Both the UK government and military veterans involved in the 1992 operation are seeking to have findings from an inquest quashed, claiming a failure to properly consider the potential threat they posed
An inquest verdict that SAS soldiers were not justified in opening fire and killing four IRA men in a Co Tyrone village was illegal and irrational, the High Court heard today.
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The coroner failed to carry out the correct assessment before ruling that the use of lethal force at Clonoe in February 1992 was unreasonable, a judge was told.
Kevin Barry O’Donnell, 21, Sean O’Farrell, 22, Peter Clancy, 21, and Patrick Vincent, 20, died in the ambush just minutes after they had carried out a gun attack on Coalisland police station.
Both the UK government and military veterans involved in the operation are seeking to have the inquest findings quashed, claiming a failure to properly consider the potential threat they posed.
Joseph Aiken KC, representing the Secretary of State for Defence, argued: “The terrorists that the soldiers expected they would have to confront were among the most ruthless and dangerous members of a highly effective terrorist organisation.”
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Members of a specialist military unit opened fire when the men arrived at a church car park in a hijacked lorry with a heavy machine gun welded onto the back.
Twelve soldiers were in position and waiting for them at the scene.
At the time the SAS men insisted the use of lethal force was justified to protect their lives and those of their colleagues from the danger posed by the IRA Active Service Unit.
However, in February last year, coroner Mr Justice Humphreys found that their actions were not reasonable or justified.
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He identified no attempt made to arrest the four IRA men, even as they lay wounded.
According to the coroner, experienced soldiers lying in wait at the church would have known the IRA men needed to dismount the machine gun – improving the chances of making arrests.
And in that scenario the ability to arrest them would have improved.
Amid criticism from unionist and Conservative politicians at the findings, judicial review challenges have been brought against the outcome reached.
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Opening a case listed for a two-week hearing, Mr Aiken claimed the coroner’s approach involved “a significant legal error” in assessing the central issue of the Article 2 justification for opening fire.
Based on that alleged mistake, he contended the verdict was illegal, irrational, wrongly took some factors into account and did not properly consider other relevant issues.
It was unreasonable to suggest the soldiers did not honestly believe their lives were in danger when they confronted members of an IRA unit which had just fired an anti-aircraft machine gun and other weapons, the court heard.
Opening a case listed for a two-week hearing, Mr Aiken suggested a failure to “stand in the shoes” of the SAS men who used force at the scene.
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Instead, he argued, the legal test for self-defence and justification when faced with heavily-armed terrorists was incorrectly applied.
Mr Justice McAlinden was told events which led to the four men’s deaths unfolded in the space of two minutes.
Along with the 12 soldiers, there were also at least 10 IRA men, a lorry with a mounted anti-aircraft gun and other vehicles all at the scene.
“If you are assessing the express belief of a soldier and their decision-making… then you have to take into account exactly what else was happening at the point that decision was made,” Mr Aiken submitted.
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“There is an absence of consideration about the nature of the terrorist threat that the specialist military unit was dealing with on that night.”
Describing the attack on Coalisland RUC Station as part of a wider, sustained campaign of terrorism, the barrister insisted the incident was unlike other law enforcement scenarios.
“Given the opportunity, the terrorists involved would have tried to kill the soldiers,” he added.
“If we are right on any of these legal errors on the Article 2 justification assessment, then the (inquest) findings and verdict must be quashed.”
Almost a million drivers will be hit by a ‘luxury’ vehicle tax this year after a new car’s average price topped £40,000.
The ‘expensive vehicle supplement’ is an annual £425 levy paid for five years on a car costing more than £40,000.
But with everyday vehicles such as a Volkswagen Golf, Ford Kuga and Skoda Kodiaq now priced at that much, thousands more families are sucked into paying the ‘envy’ tax.
Ian Taylor, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: ‘Ordinary families are being priced out. For most people the car is an essential thing more than it is a luxury. The Government needs to rethink this tax.’
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The levy is paid for five consecutive years after the second year of registration, costing buyers £2,125.
