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NPR News: 07-18-2026 12PM EDT

July 18, 2026

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5 min read

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. Iran has kept effective its control over the Strait of Hormuz in the past few days.

Iran Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz

The number of ships able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to a three-week low. The U.S. has been encouraging vessels to use a southern passage that hugs the coast of Oman, but ship data shows no ships have taken that route in the last three days. Of the handful of ships transiting the strait this week, uncertainty about safety has stopped commercial ships and their insurance companies from taking the risky route. On Saturday, Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had taken down two oil tankers with mines in the strait—a claim U.S. Central Command said was false. Iran continues to share details of the tolls it says it is charging vessels to cross and proposed a new rule for an environmental fee on ships.

U.S. and Iran Trade Airstrikes for Seventh Night

The U.S. and Iran traded airstrikes last night for the seventh consecutive night. The U.S. said it struck military and surveillance sites across Iran, while Iran hit U.S. sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.

Ukraine Intensifies Drone Attacks on Russian Interior

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:04) **Iran Tightens Control Over Strait of Hormuz** - Ship traffic through the strategic waterway hits a three-week low after Iran claims it mined two oil tankers, a claim the U.S. denies.
  • 2 (01:01) **U.S. and Iran Trade Airstrikes for Seventh Consecutive Night** - The U.S. struck military and surveillance sites across Iran, while Iran hit U.S. sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
  • 3 (01:14) **Ukraine Intensifies Drone Attacks on Russian Interior** - At least seven people die after Ukrainian drones strike two warehouses belonging to Russia's equivalent of Amazon, Wildberries, in the Tambov region and near Moscow.
  • 4 (02:10) **Canadian Wildfire Smoke Blankets Eastern U.S. Again** - Tens of millions face poor air quality, though meteorologists expect a break from the smoke following a string of heavy storms.
  • 5 (03:00) **Major Fire Destroys Over 100 Homes in Southern Norway** - The fire started in a townhouse, spread to other buildings and nearby forests, forcing hundreds to evacuate.
  • 6 (03:16) **El Salvador Eliminates Trachoma, a Leading Cause of Blindness** - The World Health Organization confirms El Salvador is the first Central American country to achieve this milestone through improved healthcare, water, sanitation, and screening.
  • 7 (04:11) **Josh Kerr Breaks Men's Mile Record in London** - The British runner set a new time of 3:42.66 at a Diamond League meeting, breaking the record set in Rome in 1999.

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NPR News: 07-18-2026 12PM EDT

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