Top Headlines

At Least 3 U.S. Service Members Killed

DUBAI, July 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. said it had completed an eighth straight night of attacks against Iran after earlier announcing that at least two U.S. military personnel were killed in Jordan, while U.S. allies in the region reported more Iranian attacks on Sunday. The U.S. military also confirmed a third death in recent days, saying a service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq, where the U.S. has military bases, during a controlled detonation of what Central Command called unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone. The U.S. and Iran have intensified attacks as an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago has unravelled and a struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping channel, has deepened, raising the risk of a return to all-out hostilities. Israeli officials said Israel was preparing to receive more U.S. refuelling aircraft after the recent escalation, and ahead of a possible expansion of U.S. military operations against Iran. U.S. Central Command said the latest airstrikes, beginning at 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT) on Saturday, were designed "to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly punish Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces who launched attacks against American service members in Jordan." Even prior to Saturday's attacks from Iran, the U.S. had started moving additional assets to the Middle East, including aircraft such as fighter jets, a U.S. official told Reuters. Central Command later said it had completed its wave of attacks, hitting Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defence facilities. The conflict, which began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 hoping to disable its nuclear and missile programs and degrade its regional proxies, has killed thousands of people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and led to major disruption to energy supplies and fears over global inflation. GULF STATES SAY THEY COME UNDER FRESH IRANIAN ATTACK Iranian media said the U.S. carried out an attack near Sirik in southern Iran, and near Shadegan, close to the border with Iraq. An explosion was later reported in Abadan, in Iran's southwest. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization condemned a U.S. attack on the site of a nuclear power plant under construction in Darkhovin, Iran's Mehr news agency reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was investigating reports of an overnight attack, noting that the plant was in the very early stages of construction. In response to the latest strikes, Iran carried out a drone attack on U.S. military assets and equipment at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday. Iran has hit both bases as part of its attacks against U.S. assets and allies in the Gulf over the past week. Kuwait's government said a desalination plant had been attacked for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure. Kuwait's armed forces said earlier they had again intercepted Iranian missiles, after a sustained Iranian attack on Saturday. Bahrain's air defenses also intercepted an Iranian attack on Sunday, its state TV reported. Sirens sounded in Jordan, where the military said it had shot down three Iranian missiles. The Israeli military said it had detected the launch of missiles from Iran toward the Jordanian city of Aqaba, on Israel's border. Jordan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in protest against recent attacks. In recent days both sides have taken aim at shipping traffic, with the U.S. saying it is enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and Iran saying it targets vessels violating its rules on navigating the Strait of Hormuz, which usually handles one-fifth of global oil trade. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Sunday four vessels had attempted to transit the strait via an "unsafe route" with U.S. backing after ignoring IRGC warnings. It said two had abandoned the attempt while the other two were involved in an "accident". It did not elaborate. DEATHS OF U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS U.S. Central Command said the deaths of two of its service personnel had occurred on Friday in Jordan and that a third U.S. service member was missing in action. On Sunday, Central Command said in a statement that "unidentified remains" had been found at the site of Friday's attack and that "an examination process to verify the remains is ongoing." The announcements, including Saturday's death in northern Iraq, bring the number of U.S. service members killed since the war began to 17, while more than 420 have been wounded. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media: "Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve." Iran's Health Ministry said on Saturday that 50 people had been killed and more than 500 wounded in U.S. strikes on the country over the past three weeks alone. Overall, thousands have been killed in the conflict, mainly in Iran and in Lebanon, where a war between Israel and Iran-allied militant group Hezbollah was reignited. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday to discuss a U.S.-backed framework agreement signed in June. Aoun will meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday to present a plan for disarming Hezbollah and securing Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Iran/President Trump’s speech and VP Vance’s interview: Ben Domenech weighs in on them all

Join Hugh LIVE: Weekdays, 3-6PM ET. Visit Hugh's website: https://hughhewitt.com Follow Hugh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hughhewitt The Hugh Hewitt Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hughhewittshow/ Subscribe to The Hugh Hewitt Show's podcast here: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowApple Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowGoogle Spotify: http://bit.ly/HHShowSpotify Check out the Hughniverse for a commercial-free archive of The Hugh Hewitt Radio Show and The Aftershow with Duane "Generalissimo" Patterson anytime you want: https://www.hughniverse.com

That Kevin Show: July 18, 2026 - Full Show

The Larry Elder Show, July 17, 2026

There IS Election Fraud in America!