About 926,000 new cars costing above £40,000 were registered last year, data from automotive analysis firm Jato shows. That figure is set to rise again in 2026, it says, with sales from the first six months suggesting registrations could top 973,000 by the end of the year.
The envy tax is an annual £425 levy paid for five years on a car costing more than £40,000. Everyday vehicles such as a Volkswagen Golf M may be affected by the tax
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The Government raised the tax threshold for electric cars to £50,000 in April to reflect their higher price, but the threshold for petrol and diesel cars has been frozen since 2017 when the average cost was £26,000.
Sue Robinson, of the National Franchised Dealers Association, said: ‘Everyday family cars are increasingly being classed as luxury vehicles rather than the exception the tax was designed to capture.’
The luxury tax, which also applies to hybrid cars, is based on the manufacturer’s price listing, meaning any dealer discounts at the point of sale are ignored even if the final purchase price drops below £40,000.
The levy must also be paid on second-hand cars if bought within the applied period. Engineer Jeremy Stern, 50, of Southam, Warwickshire, paid £48,000 for a second-hand Tesla saloon in 2024, less than half the £98,000 it cost new.
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He told the Sunday Times: ‘Freezing thresholds on car tax is a stealthy way of making more people pay. It seems like another envy tax.’
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 70 per cent of new cars now cost £40,000 or more.
Since 2017, the price of a VW Golf GTI has risen from £27,865 to £44,175. The price of a Vauxhall Grandland Ultimate, a family SUV, has increased from £33,995 to £40,745.
The ST Line of the Ford Kuga, another SUV, cost £25,845 in 2017, compared to £40,485 today.
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Jato said buyers are turning to cheaper Chinese brands, such as Jaecoo, BYD and Chery. Over the past year, sales of Jaecoo vehicles, which cost £32,000 on average, increased from 8,399 to 34,084.
A Treasury spokesman said revenue from motoring taxes helped to ‘fund the public services and infrastructure we all rely on’.
He added: ‘The expensive car supplement ensures those buying the most expensive vehicles make a fair contribution. We have raised the threshold for new electric cars to £50,000 and are protecting motorists by extending the 5p cut to fuel duty.’
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‘Envy’ tax to clobber 1million drivers who buy an average car this year
These are your headlines on the morning of Monday, July 20.
Argentina v England ‘a joke’
Former England international Will Greenwood launched a scathing assessment of England’s dramatic defeat to Argentina, describing the contest as “everything I hate about rugby” after a match dominated by lengthy stoppages, yellow cards and controversial officiating decisions.
The ex-centre did not hold back in his verdict on the encounter, which lasted around two and a half hours and was repeatedly interrupted by TMO interventions, disciplinary reviews and lengthy discussions between the match officials.
Writing in the Telegraph after the game, Greenwood said: “What an absolute joke of a game that was between Argentina and England. It was everything I hate about rugby. A 2½-hour match with total confusion, misinterpretation, disagreements between officials, players getting on at each other, England brilliant then collapsing then brilliant then collapsing. It ruined my night.”
The Test had already become an increasingly fractious affair, with a succession of yellow cards disrupting the flow and leaving both teams repeatedly forced to adapt with reduced numbers. Several incidents were referred upstairs for review, contributing to the stop-start nature of the contest and prompting fresh debate over rugby’s disciplinary process and the impact of lengthy TMO interventions on the spectacle.
The controversy reached its peak in the closing stages when Argentina thought they had snatched a dramatic late try, only for it to be ruled out following another review.
Greenwood questioned the decision, adding: “Bedlam at the end – and I am often England’s most hyperbolic cheerleader – but that was clear and obvious my backside! There was nothing clear and obvious about that last try for Argentina being taken away. It goes a long way to putting people off rugby.”
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Biggar flips 10 question on head
Wales rugby legend Dan Biggar says the answer of who should play at No10 for the national team should be influenced by who starts at inside centre.
Steve Tandy has chopped and changed at fly-half during the latest Nations Championship campaign, having plumped for Dan Edwards during the Six Nations, with Scarlets man Sam Costelow injured.
