In Case You Missed It … This Week in News
Catch up on the biggest news of the week.
By: GenZ Staff | July 17, 2026 | 1121 Words
A lot happened in the world this week – Make sure you didn’t miss it with Liberty Nation GenZ’s weekly news roundup!
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Sen. Lindsey Graham Dies at 71 From ‘Sudden Illness’
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday night “from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement early Sunday. Graham, a close political ally of President Donald Trump, was elected to the Senate in 2003. He was 71.
US Strikes Iran After Strait of Hormuz Closed Again
The US military carried out a third round of strikes against Iran after the government announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command said on July 11. The decision comes after Iranian officials stated that a Cyprus-flagged vessel used an “unauthorized route” and was struck by a warning shot. Since Washington and Tehran reached a memorandum of understanding, both sides have accused each other of violating a ceasefire, making the status of the vital waterway uncertain. Traffic data suggest the global chokepoint has slowed in recent days.
Rep. Ro Khanna Claims He Was Detained by Israel
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said he was detained for 90 minutes by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the West Bank. In a July 11 X post, Khanna stated that his van was surrounded by people carrying M4 rifles this week, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “sided with the settlers and continued our detention.”
Six Killed in Ukraine After Russian Attacks
Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least six people, including a child, and wounded 29, officials confirmed on July 11. In response to Kyiv’s drone attacks on Moscow’s energy infrastructure, the Russian military carried out retaliatory attacks that included 12 missiles and 121 drones.
Monday, July 13, 2026
McConnell on Hospital Stay: ‘This Process Takes Time’
Hospitalized Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Sunday released a statement amid public speculation over his health status that has included widespread rumors that he was in fact dead. The statement included a photograph of McConnell, 84, and his wife Elaine Chao, with the former Senate majority leading clutching a copy of The Washington Post in a classic “proof of life” gesture.
Iran Expands Attacks on Neighboring Gulf States
US and Iranian forces “have exchanged heavy missile and drone assaults, with Tehran targeting US facilities in states across the Gulf on Sunday and saying it had again closed the vital Strait of Hormuz,” Reuters reports.
Actor Sam Neill Dies at 78
Sam Neill, “the versatile actor whose career of more than 50 years was highlighted by his three appearances in the blockbuster Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises, died on July 13 in Sydney, Australia. He was 78,” Variety reports.
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
US Hits Iran With Another Round of Attacks
The US military has completed its latest series of attacks on Iran as the struggle for control over the crucial Strait of Hormuz continues. “During the five-hour mission, US forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping. CENTCOM forces employed precision munitions against Iranian coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities,” US Central Command wrote in an X post. “Iran has responded to the latest US strikes with attacks on the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain, as well as two tankers in the strait with links to the United Arab Emirates, killing one seafarer from India and wounding eight other people,” NBC News reports.
Strait of Hormuz (Photo enhanced and published by maps4media via Getty Images)
Trump Says the US Will Be ‘Guardian of the Hormuz Strait’
President Donald Trump issued a defiant declaration on Monday, saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for commercial traffic under the watchful eye of the United States.
Hegseth Creates Task Force to Prosecute Media Leaks
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that “the Pentagon and Justice Department have created a joint task force to identify and prosecute leakers as part of the department’s effort to clamp down on disclosure of sensitive information,” The Hill reports.
Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent Advances to House
A bipartisan push to make daylight saving time permanent “is heading for a chamber-wide vote after clearing a key House hurdle,” Fox News reports. “The House Rules Committee on Monday teed up a floor vote on the Sunshine Protection Act, which would allow states to enact Daylight Saving Time year-round – with an option to opt out. The committee approved the rule in a 6-4 vote.”
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Trump Says Iran Has ‘Some Fight Left,’ but Not Much
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US airstrikes on Iran have pretty much completed their objectives but that they will continue until he’s sure the Middle East nation has had “enough.”
CENTCOM Details Fresh Round of Strikes Against Iran
The US conducted another round of airstrikes against Iran on Tuesday evening, concentrating on military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas.
Senate Democrats Block Defense Authorization Bill
Senate Democrats on Tuesday “defeated a motion to proceed to the $1.15 trillion annual defense authorization bill, legislation that usually enjoys strong bipartisan support but this year has become snarled in a partisan fight over defense spending levels,” The Hill reports.
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Trump Fires Newly Appointed US Attorney in Seattle
On Wednesday around 7:40 a.m., “federal judges in the Western District of Washington swore in former King County Superior Court judge and federal prosecutor Roger Rogoff as their pick for U.S. attorney,” The Seattle Times reports. “Fifty-four minutes later, President Donald Trump fired him.”
Iran Threatens to Enlarge Conflict if US Expands Military Campaign
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters on Thursday warned that Tehran would initiate widespread military strikes across the Persian Gulf region if the US attacks Iran’s core infrastructure. “If the recent threats by the empty-headed US president to target the infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran are carried out, then everything that, out of Iran’s restraint, has so far remained intact – namely all infrastructure in the region – will be crushed under the powerful blows of Iran’s armed forces,” a spokesman said in a statement. “Fewer vessels traveled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after the US reinstituted a naval blockade on Iran,” Fox News reports. “Seven vessels crossed the international waterway on Wednesday, down from 13 the previous day, according to Kpler shipping data.”
Canada’s Wildfires Expose Midwest and Northeast to Dangerous Smoke
Heavy smoke “from several large wildfires blazing in Canada and Minnesota is engulfing large swaths of the Midwest and Northeast US this week, exposing millions of people to dangerous air pollution,” CBS News reports.
