Iran-US war latest: Tehran vows to extend ‘exclusion zone’ near Strait of Hormuz after US strikes on tankers

US strikes three Iranian oil tankers in response to attacks on warshipsIran has said Tehran plans to establish an “exclusion zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz targeting vessels it believes are attempting to transit the strategic waterway.The new head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, said the zone would be declared in the coming days and would stretch for some distance on either side of the Strait "begin[ning] from the line of the US naval blockade".It comes as the US and Iran have traded strikes on ships, the latest round of attacks since the conflict flared a week ago after a period of relative calm.US Central Command said it struck three Iranian oil tankers, including one off the coast of Kharg Island, near the nation’s oil export hub, after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships.The IRGC responded by threatening intensified strikes against US military vessels in the region, and later said it targeted three tankers that Tehran claimed were on unauthorised routes in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three US-linked vessels in other areas.Iran's claims to have successfully struck an uncrewed US military vessel were a "total lie", however, according to a Centcom spokesperson. Iran mocks US over Strait of Hormuz disruption with Simpsons memeIran has accused the US of causing disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and then attempting to blame Tehran for the fallout.Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Washington was trying to “put Iran’s name” on the consequences of a crisis it had created.Baghaei also shared a Simpsons meme depicting Homer and Bart standing beside a spreading fire, with Bart saying: “Relax. It’s a controlled burn.”“America started the war but expects the whole world to pay the bill, while portraying Iran as the one that caused this chaos”, he wrote on X.Shweta Sharma7 September 2026 04:45Israeli strikes kill 7 in LebanonIsraeli strikes killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon and leveled an empty hospital, Lebanon's health ministry said.Strikes on the village of Arabsalim killed two, the ministry said.Two others were killed in Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa, near a strategic hill that Israel said its forces gained control over on Thursday.Damage at the site of an Israeli strike, in Arab Salim, Lebanon (Reuters)And three people were killed in the village of Nabatiyeh al-Tahta after an Israeli drone struck a parking lot.At least 20 others were wounded in strikes, the ministry said, among them three children and five women.Israel's military said its latest strikes came in response to a drone attack launched earlier on Sunday by Hezbollah on troops in southern Lebanon.It said Hezbollah had used the empty hospital as a command centre.This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese village of al Hanniyeh shows smoke as it rises from the site of an Israeli-controlled explosion in the nearby village of Al-Mansouri (AFP/Getty)Since a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and Hezbollah more than two months ago, low-level skirmishes and Israeli strikes continue in the south. Shweta Sharma7 September 2026 04:30US denies that Iran struck an uncrewed US military ship in the Strait of HormuzThe US military denied that Iran struck an uncrewed American military vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the claim a "total lie."State-run media in Tehran said the US vessel was trying to enter an area that Iran says is restricted in the Strait of Hormuz, but Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for the US Central Command, called it "a total lie." The claim came a day after the US said it struck Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran launching ballistic missiles at Navy warships. Attacks resumed last week after roughly a month of quiet. Shweta Sharma7 September 2026 03:59In full: Trump approval rating drops to record low in new pollDan Haygarth7 September 2026 03:00Iran says it hit a US ship in a week of renewed hostilitiesIran said Sunday that it struck an unmanned US military boat in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest exchange of fire between the countries after a month of relative calm.State-run media in Tehran said the US vessel was trying to enter an area that Iran says is restricted in the Strait of Hormuz.It came a day after the US said it struck Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran launching ballistic missiles at Navy warships.Attacks resumed last week after roughly a month of quiet.Dan Haygarth7 September 2026 02:00Israeli government warns holiday travellersIsrael issued a warning ahead of the Jewish High Holiday season, a busy travel time that begins thisFriday. It cautioned citizens not to travel to Muslim nations, including Jordan and Egypt, and to take precautions when overseas, including avoiding displaying Jewish symbols like skullcaps or speaking Hebrew in public spaces.Israel frequently issues such warnings ahead of holidays or during wartime.Dan Haygarth7 September 2026 01:00Watch - 'Small potatoes': Trump says Iran conflict isn't a 'big thing' for US'Small potatoes': Trump says Iran conflict isn't a 'big thing' for USDan Haygarth6 September 2026 23:59Recap: UK chancellor warns of tough Budget because of economic impact of Iran warThe chancellor has warned that the Budget in the autumn could be tough, as Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East affects the British economy.John Healey issued the warning amid the leap in Government borrowing earlier this week, reflecting concerns among lenders about the inflationary impact of the US’s war with Iran.Mr Healey also told the Financial Times he would ensure the UK emerges from his first Budget on October 28 with a solid “buffer against uncertainty”.Economists have predicted that the fiscal buffer Rachel Reeves built up in her last budget, through a combination of tax rises and departmental spending cuts, will be squeezed by the inflationary pressures of ongoing global turmoil.This could limit prime minister Andy Burnham’s ambitions to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and spending plans across his wider agenda for Government.The Chancellor told the FT: “What’s happening in the Middle East is hitting inflation, it’s hitting growth, it’s hitting borrowing costs.”He added: “It’s part of a more dangerous world that is more uncertain and it’s one of the challenges we have to meet in this country, but have to meet with other [countries].”Daniel Haygarth6 September 2026 23:00In full - Iran fuel tanker explosion leaves 11 dead and seven injuredAt least 11 people have been killed and seven injured after a fuel tanker exploded in western Iran, state media said.State news agency IRNA reported late on Saturday that the vehicle suffered a brake fault and struck several cars before catching fire near a traffic police station outside Sanandaj, a Kurdish city roughly 400 kilometres (248 miles) west of Tehran.The injured were taken to hospital.Read more below:Dan Haygarth6 September 2026 22:00Watch - ‘I wouldn’t call it a war’: JD Vance’s jaw-dropper after reporter asks about Iran timeline‘I wouldn’t call it a war’: JD Vance’s jaw-dropper after reporter asks about Iran timelineDan Haygarth6 September 2026 21:00