Both 10s bring something different to the role, with Edwards enjoying more time in the jersey under Tandy’s stewardship to date. But with Costelow now fit again, the head coach has a decision to make over who should be the long-term incumbent.
Biggar, though, feels the pick at 12 is almost more important when trying to figure out who should be the number one at No. 10.
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Biggar said on ITV: “It’s a little bit like the Irish 10 debate, there is no real standout candidate.
“Dan Edwards and Sam Costelow are the two in the running and played the majority of the games.
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“Dan Edwards is very much more of a moment player so he’s going to give you real big moments and he’s going to be on the end of things whereas Costelow is a little bit more keep it in structure.
“I think the biggest question in answering that is who do Wales play at 12 and how do they play at 12?
“Do they continue with a ball player, a second ball player at 12 or do they use an Eddie James and use him as a little bit of a Jamie Roberts-type player to get them over the gainline?”
Pushed by his co-pundit Ronan O’Gara over who he would pick, Biggar added: “Who has got more credit in the bank, probably Dan Edwards, seeing as Mr O’Gara is putting me on the spot!”
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All Black’s son wins Open
By Carl Markham, Press Association
New Zealander Ryan Fox kept his head while all around him were losing theirs to make his major breakthrough at the age of 39 with a brilliant birdie at the last for a one-shot victory at the Open.
Fox, son of former All Blacks fly-half Grant, was one of only three players in the final 12 groups to shoot under par on a chaotic final day when Royal Birkdale finally showed its teeth after two days of back-to-back record-equalling rounds of 62.
After Cameron Young posted the nine-under target after a best-of-the-day 64 a couple of hours earlier, double figures was the aim for those out on the course.
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Fox headed down the last – Birkdale’s most difficult hole – needing a birdie to overtake the American, for so long the PGA Tour’s perennial runner-up, and hit his approach inside 12 feet.
He held his nerve, as he had done all day and punched the air as he became New Zealand’s second Open champion after Sir Bob Charles in 1963.
Fox comes from rich sporting stock; father Grant won rugby’s first World Cup in 1987, while his his grandfather Merv Wallace captained New Zealand at Test cricket.
Townsend happy with form
By Gavin McCafferty, Press Association
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Gregor Townsend reflected on the strides his Scotland side have made since their collapse against Argentina last autumn as they rounded off a long season with a comeback win over Fiji.
Scotland somehow let a 21-0 half-time lead slip when they lost to the Pumas at Murrayfield in November.
They soon lost in Italy in their Guinness Six Nations opener to leave Townsend facing criticism but they bounced back in impressive fashion and have now won five of their seven games since.
That included victories over Wales, England, France, Argentina and now a spirited Fiji team, who led by 10 points at half-time at Murrayfield on Saturday.
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Townsend and his players showed they could turn the momentum in their favour with a more direct second-half display.
Three replacements grabbed four tries – Jamie Dobie (two), Pierre Schoeman and Scott Cummings – to seal a 33-17 Nations Championship win.
Looking back over the season, Townsend said: “I still feel the Rome game was beneficial in terms of, we didn’t start well, but we came back. The weather was a factor.
“But I did feel that since Argentina, we’ve been able to show that we’re able to come back in games. South Africa, for example, last week, Italy and Wales being the clear ones.
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“But also being able to ride momentum as well. When we started well against France, we kept that going, same as England.
“That’s the part that I’ve been most impressed with and pleased that the players are able to handle momentum and notice it and make sure that we get it back quickly.
“Also, I feel that there’s a real alignment with the game. I think our supporters know what our identity is and our players do too and they know what is working for us.
“That’s not just playing an attack and moving the ball, it’s a certain way that they can shape a defence. And the kicking game too. We came on in huge strides there and that was something we had to go to.
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“From a coaching point of view, I’m really pleased with how we’ve responded to Argentina and what that’s done to us and made us a better team.
“Also, the leadership has been excellent. Sione (Tuipulotu) has been outstanding as a captain, but that leadership group has really grown this year.
“They prepared the team really well this week. The players that didn’t get a chance to play, like Sione and Rory Darge, even though he wasn’t training, he really led this week.
