Middle East crisis live: Iran says it needs guarantees against attacks before Gulf can be stable

• President Donald Trump greeted the flag-draped remains of four American service members killed during the conflict with Iran on Wednesday. • The event occurred as Trump dismissed "desperate" calls from Iranian leaders to resume diplomatic negotiations, labeling them as unserious about a meaningful deal.

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran will not surrender to external threats. • The President reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to resolving international disputes through diplomatic channels.

• Defense Secretary Hegseth testified that the U.S. war on Iran has reached a total cost of $37.5 billion. • In the Middle East, Houthi rebels warned shipping companies against using Saudi ports, while the Israeli military constructed a giant barrier to separate controlled portions of the Gaza Strip.

• Iran has launched missile and drone attacks on the port city of Aqaba in Jordan, escalating regional tensions. • The conflict has disrupted global energy supplies, causing Brent crude oil prices to surge above $94 per barrel.

• Approximately 50,000 people from over 100 countries gathered in Britain for the 60th convention of the nation's largest Muslim organization. • The event focused on calling world leaders to prioritize justice and peace over the strategic interests of powerful states to prevent a devastating global war.

• UN partners have launched the Winter Response Plan to provide critical aid to 2.1 million people in Ukraine to help them survive the upcoming cold season amid the ongoing Russian invasion. • In the Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 30 people were killed and dozens injured during attacks in the Beni territory between July 13 and 19.

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Angel Rampersad, Michael Swinton, Isabella Gonzales and Tyler Feehan were among 18 US troops killed in the warA 30-year-old husband and father of two. A 25-year-old officer just weeks away from earning his MBA. A 19-year-old recent high school graduate. And a 28-year-old from Queens, New York, with a “radiant smile”.The Pentagon this week identified three American service members who were killed, and a fourth believed to have been killed, in the Middle East over the past week amid an escalation in attacks between the United States and Iranian forces. Continue reading...

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Budget airline, which has two US investment firms vying to buy it, also affected by passengers booking laterThe low-cost airline easyJet has revealed a 70% slide in profits because of soaring fuel costs and later bookings as a result of the conflict in Iran, only weeks after it agreed to a £5.7bn takeover.The carrier reported a pre-tax profit of £85m between April and June compared with £286m during the same period a year earlier, as its fuel costs increased by £105m after the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East in late February sent energy prices rocketing. Continue reading...