Iran strikes intensify after US troop deaths; Britain welcomes new prime minister
War between the U.S. and Iran escalates again after more American troop deaths trigger another round of strikes.
Plus, Britain gets another new prime minister as Andy Burnham takes over, making a sweeping promise to “rewire Britain.”
And JD and Usha Vance welcome a baby boy — and make a bit of history in the process.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, July 20, 2026.
Trump orders more strikes on Iran following deadly attacks on US troops
The U.S. has carried out a ninth straight night of strikes on Iran, with Iranian state media reporting new attacks that included the area around the country’s only civilian nuclear plant.
President Donald Trump said Iran was hit “very hard” overnight as the conflict continues to grow after at least three U.S. service members were killed in the Middle East over the weekend. One service member was killed in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.
U.S. Central Command has also recovered unidentified remains in Jordan, where a separate Iranian attack left two U.S. troops dead and another missing in action.
Trump said the service members gave their lives to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“We hit them very hard again tonight,” Trump said. “And we did that in honor of the probably three — it’s probably three as opposed to two, great patriots.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the troops’ deaths are a reminder of the price of war:
“Obviously, I think sometimes when you look at this stuff, we forget, we take for granted that our military is so effective, the mission they carry out is very, very dangerous. Look, our military all over the world, especially in that part of the world, but all over the world every single day, does very dangerous things. We’ve had people who lost their lives in training missions. Nothing the military does is safe. It’s all inherently dangerous. And we’re just grateful to have such heroic Americans in uniform in the service of our country.”
The fighting has spread across the region. U.S. allies Kuwait and Bahrain reported new Iranian attacks early Monday morning.
Iran’s foreign ministry also warned the U.S. will “face the consequences” if American forces try to seize Kharg Island after Trump threatened to take control of the key oil export hub.
The escalating conflict has also pushed energy prices higher. AAA said the national average for a gallon of gas has climbed above $4 for just the second time since the war began.
Burnham takes over as Britain’s prime minister Monday, succeeding Keir Starmer
Britain’s seventh prime minister in just the past decade has officially taken office.
The King invited Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, often called the “King of the North,” to Buckingham Palace to form a new government as Britain’s next prime minister.
Burnham has promised to “rewire Britain” and is expected to unveil a 10-year plan for the country, along with his team of ministers — the U.K.’s equivalent of a cabinet. He’ll inherit a long list of challenges, from sluggish economic growth to an increasingly strained relationship with the United States following the conflict with Iran.
Trump, meanwhile, welcomed Burnham’s arrival in a social media post, praising his support for expanding North Sea oil and gas production. It’s a sharp contrast to Britain’s recent push to make the North Sea one of the world’s largest offshore wind regions, an effort Trump has repeatedly criticized.
Earlier Monday morning, former Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a farewell speech outside 10 Downing Street before traveling to Buckingham Palace, where he formally submitted his resignation to King Charles.
Tate brothers face extradition after new UK charges lead to their arrest in Miami
Andrew and Tristan Tate are expected to make their first appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Miami on Monday, following their arrest over the weekend on a British extradition request tied to new rape and sex trafficking charges.
U.S. Marshals took the influencer brothers into custody Saturday after British prosecutors announced 38 new charges involving four additional alleged victims. Those include rape, trafficking, assault and other alleged offenses.
The brothers have denied all wrongdoing.
The latest allegations bring the total number of alleged victims in the U.K. cases to seven. British investigators said the case reflects their continued commitment to pursuing violence against women.
“I want to make it clear, there is no place for male violence against women and girls in our society and we will continue to work tirelessly to support victims and investigate all reports made to us,” Karena Thomas, with the Bedfordshire Police, said.
Andrew and Tristan Tate have been at the center of legal battles stretching across Britain, Romania and now the U.S. British authorities are seeking their extradition, while separate criminal cases in Romania remain unresolved after procedural setbacks.
A U.S. judge will now begin determining whether the brothers meet the legal requirements for extradition to the United Kingdom, where prosecutors want them returned to face the new charges.
Maine Democrats rally behind Jackson to face Sen. Susan Collins
The race to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine comes into sharper focus Monday morning. Less than two weeks after Democratic nominee Graham Platner dropped out amid sexual assault allegations, Democrats appear to be rallying behind a new frontrunner.
Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson has effectively secured enough delegate support to become the party’s nominee at this weekend’s convention. Jackson, a fifth-generation logger backed by organized labor, now turns his attention to Collins, whom Democrats view as one of their best opportunities to flip a Republican-held Senate seat.
One of Jackson’s biggest rivals, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, dropped out Sunday, writing on X, “The most important thing we can do in this moment is unite to defeat Susan Collins.”
The race was thrown into turmoil earlier this month when Platner suspended his campaign after allegations from a former girlfriend that he forced her to have sex. Platner has denied those allegations.
Jackson struck a humble tone after learning he had secured a majority of delegate support. In a video posted by his campaign, he said, “I’ve been getting text messages all day about, you know, what a great job I did, and I didn’t do a goddamn thing … All of you just smoked it.”
Jackson still has to officially secure the nomination at Saturday’s convention, but with broad delegate support now behind him, Democrats are already shifting their focus to the November race against Collins. The race is expected to be one of the country’s most closely watched contests.
Vance family grows: JD and Usha welcome fourth child
Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance are celebrating the arrival of their fourth child: a baby boy named Alec Neel Vance.
The vice president announced the birth Sunday, saying Usha and the baby are “happy and healthy” and that their three children are excited to meet their new little brother.
The birth itself is also historic. Usha Vance is the first second lady in more than 150 years to give birth while her husband is serving as vice president.
In a post on X, Vance thanked the medical teams at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit for their care, adding that the family is “overjoyed” by Alec’s arrival.
The Vances now have four children, ranging in age from infancy to nine years old.
Spain shuts out Argentina to secure World Cup win
Sunday’s World Cup final delivered. Spain controlled much of the match, but Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, kept his team alive with one incredible save after another.
Then, in extra time, Ferran Torres took a perfectly timed pass and buried the game-winner, giving Spain a 1-0 lead. Spain had two other goals waved off during the match, but one was all it needed.
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After six weeks of competition, the Spaniards are World Cup champions. A sellout crowd packed MetLife Stadium for the final, where some tickets reportedly sold for nearly $8,000.
The match may also mark the end of Lionel Messi’s World Cup career. At 39, he became the first man to play in six World Cup tournaments. He nearly helped Argentina find a late equalizer, creating chances until the final whistle, but Spain held on to capture the title.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
