United States President Donald Trump has signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law. The legislation expands existing sanctions on Russia, targeting its energy and defense sectors, financial institutions, and the country’s maritime fleet used to transport energy. The law also extends the Iran Sanctions Act for an additional five years.
Under the new measure, the president is granted authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on imports from countries identified as major purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural gas, or those found to be facilitating sanctions evasion. The law allows for presidential waivers if it is certified that such actions are in the national interest.
In the Middle East, regional tensions remain elevated. Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed to have launched a large-scale attack on Saudi Arabia using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. Saudi authorities issued aerial-threat alerts for Riyadh and Al Kharj, and residents reported hearing explosions. Saudi Civil Defence later stated that the danger had passed. The United Nations Security Council condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure and demanded an immediate cessation of military escalation.
Separately, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging the vessel was attempting an unauthorized passage. This follows reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations regarding another tanker struck by an unknown projectile in the same region.
Meanwhile, the United States military reported that the cost of the conflict with Iran, which began on February 28, has reached $43.6 billion as of September 3. This figure includes $28.1 billion in munitions costs. Additionally, reports citing unnamed U.S. officials suggest that the number of American service members killed in the conflict may be higher than the figures currently disclosed by the Pentagon.
In domestic developments, President Trump announced a ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House grounds, citing what he described as unfavorable coverage. The news outlets have denounced the move as a violation of the U.S. Constitution and indicated plans to challenge the decision in court.
Article source: gulfnews.com | Image credit: gulfnews.com