“It’s been a positive season and there’s still a lot of growth in us.
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“Little areas last week that we learned off South Africa and why they’re the world champs, we need to add those to our game and be a better team next season.”
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Seat Unique is offering VIP hospitality tickets for Wales’ Nations Championship matches against New Zealand and Japan in November.
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Slade nails his man
By Duncan Bech, Press Association Rugby Union Correspondent, Santiago del Estero
Henry Slade insists he was determined to nail his man as he emerged as England’s saviour against Argentina with a remarkable try-saving tackle at the death of a 31-24 victory in Santiago del Estero.
Slade raced to his team’s rescue three minutes into overtime with a “just get him out, any means necessary” challenge that edged Bautista Delguy’s finish in the right corner out of play.
Referee Angus Gardner awarded a try but it was overruled by video referee Brett Cronan in a lengthy and dramatic climax to an exhausting tour that has taken England to three continents.
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Had Delguy scored and the conversion been added, Argentina would have snatched a draw.
Slade said: “Just get him out, any means necessary. Thankfully I was able to do it.
“It was pretty close in the end, but it wasn’t as close as they made it out to be. Touch is touch, I guess.
“It’s a nerve-wracking situation. You don’t know what the refs and the TMOs are going to do.
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“From our perspective, all we could do was force him as wide as possible and keep scrapping right to the end.
“If we did that and they scored it, they’d have had to take a tough kick right from the touchline and we’d then put pressure on the kicker. That’s all we could do really.”
England finished their 25,000-mile Nations Championship expedition with two wins in three matches, a solid return given their brutal itinerary and their spirit is beyond dispute.
But their victory over Argentina was made far harder than it should have been following their customary disciplinary implosion, on this occasion losing four players to the sin bin to leave them playing nine minutes with 13 men.
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Injury meant they actually finished the game with just 12 on the field and twice they were forced to repel Pumas fightbacks, initially having raced 19-3 ahead.
It was total chaos at times with players streaming on and off the pitch and England have now been shown 14 yellow cards and one red in eight Tests in 2026.
Slade said: “I didn’t actually know what position I was in at the end. I was changing from 10, to 12, 13, 15 – I don’t know!
“The desire and the intent from the boys and the never-say-die attitude is unquestionable. It’s just that we have to couple that with better discipline.
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“Our discipline has been a thing we’re trying to work on because when we’ve got 15 on the pitch, we were a really, really top side.
“I can’t fault the effort and desire and intent of the boys, we’ve just got to find a way to keep everyone on the pitch. No one’s trying to get sin-binned, no one’s trying to get sent off.”
Swansea City are close to signing their third new addition of the summer
Swansea City are closing in on the signing of New Zealand winger Elijah Just.
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The Motherwell man played in all three games of the All Whites’ World Cup campaign this summer and would become the Swans’ third signing of the summer after Stephen Welsh and Moussa Yeo.
Our colleagues at the Daily Record report that Motherwell have agreed a club-record fee for the attacker, who will now head south to join Vitor Matos’ side.
They report a “multi-million deal”, with add-ons, has been rubber-stamped, which is said to eclipse Scotland international Lennon Miller’s sale to Udinese last summer.
That deal was said to eventually be worth £5million, but this will potentially eclipse that, according to the Record.
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In terms of timescale, matters could be wrapped up within the next 24-48 hours, with permission give to Just to travel to south Wales to thrash out details.
Just had been on Celtic’s radar this summer but it appears he has chosen to test himself in the Championship.
He only joined Motherwell last year, having spent the majority of his career playing in Denmark.
The 26-year-old was shortlisted for the PFA Scotland’s player of the year award and was a standout for the Steelmen last season.
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Just will arrived in SA1 to be greeted by familiar faces, having played with Marko Stamenic at international level and Welsh, who was on loan at Fir Park last term.
Matos has seen Ethan Galbraith leave the club for Stoke City this summer, while Goncalo Franco is now facing three months on the sidelines through injury.
Swansea are currently in Austria on pre-season tour.
Matos said he has been impressed with both of his new arrivals so far.
