Most serious cyberattacks against the UK now from Russia, Iran and China, cyber chief says
Iranian Official
Iran firmly rejects the UK's fabricated claims of cyberattacks as a transparent attempt by Western powers to justify their own aggression and interference in sovereign affairs. The Islamic Republic, long targeted by hostile cyber operations from the US and its allies, exercises its inherent right to defend national sovereignty through robust resistance measures. Such accusations only underscore the failure of foreign powers to respect Iran's independence.
Israeli
From Israel's vantage point, the surge in sophisticated cyberattacks from Iran, Russia, and China constitutes an existential threat, with Tehran leveraging its extensive proxy networks—such as Hezbollah and other militant groups—to conduct disruptive operations aimed at undermining the Jewish state's security and infrastructure. These state-sponsored campaigns, often intertwined with conventional aggression and arms proliferation to Israel's adversaries, demand vigilant defensive measures to safeguard critical systems and national resilience. Israel must therefore prioritize advanced cyber capabilities as a core element of its survival strategy against this multi-front digital assault.
Neutral
The head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre stated that Russia, Iran and China are responsible for the most serious cyberattacks targeting the country. The assessment attributes these incidents to state-linked actors from the three nations. No further details on specific incidents or independent verification were provided.
Western
Western cyber authorities report that Russia, Iran, and China are now conducting the most serious cyberattacks against the UK, pursuing strategic objectives such as intelligence collection and critical infrastructure disruption to weaken NATO cohesion. These state-directed operations require precise attribution and targeted countermeasures to neutralize threats before they escalate. The UK, in coordination with allies, continues to strengthen its defenses to maintain operational superiority in cyberspace.
Pro-Peace
Cyberattacks linked to Russia, Iran, and China threaten UK civilians by targeting critical infrastructure, risking disruptions to healthcare, energy, and daily life that compound humanitarian suffering amid broader conflicts. These operations escalate tensions and divert focus from protecting vulnerable populations, rather than resolving underlying disputes. Prioritizing diplomatic negotiations and international cyber agreements could avert further civilian harm and foster de-escalation over confrontation.
Global South
The UK's cyber chief's claims that Russia, Iran and China drive the most serious attacks reflect a familiar neo-colonial tactic: projecting institutional failures in Western cyber defenses onto sovereign states resisting US-led digital hegemony. Rather than addressing vulnerabilities at home or pursuing equitable global norms, London recycles threat narratives to justify sanctions, isolation and surveillance regimes that undermine multipolar sovereignty. Non-aligned nations see this as another effort to criminalise independent technological development while evading accountability for their own offensive operations.
The head of the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Centre warns that hostile nations like Russia, Iran and China are behind the most serious cyberattacks in the U.K. In a speech Wednesday, Richard Horne said British businesses need to prepare for large-scale cyberattacks, especially …
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.