Saudi Arabia has warned that it will react "firmly" against Yemen's Houthis, after a series of attacks carried out by pro-Iranian rebels - with ballistic missiles and drones - which left 13 civilians injured in the south of the country. Meanwhile, the inspector general of the US Department of Defense has revealed that the country is facing an ammunition shortage following the costly war in Iran
The head of Iran's top security body today rejected any dialogue with the US to end the war, after Donald Trump said he was "open" to talks. "Do not be distracted by the conflicting signals of the American president, who alternates between 'no negotiations' and 'we are ready to talk' with Iran," Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, wrote in X. "No talks until Iran's conditions are met. Period!," he added in a message in English that appeared to be a direct response to statements made by Trump on Monday. The president of the United States had reiterated his "openness" to dialogue with Tehran. "The declining nation of Iran wants to reach a deal, quickly and urgently. I will decide whether or not the United States chooses to engage, an idea to which we remain open," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Tehran calls on Washington to permanently end the war and all aggression against Iran and its allies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Iranian regime also demands the lifting of the blockade imposed on its ports, full compensation for war damages, the lifting of sanctions against its economy and the unconditional release of its assets frozen abroad.
Palestinian media reported that Ahmed al-Batsh, known as "Abu Osama", was eliminated by the IDF last night in an attack in the al-Saftawi area of Gaza City. According to sources, al-Batsh was a leading member of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and according to several Palestinian sources he held the role of commander of the Jabaliya battalion.
In recent weeks, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet have stepped up counter-terrorism operations in the Gaza Strip with the aim of killing Hamas members and minimizing reconstruction efforts. Yesterday the army continued operations with five targeted attacks against Hamas members. Together with Abu Osama, 4 other militants who held command and coordination positions in the Islamist movement were killed.
The Pentagon has acknowledged an ammunition shortage linked to the war with Iran, a finding that the Trump administration had largely refused to confirm in recent months. The Pentagon Inspector General's report estimates that between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury against Iran cost approximately $33.4 billion, of which $22.3 billion was spent on the munitions used alone. “Ammunition expenditures during Operation Epic Fury caused shortages in strategic supplies and revealed bottlenecks within ammunition supply industries,” the report notes.
Oil prices topped $106 a barrel today, driven by supply concerns. At 0026 GMT, Brent crude futures were up $1.24 (or 1.18%) at $106.93 a barrel, after posting a 1% gain earlier.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also rose by 1.29 dollars (equal to 1.24%) to 102.65 dollars per barrel, after an increase of 1.3% in the previous session.
The inspector general of the US Department of Defense has revealed that the country is facing an ammunition shortage following the costly war in Iran. In a mandatory report to Congress, the first of its kind, the inspector said that between February 28 and June 30, Operation Epic Fury (OEF) cost an estimated $33.4 billion; of these, 22.3 billion were spent exclusively on the ammunition used. The report found that “OEF ammunition consumption has caused strategic stockpile shortages and highlighted bottlenecks in the industrial base for ammunition supply.” Losses suffered by the US fleet are also listed, including four F-15s destroyed, one F-35 damaged, seven KC-135 tanker planes damaged and up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones destroyed. President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns about the depletion of weapons supplies during the six-month war in the Middle East, saying just a couple of weeks ago that the United States has "virtually unlimited" ammunition.
