan alongside a drone strike on gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port on Thursday and the Houthi naval blockade declared against Saudi Arabia last week. Serbian outlet Politika adds that some White House political officials voiced strong opposition to the operation.

What could happen next

  • One Israeli official told CBS that Israel knows of no decision to restart full military operations, contradicting the US sourcing.
  • A senior Iranian security official told Tasnim Tehran would target critical infrastructure in Israel and US energy sites in the region.
  • Whether Iraq and Pakistan would enforce a blockade is open; TASS calls them the weak link.
  • The Telegraph notes the blockade reporting may be a ruse masking the actual military plans.
How the camps see it

  • US and Israel: Washington says Iran will not get a nuclear weapon and will be hit hard until it gives in; Israeli officials call the pressure existential self-defence.

  • Iran: Tehran says it has a comprehensive response plan for any American recklessness and claims control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Also involved

Iran's neighbours

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