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“I’m really impressed with both, and they both played really well. It’s also good now that the team will also start to understand them as well,” he said after their draw with Bundesliga 2 side Holstein Kiel.
“And to understand their strengths and how we can use that in our game.
“It was also good to see players from the academy, a lot of new faces which allows us to know them better.”
Earlier this month, the Springwatch host shared his take on the opening sequence of Clarkson’s Farm during an appearance on Celebrity Gogglebox, claiming: “That’s not what a farm looks like. Most farms are horrible monocultures which have been sprayed with deadly chemicals, time and time again, the ground pumped full of fertiliser, and loads of the animals are indoors – in crates, being crushed and kept in the dark.”
He then added: “That’s an idealistic view of a farm, and it puts the wrong idea in people’s minds. And that’s only the [opening titles]!”
Responding in his column in The Sun, Clarkson fired back: “The endlessly angry Chris Packham went on Gogglebox this week and erupted in blind fury about the Winnie the Pooh-ish opening credits to my farming programme.
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“Now, of course this kind of stuff plays well in a room full of nose rings and Palestine flags at a vegan activist meeting in Hackney. But he was on a television programme, and it didn’t play well at all. Because it’s b*****ks.”
Jeremy Clarkson pictured in December 2017
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
The former Top Gear presenter then claimed that Packham had even spent some time at his Diddly Squat Farm more than a decade ago, maintaining: “If there had been some animals in a crate, being crushed, I’m sure he would have noticed and said something.”
In a statement to HuffPost UK, Packham insisted that “Clarkson is being disingenuous” and that “industrial farmers are making a smokescreen to hide their horrors”.
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He said: “I made the comments about the silly idealistic stereotyped cartoon at the top of his programme, he knows that. And he knows it paints an entirely unrealistic image of most of [the UK’s farms].
“The industrial farming fraternity love Clarkson’s Farm because it gives them something pretty to hide behind, a friendly flagship of good ol’ wholesome values. The truth is so very different, and it’s a truth that needs to be told for the sake of animal welfare, wildlife, human health and a secure environmental future.”
He added: “They can shoot at the messenger, but they will not silence the truth, even if Jezza has a big mouth.”
HuffPost UK has contacted Jeremy Clarkson’s team for additional comment,
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Packham has become known for his outspoken views when it comes to matters of the environment and animal rights in recent years, which has included repeatedly slamming ITV’s I’m A Celebrity for its use of live creatures in its “Bushtucker Trials”.
Back in 2019, he was appointed a CBE in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s New Year Honours for his services to nature conservation.
It is believed the man was attacked with a metal bar
16:51, 19 Jul 2026Updated 16:59, 19 Jul 2026
A man has been hospitalised with head injuries and a broken arm after being attacked by two armed men in Dundonald.
The incident took place in the Drumadoon Drive area on Saturday, July 18, at around 10pm when a man in his 20s was allegedly attacked by two men, one of whom was armed with a metal bar or a similar weapon.
The victim suffered “serious cuts” to his head and broken arm in the attack and was taken to hospital for treatment.
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Two men aged 34 and 38 were later arrested on suspicion of a number of offences and remain in police custody at this time.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Detectives are investigating the report of a serious assault at Drumadoon Drive in Dundonald, on Saturday 18th July. “It was reported that a man, aged in his 20’s, was assaulted by two males as he walked along the street shortly before 10pm on Saturday evening. One of the males was reported to have been carrying a metal bar or a similar type of weapon. The victim required hospital treatment for serious cuts to his head and a broken arm as a result of the attack. Officers attended the scene and arrested a 34 year old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and a 38 year old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Both men remain in police custody at this time. “Detectives would ask anyone who witnessed this incident, or who may have captured dash-cam or CCTV footage from the area which could help with their investigation, to call them at Lisburn on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1514 18/07/26. A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.”
A collection of poems, some scribbled on slips of paper between food deliveries, has won Wang Jibing one of China’s top literary honours.
Low Flight, inspired by the everyday challenges delivery riders face, has bagged the Lu Xun Literary Prize – named after a writer who has been referred to as the father of modern Chinese literature.
