Iran vows resistance as Houthis strike Saudi oil facilities

Houthi rebels backed by Iran struck four Saudi oil facilities on Tuesday in a major escalation of the conflict. These sites sit along critical trade routes outside the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks injured more than 70 people and sparked fires across multiple locations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed continued resistance against the United States during an address on X. He wrote that Washington would face complete regret for its actions.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always opposed war," Pezeshkian stated in his message. "We consider preserving people's interests and regional security to lie in refraining from igniting conflict."

However, he insisted the nation will fight back with full strength until aggressors stop their aggression. He declared that Iran remains the guardian of rights for the great Iranian people.

Former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren told Fox News Live that Israel is prepared to go all out in another war with Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued yet another blunt warning to leaders in Tehran. The message was clear: do not mess with us.

The U.S. has long served as the world's top weapons supplier. Arms exports have reached nearly 100 countries over the past five years. War Department Under Secretary Michael Duffey explained that global demand exists because American equipment is simply the best available.

Some analysts blame recent stockpile depletion on weapons sent to Ukraine. The Center for Strategic and International Studies notes this factor played a minor role in shrinking inventories except for one vital tool. That exception involves the Patriot Missile Defense System.

"We've maxed out production lines now," said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior advisor with CSIS. He noted that modern conflict requires far more munitions than planners ever expected. This reality became clear during the war in Ukraine.

Between 2021 and 2025, Ukraine received the most major arms globally. At least 36 countries supplied weapons to Kyiv during this period. The United States was the top supplier, accounting for 41 percent of Ukrainian imports over five years.

Before Russia invaded in 2022, estimates placed U.S. Patriot missile inventory around 2,200 units. About 600 missiles went to Ukraine, with a few possibly coming from allies. New production deliveries outpaced those transfers before the current Iran conflict began. Analysts estimate roughly 36 percent of pre-war interceptors remain in stock today.

Rep. Michael McCaul highlighted the consequences of slow delivery speeds. "When we can't deliver on that promise because we can't make weapons fast enough, it hurts our alliances," he said. He added that delays directly impact allies' ability to protect themselves. This includes sales to nations like Israel and Taiwan.

President Donald Trump reaffirmed during a White House event that Iran has no chance of getting a nuclear weapon under his watch. The gathering commemorated the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.

"We're right now fighting because we have a certain nation that wanted a nuclear weapon," Trump said at the podium. He noted they were very close to achieving it but now face zero chance of success.

They will never have a nuclear weapon." That was the opening line from Donald Trump, who insisted Iran would not cross that threshold. He immediately turned his praise toward U.S. military members enforcing the blockade against Tehran as fighting intensifies. Tensions are rising fast because Iran feels choked by economic sanctions. Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, joined "America's Newsroom" on Tuesday to weigh in on this escalation with the capital of Iran. She argued that American sanctions and blockades have squeezed Iran hard enough to dry up its oil dollars entirely.

Iran responded by announcing a new plan for an exclusion zone inside the Strait of Hormuz. This move would sanction any trade vessel daring to enter that region. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, made the declaration on Iranian state television. "In recent days, Washington has received a clear warning from Iran's new missiles," Rezaei stated during his appearance. He explained that economic warfare will be met with a maritime exclusion zone stretching across the Persian Gulf to the blockade perimeter. The operational posture toward U.S. warships and bases has been fundamentally recalibrated, according to Rezaei.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered a different take on what happens after the conflict ends. He predicted oil prices could drop as low as forty dollars per barrel once tensions settle. His logic rests on the idea that abundant supply is poised to flood the market after current constraints ease. During an interview on "My View with Lara Trump," Bessent asserted the American economy is very strong and accelerating right now. He claimed the nation is experiencing a productivity burst while discussing these issues with Fox News host Lara Trump. On the other side of this situation, he noted we could actually see oil prices at forty or fifty dollars because there is so much supply coming on. It is just constricted right now, he told her.

"So my message is: Underlying economy is very strong," Bessent continued. He added that job growth and wage growth are both robust as well. The energy supply shock is only temporary in his view. He calls the United States an energy superpower and a leader in artificial intelligence plus global computing power. Americans, on average, are breaking even according to the Treasury chief. Working-class Americans at the bottom of the wage spectrum are doing a little better than inflation, but he does not believe that is acceptable. This analysis comes from an excerpt written by Fox News' Max Bacall.

