Middle East crisis live: US renews strikes on Iran as Trump threatens to attack nuclear site ‘very heavily’

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>US military completes 11th night of strikes as attacks overshadow diplomatic efforts in Pakistan to salvage interim ceasefire deal</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/21/houthis-threaten-attack-tankers-saudi-arabian-ports-red-sea-shipping"><strong>Houthis threaten attacks on shipping tankers if they use Saudi ports on Red Sea</strong></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/22/pickaxe-mountain-iran-nuclear-site-trump"><strong>What is Pickaxe Mountain, Iran’s underground nuclear facility?</strong></a></p></li></ul><p>US defence secretary <strong>Pete Hegseth</strong> told the Senate on Tuesday that the war on Iran has so far <strong>cost $37.5bn</strong> – and the defence department needs <strong>$67.1bn more</strong> to “pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption”.</p><p>“The best way to create peace is to prepare for war, to deter it,” Hegseth said.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jul/22/middle-east-us-iran-war-trump-houthis-strait-of-hormuz-nuclear-pickaxe-mountain-latest-news-updates">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.