Amidst renewed rounds of talks between the U.S., Iran, and Oman, centered around the administration of the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald J. Trump has told Axios’ @BarakRavid that the U.S. will renew “strong military action” if the aforementioned talks fail to merit any success.

According to a release from U.S. Central Command, since the renewed blockade of vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports, 2 vessels have been disabled to ensure compliance, 2 vessels have been boarded, and 17 vessels have been redirected.

Sirens are active and explosions have been heard in Erbil, Iraq amidst what is likely a drone attack, as Iranian-backed non-state actors continue attacks across the region.

Pro-Iranian media outlets now saying that “radar facilities… [and] headquarters” are being targeted in a large wave of Iranian drone strikes against Kurdish positions in Northern Iraq.

Osan Air Base, South Korea, has confirmed a "ground mishap" and established a 1,000-foot safety cordon around the incident, stating that reports claiming the base was being evacuated are false.

According to Reuters, the incident involves white phosphorus, a military material commonly used in smoke screens and incendiary munitions. However, Osan Air Base's statement does not identify the material involved or provide details on the nature or cause of the mishap.

At this time, no injuries have been announced and the base has not indicated to what degree the incident has affected normal operations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Washington, D.C., where he is expected to attend memorial services for the late Senator Lindsey Graham in addition to meeting with President Donald J. Trump and members of Congress.

According to Ukrainian officials, the meetings will focus on Ukraine's defense priorities, continued military assistance, and broader security cooperation.

A spokesman for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters issued a statement earlier today in response to President Donald J. Trump's announcement that compensation for damage to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be paid from frozen Iranian assets.

The spokesman warned that any shipping companies or vessel owners that accept compensation derived from those frozen funds would be subject to Iran's blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling Tehran may seek to target or deny passage to recipients of the proposed payments.

According to The Post and Courier, the Department of the Air Force has begun the process of renaming Joint Base Charleston in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

An internal July 27 memorandum from Air Force Secretary Troy Meink directs officials to begin taking the necessary steps to redesignate the installation as Joint Base Lindsey Graham, citing the senator's decades of service in both the U.S. Air Force and Congress.

Graham, who served 33 years in the Air Force and Air National Guard, was one of Joint Base Charleston's strongest advocates on Capitol Hill, helping secure hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure, modernization, and Coast Guard expansion. The base is home to the nation's largest fleet of C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft.

Source: https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/joint-base-charleston-lindsey-graham-renamed/article_726ccdef-62eb-4101-a1f8-5f4c3b3c84a5.html

Following his meeting at the White House with President Donald J. Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the talks "went well."

Zelenskyy also offered his condolences on the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, describing him as a "true friend of Ukraine."

According to Zelenskyy, the two leaders discussed Ukraine's defense priorities, including licensing the production of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, along with other initiatives aimed at strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

Video has been posted to Telegram purporting to show a fire at the U.S. base near Erbil, Iraq following earlier reports of explosions. There has been a lot of U.S. Air Force C-17 activity into and out of Erbil for the last few days.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center has issued an advisory after receiving a report that a commercial tanker heard an explosion while transiting the southern Red Sea. UKMTO said the vessel and its crew are safe, and an investigation is underway.

The advisory comes hours after the Houthis claimed they fired multiple missiles at a Saudi vessel they alleged was attempting to violate the group's self-declared blockade on Saudi shipping through the Bab al Mandeb Strait, forcing it to turn back.

The claim from the Houthis has not been verified, and this notice from the UKMTO does not explicitly link the two events.

Reports of air defense activity over Jordan this evening have emerged following reports of missile launches from Iran.

This video, purportedly filmed in Jordan, appears to show a Patriot air defense system intercepting an inbound aerial threat. No official confirmation of launches or interceptions have been published yet.

Axios' @BarakRavid reports that Iran has launched missiles towards a U.S. base in Jordan, according to a senior American official.

U.S. Central Command has announced that at 5:45 p.m. ET today, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in an attempted surprise attack, adding that all missiles were intercepted.

U.S. Central Command has announced that U.S. and Saudi forces conducted strikes against multiple sites linked to Iranian backed terrorists across eastern Iraq tonight in response to more than 30 IRGC directed aerial drone attacks over the last 72 hours.

Reuters reports that Iran is expected to receive its first shipment of 300–400 Chinese-made shoulder-fired air defense systems (MANPADS) within weeks, marking one of Tehran's largest known efforts to rebuild its short-range air defenses since the war with the U.S. and Israel began.

According to Reuters, the reported $60–70 million deal includes QW-12 and FN-16 infrared-guided missiles designed to defend against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and drones. Their mobility makes them more difficult to target than fixed air defense sites that have been repeatedly struck during the conflict.

China's Foreign Ministry denied the report, calling it "completely groundless," while Pakistan rejected claims it would facilitate deliveries through its territory. The report also comes just days after President Trump said he does not believe China is providing military assistance to Iran. If confirmed, however, the procurement would represent a significant expansion of Iran's short-range air defense capabilities and could indicate growing defense cooperation between Tehran and Beijing despite Beijing's public denials.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-get-chinese-shoulder-launched-missile-systems-weeks-sources-say-2026-07-29/