NPR News: 07-20-2026 6AM EDT

Libby Casey· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Libby Casey. US Central Command says the US military launched new strikes against Iran overnight for the ninth night in a row. This as CENTCOM announced a third US service member has been killed from Iranian attacks. It's raising fears of a wider war as Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain activated defenses against Iranian drones and missiles. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports.

Quil Lawrence0:25

CENTCOM said a US service member in northern Iraq died on Saturday during an attempt to safely destroy unexploded ordnance from an Iranian drone that had been shot down. A second service member sustained minor injuries. Iran has been targeting US troops on bases around the region, including Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Iraq and bases in Jordan, where Iranian drones and missiles breached US air defenses on Friday. The US has been bombarding Iran for over a week, hitting bridges and infrastructure, as well as purely military targets. After a shaky ceasefire mostly held since April, the war appears to be escalating. Iran is threatening tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and the US continues a maritime blockade on Iran. Quil Lawrence, NPR News.

Libby Casey· Host1:08

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meeting King Charles today at Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation. Then the King is expected to ask the former mayor of Manchester, England, Andy Burnham, to form the next government. They're both from the center-left Labor Party and share roughly the same politics, as NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from London.

Lauren Frayer1:28

Andy Burnham was previously