Iran conflict widens after 10 days of strikes; Tropical Storm Bertha strengthens

Iran and the U.S. trade strikes for a 10th straight day with no sign of backing down. And fresh attacks are raising the stakes well beyond the battlefield.

Plus, Tropical Storm Bertha closes in on the Gulf Coast, and flooding could become the biggest threat.

And Troy Jackson appears to have Maine’s Senate nomination in hand. But just as he pulls ahead, old questions about his temper resurface.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

US strikes enter day 10; Iran responds with new Gulf attacks

The State Department has issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans, citing “heightened tensions in the Middle East.” The alert comes after the U.S. completed its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran.

U.S. Central Command said the latest operation targeted Iranian command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems. CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalation follows the deaths of at least three American service members in recent days. The U.S. has identified two soldiers killed in Iranian attacks on a base in Jordan as 25-year-old Army First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzales of Texas. A third service member died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian attack drone.

Meanwhile, Iran’s army said it targeted U.S. radar and air defense installations in Kuwait and Bahrain early Tuesday morning. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also claimed it attacked and stopped two “non-compliant oil tankers” attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and warned Washington of “more decisive and powerful” attacks to come.

Trump hits Canada with new 50% tariffs

Trump has escalated his trade fight with Canada again, signing off on new 50% tariffs covering billions of dollars in Canadian imports. The White House said the tariffs target products ranging from machinery and dairy to furniture, plywood and even hockey sticks.

The tariffs wouldn’t take effect for 30 days. But unlike previous rounds, many goods covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement would no longer be exempt.

To do so, Trump is dusting off a 1930 law that gives presidents broad tariff powers. Trade experts say it has never been used this way before.

The move comes just one day after Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney appeared together at the World Cup final, and days after Trump blamed Canada for wildfire smoke that drifted across parts of the Northeast and Midwest, calling it filthy, dangerous and willful negligence.

The administration insists these tariffs are unrelated to the fires, saying they’re instead a response to what it calls Canada’s unfair treatment of American exports.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged Canada to hit back, posting on X, “Respond tariff for tariff. Dollar for dollar.”

Ford also had choice words for Trump, speaking to reporters on Monday:

“You gotta remind President Trump that there’s 3.9 million acres burning in the United States right now. And if we had resources, we would send them down to our closest friends and allies. So, you know something? Rather than criticize and threaten Canada, your closest friends, maybe one day you’re going to need our help like you did last year and we’ll deploy the people. I get frustrated listening to this bunch of rubbish.”

Some major imports, including energy, critical minerals and certain metals, are exempt. The tariffs are set to take effect in 30 days.

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Tropical Storm Bertha zeroes in on Gulf Coast, threatening flooding rains

Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, heads toward the Gulf Coast, bringing the threat of heavy rain, storm surge and flash flooding. A tropical storm warning extends from the Florida-Alabama state line to parts of southeast Louisiana, with tropical storm watches also posted along the Gulf Coast.

A storm surge watch remains in place from the Florida-Alabama state line to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Bertha’s outer rain bands have already soaked parts of central Florida, and the National Weather Service said tropical storm conditions will reach the Gulf Coast later Tuesday.

Some communities could see up to eight inches of rain, increasing the risk of flash flooding, while storm surge of up to four feet is expected in some low-lying coastal areas.

Meanwhile, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are also bracing for dangerous weather Tuesday. The greatest threat extends from northeastern Kentucky to New Jersey, where severe thunderstorms could bring damaging winds, flash flooding and possible tornadoes.

Darline Graham enters Senate race for her late brother’s seat

What was expected to be a temporary appointment has suddenly become one of the year’s biggest Senate races. Just days after being sworn in to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham’s seat, Sen. Darlene Graham announced she’s running for a full six-year term.

Her appointment last week was widely viewed as a short-term solution following Lindsey Graham’s death. But that changed Friday when Trump publicly urged her to run.

