Live: U.S.-Iran talks continue via Pakistan amidst ongoing regional conflict

Hamas stated that it is prepared to start surrendering its weapons under a framework outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump, which obligates Israeli forces to halt military strikes and retreat from Gaza. The group further clarified that giving up its heavy weaponry, scheduled for a subsequent phase, depends entirely on establishing a sovereign Palestinian state—a condition adamantly rejected by Israel's current government. While Israel has yet to issue a formal statement, this arrangement stems from a U.S.-negotiated truce finalized last October. Under those terms, Hamas was expected to disarm and transfer power to an independent Palestinian authority, followed by Israel's withdrawal and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force.

American petroleum heavyweights ExxonMobil and Chevron posted massive financial earnings on Friday, reflecting significant gains from market shifts driven by the West Asian conflict that easily surpassed any negative operational impacts. Boosted by escalating crude prices and record refining margins stemming from the US-Iran war, ExxonMobil saw its second-quarter net income more than double to $14.5 billion. During the same three-month timeframe, Chevron posted a quarterly profit of $12.1 billion, which represents a more than fivefold increase compared to the same period a year ago.

Lebanese official media reported on Friday (July 31) that Israeli troops conducted a sequence of heavy nocturnal explosions in proximity to southern Lebanon's UNESCO-recognized Beaufort castle. Israeli authorities stated the operations aimed at neutralizing underground tunnels utilized by the Iranian-aligned armed group Hezbollah. According to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA), Israeli soldiers set off extremely strong detonations around midnight near the Beaufort citadel. The intense shockwaves resonated across vast distances, resulting in shattered window panes in neighboring hamlets. The medieval Crusader-era fortress, situated in a zone occupied by Israel, had just been placed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger during the preceding week.

Kuwait's armed forces neutralized drones that breached the nation's airspace on Friday (July 31) morning, the military stated on social platform X. Authorities added that falling debris resulted in property damage, though no casualties were sustained. The military further noted that several key infrastructure sites and defense installations had been targeted due to "Iranian aggression."

Kuwait's armed forces announced on X that their defense systems intercepted and shot down unmanned aerial vehicles entering the country's airspace on Friday (July 31, 2026) morning. While falling fragments caused property damage, no injuries or deaths were reported. The military blamed "Iranian aggression" for the strikes, stating that several critical infrastructure sites and military locations were targeted.

US President Donald Trump gathered his Cabinet for a meeting on Friday (July 31, 2026) at his Camp David retreat, searching for strategies to end the ongoing military hostilities with Iran and curb rising fuel costs that imperil Republican prospects in the upcoming November midterm polls. The escalating conflict has driven fuel prices significantly higher, damaging the president's political approval ratings. A Reuters-Ipsos survey released this week revealed that approval for the war has dropped to just one in three Americans, marking its lowest point since the fighting broke out.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that its forces struck two oil tankers attempting to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz while receiving aerial escort from the US military. According to the IRGC, the non-compliant oil carriers were hit and brought to a halt, while four other tankers promptly reversed course and returned to their starting points.

A Nepali national who died in a drone strike in Kuwait has been identified as Som Kumar Tamang. The Nepali Embassy in Kuwait confirmed that the 44-year-old Tamang was a resident of Terhathum district in Koshi province and was employed as a driver. Tamang was killed during an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait following US military operations against Iran.

According to ship-tracking data from Kpler, a pair of very large crude carriers (VLCCs) transport crude loaded from the Gulf exited the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, as vessel movement across the channel stays subdued. The vessel Spain B is carrying crude oil loaded from Saudi Arabia's port of Ras Tanura on July 12 and is anchored off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Noble, which took on Iraqi Basrah crude on July 25, is en route to China. Both VLCCs are transporting roughly 2 million barrels of crude each. They were among four commodity ships that transited the strait on Friday, all of which successfully exited the passage. By comparison, data indicated that three commodity vessels navigated the strait on Thursday.

British police announced that a London resident was arrested in Cyprus under suspicion of gathering intelligence for Iran at a British air force base on the Mediterranean island. London's Metropolitan Police stated that 44-year-old Rashad Sultanov, a dual U.K.-Azerbaijani citizen, allegedly conducted hostile surveillance against RAF Akrotiri and passed details to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He was taken into custody on July 17, and British authorities are actively seeking his extradition. Law enforcement noted that Sultanov lives in London, with British news outlets reporting that he is employed as a taxi driver.

