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What you need to know
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Iran stresses it ‘never welcomed war’ but must ‘stand our ground’
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Israel, Lebanon hold fresh round of talks, US says
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Explosions heard near US consulate in Irbil, Iraq
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US military launches fresh wave of strikes on Iran ‘to further degrade’ Iranian military capability
Follow DW’s coverage of the war between the US and Iran on Wednesday, July 15.
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Skip next section Explosions heard near US consulate in Irbil, reports of drone or drones being shot down07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Explosions heard near US consulate in Irbil, reports of drone or drones being shot down
Explosions were heard near the US consulate in Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan on Wednesday, with air defenses activated nearby.
The AFP news agency cited journalists as seeing several drones hovering over Irbil before hearing explosions and seeing smoke.
Reuters meanwhile cited security sources as saying that an explosive-laden drone had been intercepted over Irbil and had fallen near the US consulate in the city.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the apparent attacks.
Irbil is the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region and was a key center of the Kurdish-led fight with US assistance against the so-called Islamic State.
During the war with Iran, the region, replete with US military and other facilities, became a frequent target for drone attacks carried out mostly by pro-Iran Iraqi groups.
Iran has also at times struck Iranian Kurdish rebel groups, some of which have camps and bases across the border in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The US and Iraq this week agreed to remove the remaining US troops, many of them in this northern region, from the country by the end of September. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is visiting the US this week, and met with Donald Trump on Tuesday.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HAl8Skip next section Iran’s Qalibaf: ‘We have never welcomed war,’ but must ‘stand our ground’ 07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Iran’s Qalibaf: ‘We have never welcomed war,’ but must ‘stand our ground’
Iran’s top negotiator and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Qalibaf has given a speech, also publishing lengthy extracts on social media, saying the country had “never welcomed war,” but nevertheless “must always be ready for battle and stand our ground to protect our security and national interests.”
He said the country should also “use the tools of diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and consolidate national interests.”
These comments seemed to cover more or less any eventuality — a continuation or intensification in clashes with the US and its interests in the Gulf region, a return to negotiations, or a mixture of all of the above. He explicitly called for “coordination between the two methods of military and diplomacy.”
Qalibaf said that to separate and choose “either negotiation or war as the only solution” would be a “strategic error” for the country, saying the country needed a multifaceted strategy amid a “complex war” against “the greatest material power in the world.”
He defended the decision to close the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict and referred to a “position of strength” on the matter.
“Today, our national security lies in maintaining the ‘Iranian arrangements’ on the Strait of Hormuz and allowing commercial ships to pass through this waterway as safely and without harm as possible, so that it will create security for Iran,” he said.
Qalibaf made reference to Point 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding with the US and its references to the Strait, saying that it was designed as a “lever” for implementing other Iranian priorities in the tentative agreement. He alleged that the US was trying to “weaken the Iranian arrangements by force” and said Iran must resist this.
The US portrays the latest round of fighting very differently, claiming its strikes are a response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HAbmSkip next section Israel, Lebanon conclude latest ‘productive and positive’ round of talks07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Israel, Lebanon conclude latest ‘productive and positive’ round of talks
Lebanon and Israel concluded two days of US-brokered talks in Rome on Wednesday, with the US State Department saying they had made progress toward a plan that could lead to Israeli forces starting to withdraw from some parts of southern Lebanon.
The meeting was the two sides’ sixth round of face-to-face meetings since the latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted on March 2 this year, triggered by the Israeli attacks on Iran and Hezbollah firing on Israel in response.
The countries are trying to implement what’s been dubbed a “pilot zone” project, expanding on the framework agreement they signed last month.
The idea is to disarm militant groups — seemingly a reference to Hezbollah — and also deploy Lebanese troops to parts of the south currently occupied by Israeli forces, who will then leave those areas.
A US official issued written comments to journalists describing the talks as “productive and positive.”
“We agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days,” the official said.
Meanwhile Germany’s dpa news agency reported similar comments from a “Lebanese source,” quoting them as saying “there was some visible progress” during the discussions in Rome. They cited this source as saying there would be another Lebanese-US-Israeli meeting on Friday, seeking to “establish the mandate and the framework” for the first two so-called pilot zones.
