🇮🇶🇺🇸 — An Iraqi official confirms that Kata’ib Hezbollah has released American journalist Shelly Kittleson (AP)

🇨🇳 — China’s Belt and Road Initiative increasingly uses private, commercially driven partnerships for its projects (Bloomberg)

🇫🇷🇮🇷 — The Élysée Palace says France’s president will hold a defense council regarding Iran on Wednesday (AFP)

🇮🇷🇺🇸 — Trump says the US will observe a two-week ceasefire with Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz (Truth)

🇮🇷🇮🇱🇺🇸 — Two officials at the White House say Israel has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran (Reuters)

🇮🇷 — Iran’s foreign minister says the country will stop its attacks across the region if others reciprocate (statement)

🇮🇱🇱🇧 — Renewed Israeli airstrikes target southern Lebanon (NNA)

🇱🇧 — Lebanon’s military urges civilians returning to in the south of the country to exercise caution (statement)

🇮🇶 — Iraq’s government says the country’s airspace will reopen after being closed for several weeks (X)

🇺🇦 — Ukraine’s president pledges to keep cooperating with partners in the Middle East on security matters (Telegram)

🇮🇷🇸🇦🇺🇸 — Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry says it welcomes the ceasefire between Iran and the US (statement)

🇮🇷🇰🇼 — Kuwait’s defense ministry says it is dealing with an “intense” wave of Iranian attacks (statement)

🇮🇱🇱🇧 — Lebanon’s prime minister calls on the country’s “friends” to stop Israeli airstrikes “by all available means” (X)

🇮🇷🇵🇰🇺🇸 — Pakistan’s prime minister says Iranian and American officials will travel to Islamabad for talks (X)

🇿🇼 — Zimbabwe’s mines ministry has told producers that it will introduce export quotas for ‌lithium concentrate (Reuters)

🇮🇱🇱🇧 — Israel’s military says 50 of its fighter jets dropped 160 bombs on 100 targets across Beirut, Lebanon (statement)

🇮🇱🇷🇸 — Serbia’s Yugoimport–SDPR and Israel’s Elbit Systems are launching a joint venture to produce drones (BIRN/Hareetz)

🇩🇪🇪🇸🇺🇸 — Two US officials say Trump could order the closure of a base in Spain or Germany to “punish” NATO (WSJ)

🇸🇦 — Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry says it has intercepted nine drones in the past hours (SPA)

🇬🇷🇹🇷 — Turkey’s foreign ministry accuses Greece of violating the rights of Muslims in Western Thrace (statement)

🇧🇾🇰🇵 — Belarus’ government says it will open its embassy in North Korea by 1 August 2026 (BelTa)