Live

Iran live updates: Trump weighs strikes on Iranian energy sites, US officials say

The officials said planning was underway but that the plans could still change.

Last Updated: August 1, 2026, 6:08 AM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.

The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz the primary flashpoint.

1 hour and 1 minute ago

Iranian drones intercepted inside Kuwait's airspace

Air defenses intercepted Iranian drones inside Kuwait's airspace Saturday, a spokesman for the country's ministry of defense said in statement.

No injuries were reported but falling shrapnel from the interceptions resulted in material damage, the statement from Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi said.

"The heinous Iranian aggression targeted a number of vital facilities, including a government facility in the north of the country, as well as civilian vehicles belonging to one of the civil companies on Bubiyan Island," the statement said.

Officials did not disclose the number of drones involved in Saturday's incident.

-ABC News' Othon Leyva

1 hour and 54 minutes ago

2 incidents reported in the Strait of Hormuz

The British Maritime Safety Agency, UKMTO, is reporting two incidents have taken place in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

One incident took place 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, when the Master of a tanker reported seeing a large splash and explosion in close proximity to the vessel. No damage to the vessel has been reported at this time.

The other more serious incident happened 11 nautical miles northeast off Lima, Oman, when a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile and damaged the engine room. There are currently no reported causalities or environmental impact.

“The tanker is not under command and the regional Coast Guard have been informed,” UKMTO said. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.”

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou

Jul 31, 2026, 7:34 PM EDT

Trump weighs strikes on Iranian energy sites: US officials

President Donald Trump is weighing a round of intense strikes on energy targets in Iran that could begin as soon as this weekend, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Both officials said planning for the potential attacks was well underway, but that those plans could still change.

U.S. Central Command previously prepared plans for a two-week air campaign against Iran, but some officials within the administration believe that a shorter, more severe salvo could be more conducive to moving negotiations forward, according to one of the sources.

Another source said the potential strikes had been discussed with Israeli officials. However, it’s not clear whether Israel would be directly involved in the operation.

Iran has already threatened to retaliate against strikes on its energy sites by hitting Israeli targets and U.S. energy infrastructure in the Middle East, according to Iranian state media.

When asked about the potential U.S. attack, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in part that “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.”

-ABC News' Shannon Kingston

Jul 31, 2026, 7:16 PM EDT

Trump says US 'not stopping' strikes on Iran but still wants a deal

President Donald Trump said the U.S. is "not stopping" strikes on Iran and continued to express frustrations over negotiations, though said "we want" to secure a deal.

In a phone interview with Real America Voice, Trump insisted that the U.S. is in a "strong position" and that Iran’s military is "destroyed."

"We hit them very hard. They ask us not to do it, and they want to negotiate. We start negotiating. In the midst of a negotiation, they fire five rockets at us. We knock all of them down, and then we beat the hell out of them, like last night," Trump said. "We beat the hell out of them. And we're not stopping, either."

The interview aired Friday afternoon, but it appears to have been pre-taped at some point on Thursday.

Regarding the number of U.S. servicemember deaths, Trump said there the death toll could vary "depending on definitions." This comes after the Pentagon revised its Iran war casualty figures database last week and reduced the number of U.S. troops listed as killed.

“With Iran, we're at 16 [American deaths], depending on definitions. We're at 16, 18 people, which is far too many, because one is too many,” Trump said, before pivoting to compare the Iran war’s duration with previous military conflicts.

-ABC News' Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart

Related Topics

Sponsored Content by Taboola