A group of researchers warned that ships stalled by the Iran war could spread invasive marine organisms when trade resumes.

Iran accused the U.S. of escalating tensions in the region and said it's preparing its own response if Washington goes ahead with new strikes.

The U.S. and Iran each fired barrages of missiles Thursday, as the pattern of back-and-forth strikes took hold again and hope dimmed for any quick resolution.

The U.S. military launched strikes in Iran July 29, with Trump saying he wanted to hit them "very hard" and "smack them a little bit."

The largely symbolic vote reflects the high tensions as the Iran war enters its sixth month.

The Saudi defense ministry said 14 countries have backed the kingdom’s proposal to establish a “Maritime Defense Alliance” to protect international shipping routes and global trade.

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia said they carried out airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Iran targeted sites used by the American military in Jordan and a U.S.-owned ship was hit in an Egyptian port.

In a report immediately denied by Beijing, Reuters says Iran is set to receive the first of up to 400 Chinese-made, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missiles within weeks. If true, this could transform an already complex regional conflict into a critical test of superpower relations.

The Trump administration is offering the public less information about the Iran war and its direction, even as the costs continue to mount.