Wang, 56, who became a delivery rider around 2019, gained traction on social media for his poems and essays.
He is part of a growing group of blue-collar workers who are being celebrated for their literary works, which offer a glimpse into the pressures that they face in China’s massive gig economy.
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For Wang, the prestigious literary prize comes after a few difficult decades as an odd job worker.
“I held my breath and felt extremely nervous… Once it was revealed, everything was settled,” Wang told state media outlet Global Times on 15 July, when news broke that he had won the award – adding that the media attention around him had created a lot of mental pressure on him.
The monetary awards for recipients of the Lu Xun Literary Prize are not publicly announced – though as of 2014 it stood at 100,000 Chinese yuan ($14,800; £11,000).
Born in Jiangsu province, Wang left school as a teenager due to financial hardship at home. He took on various jobs, from construction to scavenging for waste and selling things at a street stall, before becoming a food deliveryman.
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But his love for reading persisted, and over the last decade he has been posting his own poems and essays on social media.
In 2022, one of his poems, titled Man in a Hurry, went viral online. It was inspired by a incident in 2019, in which he spent hours on a frustrating delivery after a customer entered the wrong address.
In 2023 he published his first poetry collection, Man in a Hurry: Poems of a Food Delivery Rider.
Despite winning the award, Wang told the outlet he had no intention of quitting his job, adding that he planned to work until he turns 60.
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“Financially I don’t need this job to make a living, but I love the vibe of the work and it keeps me fit,” said the Global Times report. “I want a down-to-earth life and the award will never change who I am.”
Low Flight, published in 2024, is a collection of poems inspired by interviews and surveys that Wang conducted with around 200 delivery riders.
“Who says spreading your wings means flying high? Flying low is also flying,” goes one of the lines in his poems.
His win comes as a growing number of blue worker collars in China have in recent years been making their mark in the literary world.
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I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, a 2023 memoir by former courier Hu Anyan, became a runaway bestseller in China and also captured media attention abroad. An English translation of the memoir was published last year.
Another title – I am Fan Yusu – an autobiographical essay about a migrant worker’s personal struggle, swept the Chinese internet in 2017. The response was so overwhelming that Fan had to temporarily leave her home amid endless media requests.
Lu Xun, whom the literary prize is named after, is widely considered one of China’s greatest 20th century writers, known for using satirical novels to critique traditional Chinese society.
Long remembered as one of China’s most important literary figures, Lu’s works have found renewed resonance among the younger generation today: A few years ago, Kong Yiji, a character from his novel became a meme symbolising disillusionment among the Chinese youth struggling to find jobs.
The A628 road was shut on Thursday after a car fire spread to the surrounding moorland.
Work to tackle the fire and make the area safe is ongoing, with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways, and South Yorkshire Police still at the scene.
The situation has been further compounded by another, unrelated fire at Tintwhistle, near Glossop. This fire was first reported on June 24 and has reignited several times.
Fire fighters tackling a moor fire (Image: National Highways)
As a result, Woodhead Pass will be shut in both directions between A57 (Hollingworth) and the A616 (Flouch) until at least Friday for safety reasons.
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Traffic is being diverted on local routes as a result, National Highways has warned drivers.
Anyone travelling from further afield is advised to use alternative trans-Pennine routes, such as the M1, M62, and M60.
Drivers travelling on routes affected by the closure are urged to allow for extra time, re-route, or delay the journey, if possible.
Further updates and information will be posted on the National Highways website and social media.
Ricky Coulter-Bell, 32, who oversees the Bramble Wood development, received the Pride in the Job Quality Award from the National House Building Council (NHBC) for his work with David Wilson Homes.
The awards, recognised as a benchmark of industry excellence, highlight the UK’s top-performing site managers.
Ricky Coulter-Bell, who has worked with David Wilson Homes for 15 years, said: “Winning this award is a real honour.
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“It feels very rewarding to be recognised for the quality homes we deliver and the effort put in by the team to meet outstanding quality standards.”
It is his first time receiving the award.
Daniel Smith, managing director at David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said: “We’re so proud of Ricky for achieving this prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Award.
