Global Express | July 8, 2026 Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire "Over" as US-Iran Exchange Strikes, Middle East Tensions Skyrocket

---

📰 Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire "Over," US Strikes Over 80 Iranian Targets

President Donald Trump announced on July 7 that the memorandum of understanding with Iran is "over," and US Central Command subsequently launched a massive series of strikes across southern Iran. According to CNN, US forces struck more than 80 Iranian military targets, including facilities in Sirik, Qeshm Island, and Bandar Abbas. Speaking from the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump described Iran as a "vicious, violent" regime, stating that the United States would no longer tolerate attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran responded swiftly. Iran's military claimed it launched drone attacks on Bahrain's Isa Air Base, which hosts US forces, and fired ballistic missiles toward Kuwait. Kuwait's military reported successfully intercepting two ballistic missiles and 13 drones with no casualties or damage. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced they had shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone in southern Iran.

— CNN

---

📰 NATO Summit Kicks Off in Ankara as Defense Spending Tops $1.8 Trillion

The 36th NATO Summit is being held from July 7 to 8 at the Beştepe Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey, chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Leaders including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are in attendance. The summit's core agenda focuses on strengthening collective defense, expanding military-industrial capacity, and providing sustained military support to Ukraine. NATO's defense spending is projected to exceed $1.8 trillion in 2026 as members progress toward the goal of investing 5% of GDP in defense by 2035.

Trump pressured allies to dramatically increase domestic military production and shoulder more of the continent's defense burden. At the summit, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall signed an agreement to establish Europe's first ATACMS joint production center. Seven member states agreed to create a shared fleet of Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, and Norway pledged 3 billion Norwegian kroner to bolster Ukraine's ballistic missile air defense capabilities.

— Times Now

---

📰 Oil Prices Surge Over 5% as Hormuz Crisis Rattles Global Markets

Oil prices spiked sharply on July 8 as the US-Iran conflict escalated dramatically. Brent crude surged above $76 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) topped $72, with daily gains exceeding 5%. The US Treasury announced it would revoke the license permitting Iranian oil sales, further tightening global supply expectations. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil transit chokepoint, with roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil passing through the waterway daily.

Market analysts warned that any disruption to Hormuz shipping would severely impact global crude supply and could push prices significantly higher. Oxford Economics models indicate such a shock would cause the US economy to "grind to a halt," spilling over to technology exporters and investor sentiment worldwide, potentially lowering global growth by 1.1 percentage points next year. Safe-haven assets like gold surged while global equity markets broadly declined under pressure.

— Euronews

---

📰 French Court Clears Le Pen for 2027 Presidential Run but Orders Electronic Tag

A Paris appeals court ruled on July 7 to uphold far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen's embezzlement conviction while dramatically shortening her ban from running for elected office from five years to 45 months, with 30 months suspended. This means the 15 months of the actual ban have already been served since her original conviction on March 31, 2025, technically clearing her to run in the 2027 French presidential election. The court also sentenced her to three years in prison, with two years suspended and one year to be served at home wearing an electronic ankle tag.

Le Pen announced in a TF1 television interview: "Tonight, I am a candidate in the presidential election." She also said she would appeal to France's highest court. The 57-year-old, who has run for president three times and reached the run-off in both 2017 and 2022 before losing to Emmanuel Macron, currently leads in the polls. If she ultimately decides against running, her 30-year-old party chairman Jordan Bardella would stand in her place.

— BBC News

---

📰 Ukrainian Drones Strike Russia's Largest Oil Refinery Deep in Siberia

Ukrainian drones carried out one of the longest-range attacks of the ongoing war on July 8, targeting Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, deep within Siberia. Both Ukraine's military and Russian local authorities confirmed the strike. Located approximately 2,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, the Omsk refinery is one of Russia's most capable oil processing facilities, marking a significant breakthrough in Ukraine's long-range strike capability.

The attack came as NATO leaders discussed sustained military support packages for Ukraine at the Ankara summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the summit via video link, calling on allies to provide more long-range strike weapons and air defense systems. Russia strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "terrorist act" aimed at undermining peace negotiations. The strike followed Russia's fourth large-scale missile and drone assault against Ukraine since June 1, launched on the night of July 5-6.

