Iran Israel Updates Tuesday July 14

- The US Naval blockade on Iran has officially started as of 4 PM ET. U.S. forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 p.m. ET. There are currently more than 20 U.S. Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready.

- US official to ABC News: The US is attacking Iran at this hour. The attacks have been ongoing for several hours.

- President Trump tells Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and Syria, Axios reports. Netanyahu refused.

- Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the National Security Committee in the Iranian Parliament: "The memorandum of understanding" no longer exists - This is because the United States has officially started a war and violated the terms of the agreement."

- Trump on Iran: “You know, we had a deal two days ago. It was done. And then all of a sudden, they couldn't do it. They didn't like something about the deal. They couldn't do it. And they shot first. And that was a big mistake that they shot first because we have been knocking the hell out of them. They're very difficult people. 47 years, we put up with it”

- Senior US Central Command officials have voiced frustration to the IDF and Israel’s defense establishment after Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered a temporary halt to additional US aerial refueling aircraft landing at Ben Gurion Airport, the Ynet news site reports. US officials argue that the decision undermines the operational needs of American forces amid rising tensions with Iran, stressing that the tankers are a critical component of Washington’s regional deterrence and defense posture.

- Trump:".The days of Iran killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protestors, are OVER and, most importantly, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!"

- Trump: "Oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military. A special salute to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, and Commander of the United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper. Because of them, and all members of the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World, BY FAR, the Strait of Hormuz is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran — and that is because of their lying, violent, malicious leadership, which is taking them down the path of TOTAL DESTRUCTION. We will therefore have a FULL Blockade, but only on Ships coming to and from Iranian ports, or carrying anything have to do with Iranian cargo. Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States will be making into the United States. Those Investments will be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future. As everyone is aware, we have the largest Dollar Investment into the United States, of any Country in History, but these new Investments will make that Number even larger, and we will see Factories, Plants, and Equipment pour into the United States at Historic levels, which will create additional millions of High Paying AMERICAN Jobs! America is WINNING again, winning like never before. The days of Iran killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protestors, are OVER and, most importantly, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP"

- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns Tehran that Israel will respond overwhelmingly to a strike on its territory.“We are prepared for every scenario,” “I have one message for Iran’s leaders: Do not count on there being calm if you attack us, Do not expect a repeat of what happened before, because there will be no repeat. The previous response was powerful enough, but any further attempt to harm us will be met with a different response far more powerful.”

- Kuwait said it is intercepting projectiles over its airspace, after Iran ramped up strikes on the Gulf in recent days, as tensions rise with the United States and its allies over the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.

- Iran announces: The railway bridge that was attacked just a few days ago, on July 9, has been successfully restored and freight trains have begun to pass over it. As a reminder, the bridge serves as a key link in the cargo route from China and Russia to Iran.

- Iran Revolutionary Guards claim that a US Patriot radar and other US Navy assets

 - A senior official in Tehran tells CNN that Iran will respond forcefully if Trump carries out his threats and attacks Pickaxe Mountain. He says the price will be US soldiers and their partners in the region

- Senior Iranian official to IRNA news agency: Four areas in Bushehr city hit by US strikes. 

 - “Blood for blood, an eye for an eye": The new billboard placed in Tehran's Palestine Square with a threat in Hebrew דם תחת דם עין תחת עין.

- Amid escalation with Iran, US freezes removal of refueling tankers from Ben Gurion Airport, threatening flight cancellations for tens of thousands of passengers during the peak July travel month, according to the Israel Airports Authority. TheAuthority warns that unless additional US aircraft will continue to be removed from  Ben Gurion, as many as 50,000 flights might be canceled.

- Iranian Army Spokesperson: "The Strait of Hormuz will not be opened through war, terror, and aggression from the USA. Respecting the rights of the Iranian people is the only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. We are committed to avenging the blood of the victims, especially the blood of the leader.

- Reports: 7 terrorists killed in IDF strike on Hamas police station in northern Gaza.

- A Norwegian tanker was hit by an explosion caused by an unidentified device off the Omani coast in the early hours of the morning, a crisis response company said.