In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, the first Iranian vessels pass the US blockade line without incident, providing an early test of an agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
As shipping resumes, France and the UK are pushing for an international naval mission to secure the waterway. French President Emmanuel Macron says participating countries are ready to send frigates and mine-clearing vessels once conditions allow.
We also look at continuing tensions in Lebanon, where Israel says it intercepted Hezbollah rockets and carried out more strikes on the south of the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will never obtain a nuclear weapon and insists his country's forces will remain in territory it occupies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
In Kuwait, authorities revoke the citizenship of more than 2,100 people as part of a review of nationality files that has affected thousands over the past two years.
And Dubai says the expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport remains on track, with Dh55 billion ($14.9 billion) in contracts expected to be awarded as work continues on what is to become the world’s largest aviation hub.
Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.
![A damaged car and a damaged building are seen at the site of a strike in Bartalla in the northern Iraqi Nineveh province on July 29, 2026. US-Saudi strikes on Iraq on July 29 killed at least 20 members of a former paramilitary alliance that includes pro-Iran groups, the alliance said. The United States and Saudi Arabia said they had struck Iran-backed militants in Iraq in response to attacks on US forces and Saudi oil facilities. (Photo by Zaid AL-OBEIDI / AFP) / Attention editors: AFP covers the war in the Middle East through its extensive regional network, including bureaus in Tehran, Jerusalem and several neighboring countries. Since the start of the conflict, journalists have been working under increasingly restrictive conditions. Authorities in several countries have limited reporters’ movements, photo and live video coverage from sensitive locations. Some governments and armed groups have banned images of missile or drone strikes and other security-related sites. / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Ziad OBEID has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: corrects byline [Zaid AL-OBEIDI] instead of [Ziad OBEID]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. ”](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/PLSC2TSQZTFNYGSCPBJVUPIB2I.jpg?smart=true&auth=b0d3bd2d2b21bfcd8f9d5a89db763ef91727ee31e46f2bd5651027a66d97a8f5&width=188&height=104)