Hillary Clinton Says Trump Can't Claim Stolen Elections

The battle with Iran escalates. Eli Lake speculates on how far it will go.

The Hugh Hewitt Show I July 17th, 2026

“Ransom” is the new best-selling thriller from Daniel Silva

Canada Wildfire Smoke Blankets U.S. Midwest, Northeast With Hazardous Air

NEW YORK, July 16 (Reuters) - Heavy smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada enveloped a swath of the U.S. from the Midwest to the Northeast on Thursday, prompting warnings from officials that residents should stay indoors wherever possible and avoid the acrid, unhealthy air. Detroit registered the worst air quality of any city in the world on Thursday, according to monitoring company IQAir, with a pollutant index of 600, twice the level considered "hazardous" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Federal data showed dangerous levels of smoke across Minnesota, Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Ohio and into Ontario, with hazardous readings in such major cities as Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Toronto. Ten states reported at least some locations with an "unhealthy" reading, stretching from Minnesota to as far south as Maryland. "It's wild because when you look outside you think it's fog, and it's completely covered the city, and it's smoke, because when we walk outside it burns," Chicago resident Stephanie Villanova, 33, said while out for a late-morning downtown stroll with her 68-year-old father. Both were wearing face masks. Outdoor shows, fairs and other events in Minnesota, including a concert by the rock band Creed at Mystic Lake Amphitheater outside Minneapolis, were canceled on Thursday due to poor air quality, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Municipal swimming pools, nature camps, golf courses and all outdoor events and programs scheduled in Minneapolis were likewise closed, the city Park and Recreation Board announced. 'RIVER OF SMOKE' Minnesota's northeastern Iron Range region along Lake Superior, including the cities of Duluth and Hibbing, registered fine-particulate concentrations as high as 900 micrograms per cubic meter of air, triple the threshold classified as hazardous, according to the state Pollution Control Agency. "It’s basically a river of smoke pouring into the Midwest right now,” said Emily Fischer, an atmospheric chemist and professor at Colorado State University. "This is a direct connection to climate change. This is the climate change that people breathe." The smoke was expected to worsen throughout the day. In New York, where the sky was tinged with an orange haze and the air smelled acrid, local officials urged residents to limit their outdoor time and cautioned the elderly, pregnant women and people with other risk factors, such as heart and lung disease, to remain inside. The dangerous conditions in the New York City metropolitan area came just days before the FIFA World Cup soccer final was set to be played in nearby New Jersey on Sunday in front of more than 80,000 fans. "Today is expected to be the worst day of this event," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at a gathering on Thursday. "At 'unhealthy' levels, everyone - not just people with asthma or heart conditions, not just older adults - everyone may feel health effects. So today, every New Yorker should take precautions." The city was handing out free KN95 face masks at hundreds of libraries, police precincts and firehouses, the mayor said. As of Thursday morning, officials tallied 858 fires burning across Canada, including 111 considered out of control. Most of the fires were in the central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Roughly 5.9 million acres (2.4 million hectares) have burned during this wildfire season in Canada, according to government data. Climate experts say rising global temperatures are driving an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world. Wildfire smoke, which can linger in the air for weeks and travel thousands of miles, is more toxic than normal air pollution. Studies have linked wildfire smoke with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, pregnancy complications and weakened immune defenses.