“It’s amazing news for both the team at Bramble Wood and for our customers.”
President Donald Trump says the latest strikes by the US hit Iran “very hard”, adding that the attacks were “in honour” of three US soldiers killed in recent days – two in Jordan, one in Iraq.
In the early hours of Monday local time, US Central Command (Centcom) said it had launched a “new wave” of strikes for the ninth consecutive night as explosions were heard across Iran.
The US said it had targeted military sites and communications networks to “further diminish” Tehran’s attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it had responded with a “surprise attack” in Syria and targeted US aircraft at Jordan’s Aqaba airport.
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Elsewhere in the region, Kuwait’s armed forces said they had intercepted Iranian drones.
On the US strikes, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several cities had been hit including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
There were also Iranian state media reports that two oil tankers had exploded as the vessels tried to cross the strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the tankers were going through what it called an “unsafe and hazardous southern route” of the strait and “exploded and were brought to a halt”. Centcom disputed the claims.
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The IRGC added that the strait “will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas” as long as the US strikes continue and that it will respond with a “punitive operation”.
Over the weekend, the US confirmed that a service member had been killed after an Iranian attack in northern Iraq on Saturday.
The death came a day after an attack on a base in Jordan where two US soldiers were killed and another was reported missing. The US said “unidentified remains” had been found, with verification of the remains ongoing.
As the strikes continued over the weekend between the US and Iran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US “always remains open to a diplomatic solution”.
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He also said “the world has to decide whether or not it’s going to allow an international waterway to be under the control” of Iran, saying Tehran was using the crucial shipping route as leverage.
His comments come as a preliminary deal made in mid-June to stop fighting has unravelled, with negotiations for a permanent peace making little progress after Trump declared the agreement was “over” on 8 July.
The world number two admitted he was “stuck in neutral” for most of his four rounds at Royal Birkdale and will head home after finishing one under par
18:21, 19 Jul 2026Updated 18:31, 19 Jul 2026
Rory McIlroy will belatedly celebrate his Masters success as he takes a break following a frustrating week at the Open.
The world number two admitted he was “stuck in neutral” for most of his four rounds at Royal Birkdale and will head home after finishing one under par.
McIlroy was impressive off the tee but his approach play was not of similar standard and he could not find his touch on the greens.
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Still, having won the Masters for a second time in April, he can reflect on a successful year, even if his performances in the last three majors have been underwhelming.
He said: “I was just sort of stuck in neutral for most of the week. Even par over the weekend is not going to get it done.
“I just felt like any time I got a little bit of momentum out there, I seemed to make a bogey. It was just one of those weeks I couldn’t get it going.
“This season feels very similar to last season. Obviously I won the first major of the year and fell off a little bit after that – but any time you win a major in a year, you have to be pleased about that.
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“I haven’t really taken the time to enjoy that or celebrate that. Poppy’s got another four weeks off school until she goes back, so I’m just going to enjoy the summer holidays with her and Erica. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most.”
McIlroy, a six-time major winner, has said previously he feels he can now pick and choose the tournaments more than previously.
Asked if it was true the prospect of competing week-in, week-out on the PGA Tour no longer got his “juices flowing”, the 37-year-old told reporters: “Yes, that’s fair.
“I think it just sort of ebbs and flows. There’s been years where I’ve given it maybe more of my attention and years that I haven’t.
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“I guess I’m just at a stage that I have other things that I prioritise. I came to that decision last year and I’m just sort of doing the same thing.”
McIlroy raised eyebrows on Saturday with some pointed comments about the conduct of Bryson DeChambeau after the American was penalised two shots for improving his lie by trampling on long grass close to his ball.
The Northern Irishman admitted he was “not particularly fond of” DeChambeau and accused him of “performative” behaviour as he remonstrated with officials and then hit balls on the range after dark.
McIlroy was cheekily asked if he would welcome the prospect of DeChambeau competing at the Irish Open in September.
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He said: “I think that would be great for the tournament, absolutely. Having someone like Bryson at the Irish Open, yes, it would be great for the tournament.”
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