Israel’s military is occupying what it describes as a “buffer zone” about 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Lebanon across the entire length of the de facto border. Israeli officials say this zone is currently necessary to protect northern Israeli communities from attacks launched by Hezbollah.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HAOJSkip next section WATCH: Gulf Nations caught between Iran and the US as war escalates07/15/2026July 15, 2026
WATCH: Gulf Nations caught between Iran and the US as war escalates
Weeks after a brief de-escalation, Iran and the US are once again locked in confrontation. As missiles and drones cross the Gulf, what are the implications for regional security and stability?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5H7RZSkip next section CENTCOM: Strikes on Iran lasted around 90 minutes, targeted island of Greater Tunb 07/15/2026July 15, 2026
CENTCOM: Strikes on Iran lasted around 90 minutes, targeted island of Greater Tunb
US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued an update on its “morning round of strikes” against Iran, saying that they lasted for around 90 minutes and were completed by 7:30 Eastern Time (1100 UTC/GMT).
That means the strikes took place early in the afternoon local time, from around 13:30 to 15:00.
The military repeated its claim that the strikes “further degraded Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”
It also gave details on the supposed targets and location of the strikes.
“CENTCOM launched precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute wave,” it said.
Greater Tunb is an island south of Iran’s coastline in the Persian Gulf near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, north of the United Arab Emirates’ coast. It’s home to an airbase and passenger airport.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H9o8Skip next section US begins launching new wave of strikes on Iran07/15/2026July 15, 2026
US begins launching new wave of strikes on Iran
The US military announced that it has started a new wave of daytime strikes on Iran.
“At 6 a.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran,” the military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on X.
“The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM added.
No further details on damage or casualties were immediately available. Iran has not yet commented on the latest wave of US strikes.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H8jDSkip next section WATCH: Back at War? Why the US struck Iran again07/15/2026July 15, 2026
WATCH: Back at War? Why the US struck Iran again
DW’s Anthony Howard speaks to military expert Marina Miron of King’s College London about some of the latest developments. DW Business reporter Stephen Beardsley explains what the crisis could mean for global trade, oil prices and the wider economy.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7XFSkip next section Israeli soldier imprisoned for sending missile intercept videos to Iranian agent07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Israeli soldier imprisoned for sending missile intercept videos to Iranian agent
Israel‘s military said that an active-duty soldier from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been sentenced to five years in prison for sending material to an Iranian agent during the 12-day war in 2025.
The IDF said in a statement that the Israeli soldier was had sent videos showing missile interceptions to an Iranian agent and “received payment for them.”
The footage was sent from civilian areas including a missile strike that had been found online.
“Eventually, after feeling pressured, the defendant informed someone in his military unit that he had been in contact with a foreign agent,” the military said.
“The following day, he was arrested by the Shin Bet,” it said, without giving specifics as to when the arrest took place.
“The court sentenced the defendant to five years’ imprisonment, along with a suspended prison sentence, a fine of 1,000 shekels ($335), and reduction in rank to Private.”
In June 2025, Israel launched strikes on Iran in a war that lasted 12 days and drew retaliatory strikes from Tehran.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7zBSkip next section Iran state media reports Bushehr hit by US strikes07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Iran state media reports Bushehr hit by US strikes
Iran’s IRNA state news agency reported that US strikes hit the southern port city of Bushehr, which houses the country’s only civilian nuclear power plant complex.
“The American enemy attacked three locations in Bushehr today,” city governor, Mohammad Mozafari told IRNA. There were no immediate reports of any damage.
Reports of the strikes came hours after US Central Command said it had completed strikes against Iran.
State media on Tuesday also reported explosions in the southwestern city of Ahvaz and the southern port city of Bandar.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7YuSkip next section WATCH: Iran war explained: Can the US control the Strait of Hormuz?07/15/2026July 15, 2026
WATCH: Iran war explained: Can the US control the Strait of Hormuz?
The latest fighting between the United States and Iran has shifted attention away from Iran’s nuclear program and towards one of the world’s most strategically important waterways: the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump says the US will reimpose a blockade on Iran and ensure commercial shipping can continue through the strait.