The fleet of mid-air tankers are gathering in Israel. Matt Continetti on what that means for the war

Apple Unseats Nvidia To Become World's Most Valuable Company As AI Bets Shift

July 17 (Reuters) - Apple overtook Nvidia on Friday to become the world's most valuable company, reshuffling the top ranks of tech heavyweights as investors reassess the outlook for artificial intelligence. Apple was last valued at $4.88 trillion as its shares held steady, while Nvidia was roughly at $4.86 trillion, following a 3.5% decline. The shift in the pecking order illustrates that investors are broadening their focus beyond the most obvious beneficiaries of the AI boom, such as Nvidia, which had been at the helm for nearly a year. Apple is reclaiming the top spot for the first time since April last year. "Apple was seen as a laggard in the AI race because it wasn't spending to develop models, but now sentiment has changed," said Toni Meadows, head of investment at BRI Wealth Management. "Apple is less exposed to capex intensity and better positioned to monetize AI via services, ecosystem lock-in, and hardware upgrades. The re-rating reflects confidence in earnings durability rather than speculative AI upside." For a company that was often seen trailing in the AI race, the milestone reflects Apple's efforts to establish itself more firmly among the sector's leading players, and could shape how CEO Tim Cook's final months at the helm are viewed. Cook is preparing to cede his role to hardware veteran John Ternus in September. Last month, the company rolled out a long-delayed overhaul of Siri, betting the upgraded assistant would help close the gap ‌with Big Tech rivals and new-age startups in the crucial AI race. Some analysts say Apple is sitting on an AI gold mine in the form of the personal data that lives on every iPhone. The data could make Siri's answers more useful and the assistant more capable. The challenge is that such data is locked away in operating systems in the name of privacy and the company would have to find a way to unlock its value. AI SPENDING LIFTS NEW WINNERS Nvidia became the first company in the world to surpass a $5 trillion market valuation in October, a landmark that propelled it into a rarefied territory that was far beyond the reach of its rivals. Being superseded by Apple does not necessarily signal a lasting change in the companies' relative standing. The chipmaker remains a major beneficiary of AI-related spending, and its graphics processors are powering much of the generative AI frenzy. Nvidia could also reclaim the top spot if sentiment shifts. Besides, Apple is in a delicate position itself, having raised prices to offset rising costs -- a strategy that could hurt demand. "I don't see any meaningful distinction. Nvidia likely to be a significant participant in whatever happens going forward," said Benjamin Hall, vice president, alpha research at Segal Marco Advisors. However, the AI enthusiasm has spread to other corners of the semiconductor industry. The bigger winners this year have been memory chipmakers such as Micron, which crossed $1 trillion in market value in May as investors embraced the significance of memory chips in AI infrastructure. South Korea's SK Hynix also listed on the Nasdaq earlier this month, adding another player to the race for investor attention. "The new entrants to the market could spread out the focus away from the pure Magnificent Seven names into a wider number of names," Hall said. The eye-watering chips rally ran into turbulence in July as investors reassessed the sustainability of the artificial intelligence trade, knocking the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index down almost 19% from its all-time highs. Despite the steep fall, the index has performed better than Nvidia so far this year.

New Coin Featuring Trump Celebrates America's 250th Birthday

We are saying so long to the penny, but now the U.S. Mint is making a new gold colored coin worth $1. I t will have President Trump's face etched on it next to the words "In God We Trust." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the new coin is in commemoration of the Country's 250th birthday and will have the years 1776 to 2026 printed on it. The new coin is currently in production and is expected to be in circulation this fall.

Trump Seeks Security. Dems Want Anarchy.

Josh opens the show by discussing the Democratic Party's dramatic shift to the left and the growing threats to long-standing American institutions. He explains how even bedrocks of our constitutional system, including the U.S. Senate, could be targeted if some members of the Democratic Socialists of America get their way. Josh breaks down why this is just the latest radical idea coming from the left and what it could mean for the country, moving forward. Josh then turns to the president's prime-time address on election integrity and explains why Congress must pass the SAVE America Act immediately. He argues that protecting American elections will require more than speeches and promises—it will take concrete action to ensure that only legal votes are counted. Max Meizlish of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies joins the show to discuss how the United States can tighten the financial pressure on Iran. They examine what can be done to restrict Iranian exports, cut off key sources of revenue, and weaken the regime's ability to fund its ongoing war efforts.

The Iran War Will Escalate Soon!

White House Press Secretary Returns After Maternity Leave

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is back in the briefing room following maternity leave for her second child. When asked about the Iran conflict, she says the Trump administration is on the same page and remains focused on achieving its goals.