— The Independent

---

📰 Putin Claims Russia Is "Fighting NATO" as Eastern Ukraine Battles Grind On

Russian President Vladimir Putin, clad in military fatigues, listened to his top general report during televised remarks, claiming that Ukraine's "Western sponsors" are attempting to obscure Kyiv's lack of battlefield success. General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, stated that "the Kyiv regime, lacking success on the ground, is trying to convince its Western sponsors that it has seized the initiative and achieved significant battlefield gains." Analysts suggest Moscow is deliberately amplifying the "war with NATO" narrative to deflect domestic attention from Russia's enormous losses in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine reported that Russian forces continue offensive operations in the Donetsk and Kharkiv directions, though Ukrainian defensive lines remain largely stable. Russia's earlier large-scale missile strike on Kyiv killed at least 21 people, drawing widespread international condemnation. NATO Secretary General Rutte reaffirmed the alliance's steadfast support for Ukraine at the Ankara summit, stating that "NATO's door remains open to Ukraine."

— Al Jazeera

---

📰 Damascus Twin Blasts: 18 Wounded During Macron's Historic Syria Visit

Two explosions rocked central Damascus on July 7 during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Syria, wounding at least 18 people, including four police officers. According to a statement from Syria's interior ministry, two improvised explosive devices were placed near the Four Seasons Hotel, where Macron had stayed the previous night. Macron had already left the hotel and was meeting Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the presidential palace when the blasts occurred. Footage on social media showed vehicles and motorcycles on fire and bloodstains on a busy street near the blast site.

Macron's visit marked the first by a French leader to Syria in years, aimed at promoting post-war reconstruction cooperation and economic assistance. France condemned the blasts as a "cowardly act aimed at destabilizing Syria and undermining regional peace." The Syrian government labeled the incident a "terrorist attack" and pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

— AP News

---

📰 FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals Set: Argentina, England, France Lead the Charge

The quarterfinal lineup for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is now complete. Argentina will face Switzerland in Kansas City on July 11, England takes on Tunisia on July 11, France meets Belgium on July 9, and Brazil clashes with Colombia in a South American derby on July 10. In the round of 16, England eliminated Mexico 3-2 behind Jude Bellingham's brace and a Harry Kane penalty, Belgium edged Senegal 3-2 in extra time, and the United States advanced by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1.

Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the quarterfinal matches will take place across Kansas City, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta. As the tournament enters its most intense phase, billions of fans worldwide are tuning in to the North American spectacle. Hotel prices and airfare in host cities have surged, generating substantial economic benefits for each venue.

— Al Jazeera

---

📰 Typhoon Maysak Ravages Southern China: 15 Dead, Over 50,000 Evacuated

Typhoon Maysak, the fourth typhoon of 2026, has brought torrential rains, tornadoes, and landslides across multiple Chinese provinces, killing at least 15 people. According to The Guardian, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has been hit hardest, with severe flooding killing four people, forcing at least 50,000 to evacuate, and leaving eight others missing. Hunan and Jiangxi provinces also suffered devastating damage, with multiple reports of tornadoes and mudslides.

The Chinese government has activated the highest level of emergency response, with President Xi Jinping ordering all-out efforts to search for the missing and properly resettle affected residents. Thousands of military and armed police personnel have been deployed for disaster relief. The meteorological authority expects Maysak to continue moving northwest over the next 24 hours, with coastal provinces including Fujian and Zhejiang remaining on high alert. China has been battered by multiple rounds of extreme weather this year, drawing widespread attention to the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters.

— The Guardian

---

📰 IMF Releases World Economic Outlook Update as Global Growth Faces Mounting Risks

The International Monetary Fund released its July 2026 World Economic Outlook Update on July 8 at 9:00 AM ET. The highly anticipated report arrives amid a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, trade frictions, and persistent inflationary pressures. IMF economists Petya Koeva Brooks and Deniz Igan led a press briefing to unpack the latest global economic projections.

The release comes at a critical moment, with US-Iran military conflict intensifying and international oil prices surging. Analysts expect the IMF to downgrade growth forecasts for the Middle East and select emerging markets while flagging the potential risks of Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions to the global economy. The approaching July 15 deadline for a 25% US tariff on Brazil and growing global trade frictions also feature prominently in the report. The IMF has previously warned that the trend toward global economic fragmentation could significantly depress long-term growth rates.

— IMF