On Truth Social, Trump posted, “For the good of our nation, I asked Darlene to run for the U.S. Senate … Run, Darlene, run!”

Graham made the announcement in a Fox News interview Monday night with host Sean Hannity:

DARLENE GRAHAM: “I have been praying a lot, talking to my family…I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes. Absolutely.”

SEAN HANNITY: So you’re inclined to get in, or have you even made a final decision? 

GRAHAM: I’ve made a decision.

Her decision to run sets up what could be a crowded Republican primary. One potential challenger is already out; Rep. Nancy Mace announced she will not enter the race.

“I’m not running for the U.S. Senate, not because I’m backing down from a fight, but because the one I’m already in matters right now.”

That still leaves Republican Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman in the race. Fry is already positioning himself as Trump’s strongest ally in the Senate, writing on X on Monday, “I will be President Trump’s favorite U. S. Senator, and you will have a MAGA fighter you can count on.”

Candidate filing opens Tuesday. The Republican primary takes place Aug. 11, and in deep-red South Carolina, the GOP nominee will be heavily favored to win the seat this fall.

Jackson’s outbursts detailed in new report as Democrats raise concerns

Troy Jackson is poised to become Maine Democrats’ pick for U.S. Senate. Now, as he closes in on the nomination, a new report has raised questions about his temper.

During his six years leading Maine’s state senate, Jackson developed a reputation for a volatile temper, according to a new report from The Washington Post. The report, citing interviews with more than two dozen people, said Jackson once threw a water bottle during a meeting after a lawmaker refused to vote his way, yelled at another legislator who later posted that straight men were “too emotional” for politics, and cursed at the speaker of the Maine House until she ordered him out of her office.

The report said Jackson’s outbursts became a recurring concern for fellow Democrats, with some lawmakers taking those concerns to the governor.

Despite that, the progressive fifth-generation logger dominated county Democratic conventions over the weekend, winning more than three-quarters of the delegates. The showing prompted all four of his major rivals to drop out, leaving Jackson as the presumptive Democratic nominee to face Republican Senator Susan Collins in November.

Democrats have until Monday to make the nomination official.

World Cup heroes return home: Spain celebrates title as Argentina fans show support

They say the spoils go to the victor, and Spain’s World Cup champions are certainly enjoying them. The team returned home to Madrid for a massive celebration, with fans lining the streets.

The players climbed aboard an open-top bus that rolled through the heart of Madrid as an estimated two million fans packed the parade route, waving flags and cheering their newly crowned champions.

After landing Monday afternoon, the team also met with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the royal palace. Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday’s final drew more than one billion viewers worldwide, according to the broadcasters.

Despite falling just short of another title, Argentina’s team also returned to a hero’s welcome. In Buenos Aires, fans stood in the cold rain to cheer as buses carrying the players made their way through the city.

Supporters sang, waved flags and set off fireworks, with one fan summing up the mood this way: “It’s been a glorious five years. We’re champions, and we’re proud of these guys.”

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More from Straight Arrow:

Can bars survive a federal crackdown on THC beverages?

Bar owners like Collin Castore are looking to Nov. 12 with a looming sense of dread. 

That’s when a de facto ban on THC-infused beverages takes effect, cutting off Castore and his fellow taverners from a product they hoped would make up for flagging interest in alcohol.

Castore co-owns Seventh Son Brewing in Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeye State is one of several that outlawed THC drinks ahead of the national ban, although some of those restrictions are tied up in court. 

“We have dozens of pallets of drinks just sitting in a warehouse,” Castore told Straight Arrow.

Sales of Seventh Son’s products, which beer enthusiasts can find at Castore’s two Columbus tap rooms along with bars and grocery stores throughout central Ohio, have dipped in recent years. 

Drinks infused with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, help make up for that drop, but the brewery owner now worries he’ll have to make cuts, possibly including layoffs. 

“All of us are falling behind,” Castore said.

Read the full story now>

Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief