Trump weighs major escalation as Iran hammers Kuwait’s power and water

Donald Trump is weighing up a massive expansion of the war with Iran after Tehran launched fresh strikes against US military sites across the Gulf, including Amazon services in Bahrain and vital power and water infrastructure in Kuwait.Nearly 100 US service members have been injured in recent weeks, according to the Pentagon, as the latest round of fighting enters its tenth day. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey and Arthur Scott-Geddes look at the news that Pakistan, Qatar and Egypt are trying to broker a mini 10-day ceasefire even as Iran has hit two more tankers in Strait of Hormuz. Will anyone come to the negotiating table?Plus, the Houthis have declared a Red Sea maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, Iran admits its ailing economy is now the “main battlefield”, and Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Cabinet face an early diplomatic test over the Iran war. HighlightsTrump weighs escalation as Iran injures hundreds of US troopsIran hammers Kuwait’s power and water infrastructureCONTRIBUTORS:Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiaraineyArthur Scott-Geddes, deputy editor Global Health Security @ascottgeddesWATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dkCONTENT REFERENCED:Trump expects Burnham to let US strike Iran from British baseshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/07/21/trump-expects-burnham-to-let-america-use-uk-bases-iran/White House ‘deeply concerned’ over Miliband as Foreign Secretaryhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/21/white-house-deeply-concerned-miliband-foreign-secretary/Foreign brief for Miliband risks Trump’s wrathhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/07/20/burnham-risks-trump-wrath-foreign-brief-ed-miliband/Pentagon hiding missile shortage from White House, insiders fearhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2026/07/21/pentagon-hiding-missile-shortage-white-house/Lebanon’s leader seeks Trump’s help to end occupation and insurrectionhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/21/lebanons-leader-seeks-trumps-help-end-occupation/ITL Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026The Telegraph Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026ITL Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026Producer: Max BowerVideo Producer: Peter ShevlinResearcher and Social Producer: Anna HindmarshStudio Operator: Andy WatsonExecutive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.