Lebanese state media reported that Israeli forces launched a series of heavy midnight detonations near the UNESCO-designated Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, with Israel asserting it demolished underground tunnels operated by Hezbollah. The official National News Agency stated that Israeli troops triggered very powerful blasts around midnight near the ancient Beaufort fortress. The Crusader-era structure, situated within the southern region occupied by Israeli forces, was added just last week to UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.

China's Foreign Ministry stated that an Iranian strike on a Kuwait-based building owned by a Chinese business did not harm any Chinese nationals. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning highlighted during a press conference that Beijing has called on Kuwaiti authorities to implement effective safeguards for Chinese workers and institutions.

The Union Government informed Parliament that 16 Indian citizens, among them 10 mariners, have lost their lives since hostilities broke out in West Asia. In a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh detailed that casualties were registered in Oman (8), UAE (4), Kuwait (2), Saudi Arabia (1), and Iraq (1). Furthermore, 75 Indians sustained injuries, comprising 32 in the UAE, 24 in Oman, 13 in Kuwait, 4 in Qatar, 1 in Saudi Arabia, and 1 in Israel. The MoS also clarified that 12 Indian nationals died in a separate industrial accident at the Ras Laffan Gas Facility in Qatar, adding that India's embassy in Tehran helped 2,557 citizens cross from Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan for safe passage.

Iranian official press reported Friday that the bodies of five IRGC personnel killed in joint US-Saudi raids in Iraq this week have been repatriated. According to state news agency IRNA, the remains of the five Guard members crossed into the country via the Mehran border post in western Ilam province. The United States and Saudi Arabia had confirmed Wednesday that they struck Iranian-backed groups inside Iraq following attacks aimed at Saudi territory.

Ship traffic moving through the Bab el-Mandeb in the Red Sea saw a sharp decline following Houthi strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure along the Red Sea coast on Sunday (July 26, 2026). Reports indicated that a mere 11 vessels navigated through the narrow passage. During Sunday's assault (July 26, 2026), Houthi forces struck the Aramco refinery in Jizan alongside export facilities in Yanbu, both considered crucial infrastructure. Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated that several drones were deployed against key sites handling crude oil transport from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu, claiming it was a direct reaction to Saudi drone incursions inside Yemeni airspace. The recent wave of strikes by Houthi forces has caused severe disruption to shipping across the Red Sea, triggering heightened concern over regional petroleum transport.

Oil prices declined on Friday while remaining on track for a monthly gain of nearly 20 percent, as increased petroleum shipments navigated through crucial maritime channels despite the absence of a major breakthrough in diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran. Brent crude futures slipped by $1.03, or 1.2%, to $88 per barrel by 0215 GMT, whereas U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped $1.50, or 1.8%, to $82.09 per barrel. On a monthly scale, both key benchmarks were positioned to record an increase of roughly 20%. ING analyst Daniel Hynes noted that crude prices are easing because indications of higher shipping volumes through the Strait of Hormuz are balancing out the risks linked to rising hostilities in West Asia.

Iran's armed forces stated on Friday, July 31, 2026, that they executed drone strikes against American military sites in Kuwait, breaking a nearly week-long lull in fighting between Washington and Tehran in West Asia. The Iranian Army specified in an official release that the action targeted satellite communication setups, equipment storage facilities, and fighter aircraft shelters located at Kuwait's Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base. There has been no immediate reaction or statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). According to the Iranian military, the operation was carried out in retaliation for recent aggressive acts by US forces against Iranian territory, specifically citing a raid on a residential house situated on Qeshm Island.

Serving as an intermediary, Pakistan affirmed on Thursday (July 30) that diplomatic discussions between Tehran and Washington are still underway. This statement comes even as Washington executed an intense series of bombardments against its opponent to avenge recent strikes aimed at Jordan. Over the past 48 hours, Saudi Arabia united with American forces to target militant factions in Iraq. Concurrently, Egypt suffered its first direct hit from an unmanned aerial attack targeting a Mediterranean seaport, prompting its President to caution that the West Asian conflict is intensifying rapidly.