After first proposing a 20% transit fee, he later abandoned the idea in favor of trade and investment agreements with Gulf states. Iran rejects any US role in managing the waterway and insists it remains the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz. So who actually controls one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints?
Can the United States realistically keep it open? And what would a prolonged confrontation mean for the Gulf, global trade and the prospects for diplomacy?
DW News spoke to Thomas Juneau, Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in Canada.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7W8Skip next section Iran says at least 30 civilians killed in strikes in past days07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Iran says at least 30 civilians killed in strikes in past days
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said at least 30 civilians have been killed in US attacks over the past few days.
The deaths were reported following US strikes on southern Iran.
Separately, Iran’s military said seven of its personnel were killed in the country’s southeast on Wednesday.
They were killed in a missile attack on a barracks close to the city of Iranshahr, in the southeast of the country, the military said in a statement.
The claims by Iranian state media and its military cannot be independently verified.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7eeSkip next section What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz?07/15/2026July 15, 2026
What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran has been demanding that ships use a route that runs near its coastline, while another southern route runs along the coast of Oman. This corridor is protected by the US military.
Currently, there are at least 19 US warships in the Arabian Sea, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault vessel with at least 1,000 marines on board.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for military operations in the region, said in a social media post that there are “hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East.”
In the latest escalation — following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting along the route near Oman — the US has been hitting Iranian port facilities, among other targets, saying the attacks are to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacks on commercial shipping.
On Wednesday, the US said it would begin enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports and Iran threatened in response to halt all energy exports from the Middle East.
There had been an improvement in global crude supplies in the weeks following the signing of the interim peace agreement between the US and Iran, with a flurry of tankers taking the opportunity to pass through the strait.
Despite the recent escalation, some vessels have still making their way though the strait.
Commodity intelligence firm Kpler said that vessels had been transiting before the US blockade came into effect.
According data from commodity intelligence Kpler, nine of the 11 vessels that passed through the strait on Tuesday had sailed via the Iranian route.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping chokepoint between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, through which around 25% of the world maritime traded oil travels through.
The vital waterway is the primary export route for oil produced by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain and Iran.
Disruption in the strait has also impacted the global fertilizer trade where about a third of global fertilizers travel.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7NlSkip next section Jordan says it intercepted Iranian missiles07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Jordan says it intercepted Iranian missiles
Jordan‘s military said it shot down three missiles launched by Iran that were heading toward the kingdom.
The announcement came after Tehran claimed responsibility for the attack amid escalating tensions in the region. According to Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency, the missiles were intercepted without causing damage.
Petra also quoted a military source as saying the armed forces would respond to “any breach or threat to Jordanian airspace in accordance with the approved rules of engagement” and would take all necessary measures to protect the kingdom’s sovereignty and security.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7FWSkip next section Iran claims strike on US Fifth Fleet facilities in Bahrain07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Iran claims strike on US Fifth Fleet facilities in Bahrain
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted facilities linked to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
In a statement, the IRGC said the attack was aimed at command-and-control centers, logistics facilities, fuel depots and military equipment sites.
Tehran described the move as a response to recent US military strikes on Iranian targets.
The Revolutionary Guards also warned that if Washington attempts to restrict oil and gas exports by controlling regional shipping routes, other export routes serving US and allied interests could be shut down as well.
The statement said energy exports in the region would be “for everyone or for no one.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Bahrain’sInterior Ministry said air raid sirens had sounded and urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7DRSkip next section Iran says Strait of Hormuz to remain closed07/15/2026July 15, 2026
Iran says Strait of Hormuz to remain closed
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said early Wednesday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US ends “acts of aggression.”
The announcement came after President Donald Trump said the US would reimpose a blockade on Iranian-aligned shipping through the strait.
“Oil and gas exports from the region will either be available for everyone or for no one,” the IRGC said in a statement.
Iran’s newly established “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” said it would issue “permits” for passage once “stability and calm are restored.”
The US maintains that international shipping routes through the strait remain open, although traffic has dropped significantly in recent days from the wartime high seen in June.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) says it has hit dozens of Iranian military targets near the strait and elsewhere along the Iranian coastline to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews.”
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