Republicans feel nervous about the upcoming midterms as the war with Iran drags on, according to experts. A Special Report All-Star Panel discussed competing priorities and political strategies shaping both parties while the country heads toward pivotal 2026 midterm elections. They examined key races, messaging plans, voter turnout efforts and issues expected to determine control of Congress. The looming elections arrive as gas prices remain high thanks largely to the war with Iran. President Donald Trump's administration has said gas prices will drop once the conflict is resolved. Yet there is no end in sight currently.

The United Kingdom is expected to announce restrictions targeting trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday. This move already drew strong pushback Monday from U.S. and Israeli officials. According to The Times, a US State Department said Washington was tracking the plans closely. The measures are expected to include an embargo on goods and some services involving West Bank settlements. This marks an escalation in London's pressure on Israel under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham. He has taken a firmer stance on the conflict according to reports. The announcement is expected to come a day after Burnham spoke by phone with President Donald Trump.

Ten Downing Street released a statement about Monday's phone call between leaders who talked through Middle East issues. Burnham stressed that peace requires two separate states living side by side in the region. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said the UK is fully committed to building security and stability there. The official readout did not mention any planned sanctions against goods linked to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Bloomberg reporters noted the timing of the conversation suggested Burnham might have briefed Trump on these specific measures targeting services and products connected to settlement expansion. This situation could spark an early clash between Burnham and Washington since the Trump administration strongly backs Israel, according to the outlet. The following text comes from a report by Fox News journalist Emma Bussey.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia as cowardly acts on Tuesday. Rebel missiles hit multiple oil fields in the kingdom and injured more than seventy people, officials stated. Sharif labeled the attack dastardly and promised support for Riyadh in a post shared to X. He wrote in the statement that he condemns the assault on civilian and energy facilities with the strongest possible terms. Many people suffered injuries from this violent action targeting innocent lives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Pakistan stands in unwavering solidarity with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the brotherly people there. Such dastardly attacks threaten regional peace and security while endangering civilians across the border. We reaffirm our steadfast support for the kingdom's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity in this difficult moment. Our prayers go out for the swift recovery of all those injured during these tragic incidents.

A shortage of Patriot missiles now threatens US military alliances as supplies dwindle quickly this week. Fox News anchor Bret Baier reported on the shrinking weapons stockpile affecting global defense efforts. Representative Michael McCaul from Texas warned that failing to deliver weapons on time weakens bonds with partners like Taiwan and Ukraine. The ability to launch an invasion of thousands of terrorists into Israel was part of a plan prepared three years ago. IDF Lieutenant Colonel Sarit Zehavi, who leads the Alma Research and Education Center, told Fox News Digital about recent progress in degrading Hezbollah capabilities. She noted that over the past three years Israel attacked Hezbollah across various areas to reduce their arsenal significantly. The Israeli military has decimated ninety percent of Hezbollah's rocket and missile stockpiles through relentless pressure campaigns. Today Hezbollah holds between ten thousand and fifteen thousand rockets, which is far less than before these operations began. Most sophisticated missiles capable of long-range strikes were either eliminated or neutralized by Israeli forces acting with precision. The preparedness to launch massive invasions has been severely compromised as their offensive bases crumble under sustained military pressure.

Alma dropped a widely read analysis in late August that framed Hezbollah as shifting from a large-scale terrorist army into a persistent, dispersed threat. The logic is simple: the IDF now sits along the borderline inside South Lebanon. That presence blocks Hezbollah from returning to those specific spots. This capability simply does not exist anymore.

Zehavi lives in northern Israel and has felt the weight of massive aerial attacks since the Lebanese group joined Hamas in its war against Israel. She warns that as long as Iran backs its main proxy, stopping a rebuild of military strength will be very difficult. Everything happening inside Iran over the past year did not change Tehran's stance. Iran still supports Hezbollah.

Washington is set to crank up diplomatic pressure on Tehran within days. A proposed U.N. resolution demands that Iran urgently fix its non-compliance and restore access for nuclear inspections, according to Bloomberg. The draft also suggests referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council over moves designed to block International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring. European members of the IAEA board stand behind this motion. They highlight support for a diplomatic solution and encourage all parties to constructively engage in diplomacy.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei issued a stark warning Monday. Tehran will retaliate if the U.N. nuclear watchdog adopts these measures. Baghaei called European nations backing the move irrational. He argued that the war has made nuclear facilities inaccessible, Reuters reported. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that inspectors are locked out of Iran's nuclear sites. The agency stated it neither received information from Iran regarding the status of its declared nuclear material or facilities nor had access to any of those facilities to conduct in-field verification activities.

A two-page draft obtained by Bloomberg lays out these demands clearly. Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal wrote this piece. Fox News' Emma Bussey contributed to this report. Live coverage begins here, covered by Anders Hagstrom.