VOA Focus Today (July 31, 2026): US Launches Fierce Strikes on Iran and Announces New Sanctions Targeting Chinese Entities
This episode mainly reports on the fierce US military strikes against Iran and the announcement of new sanctions targeting entities including Chinese ones; Reuters reports that Iran's order of Chinese air defense missiles has drawn attention; bipartisan US lawmakers introduce a bill to counter China's gray-zone operations in the Indo-Pacific region; the participation of the Chilean Navy in the RIMPAC exercise; a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, causing casualties and semiconductor factory shutdowns; US and Chinese trade officials hold a video call to discuss rare earths and agricultural commitments; the US Federal Communications Commission adds foreign robots to the list of regulated equipment; and a bipartisan delegation of US Representatives visits Taiwan.
Video Link:
Full Text:
The US military launched what it described as fierce strikes against Iran on July 30 in response to attacks by Iran the previous day targeting US forces in the region. The United States also announced sanctions on Thursday against six entities and individuals located in China, India, Russia, and Iran for providing support to the Iranian regime's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. US Central Command stated that Thursday's strikes targeted command centers, missile and drone facilities used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as well as other strongholds. Iranian state media reported that Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz was attacked, resulting in three deaths. Iranian forces also launched attacks on Thursday, including striking a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait. The Kuwaiti military stated that this attack resulted in the deaths of migrant workers and caused severe destruction. The Jordanian military stated on Thursday that it intercepted five Iranian missiles. According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Fox News, the US military has presented President Trump with a plan for a major and escalated military operation against Iran. In response, a white house official told Voice of America that the Commander-in-Chief has a variety of options available. The US State Department also announced sanctions on Thursday against the Iranian Mahan Air network, as well as other front companies associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, specifically six entities and individuals located in China, India, Russia, and Iran. Mahan Air is the preferred airline used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transport weapons, military personnel, and equipment.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Iran has ordered hundreds of Chinese-made air defense missile launchers and is expected to receive the first batch within weeks. Beijing called the report unfounded. US President Donald Trump stated that if true, he would be quite disappointed, reiterating that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has promised that China will not provide weapons to Iran. Citing three sources, Reuters reported that the procurement is valued between 60 million and 70 million US dollars, and the contract covers the purchase of 300 to 400 air defense systems, including Chinese-made Vanguard-12 and FN-16 missiles. Anonymous sources told Reuters that the transaction was signed with the Hong Kong-headquartered Zhongbao International Investment Company, which acts as an intermediary between the buyer and Chinese suppliers. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the matter during its regular press conference on Thursday. When asked about the report on Wednesday, US President Trump said that if such a thing occurred, he would be surprised and quite disappointed, again mentioning that during his visit to Beijing this May, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him that China would not provide weapons to Iran.
Bipartisan U.S. senators jointly introduced a new bill on Wednesday to counter China's gray-zone operations in the Indo-Pacific region. The bill was co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. The legislation authorizes the U.S. Secretary of State to develop a strategy to enhance monitoring of China's activities in the Indo-Pacific and to identify relevant departments, programs, and actors to strengthen oversight of the region. The bill also calls for the establishment of a task force responsible for developing and improving tools to counter gray-zone operations, as well as cooperating with Indo-Pacific allies and the private sector to strengthen collective capabilities in deterring Chinese aggression. Gray-zone tactics refer to the pursuit of national interests by maximizing the advancement of one's own interests without engaging in open warfare, while avoiding military action, through a combination of diplomatic, economic, informational, and paramilitary means. Duckworth stated in a press release that as China attempts to destabilize the region through its gray-zone strategies, this bill will help ensure that the United States better coordinates with partners and deters these behaviors that pose a genuine threat to U.S. security. Blackburn accused China in a press release of evading detection through cyberattacks, economic coercion, information warfare, and other gray-zone strategies while harming the interests of U.S. allies, stating that this legislation will strengthen U.S. capabilities in responding to the Chinese Communist Party in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan is one of the important backgrounds of concern for this bill; Senator Duckworth, who introduced the bill, visited Taiwan in early July and met with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, stating during that visit that as a Pacific nation, we must continue to be a reliable partner to Taiwan for their security and our own security. Senator Blackburn also visited Taiwan in 2022, and stated in a campaign advertisement released this July that she will protect Tennessee's land from Chinese encroachment.
Rimpac is the world's largest international maritime joint military exercise, with more than 30 countries participating this year. Ninety-five percent of trade is conducted via the sea, so we need a free and open Pacific, which is why we participate in Rimpac. Chilean Navy Commodore Andrés Howard also serves as the deputy commander of the joint task force for this year's Rimpac exercise. During the exercise, the Chilean Navy will validate and improve their joint combat capabilities with various countries in areas including anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, and maritime security operations.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on July 28. According to information provided by the Kumamoto prefectural government, the death toll has now risen to 34, with the victims mainly concentrated in Kumamoto City and a pharmaceutical factory. Among local semiconductor factories, only TSMC has resumed operations, while Mitsubishi, Sony, Renesas Electronics, and others remain shut down, which may impact future semiconductor supplies. The main hall of a shrine in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, collapsed, and many residents came to inspect the disaster area; this main hall was built in 1883 and has a history of more than 140 years. Surveyors are assessing the damage to local temples, while post-disaster cleanup work continues. The epicenter of this earthquake was located about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, the largest city in Kyushu, which has a population of about 700,000. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that areas with stronger seismic intensity may still experience relatively strong aftershocks within the next week, and the public needs to watch out for secondary disasters such as landslides.
Trade officials from the United States and China held a video call on Thursday, and U.S. officials stated that the U.S. side emphasized its expectation that Beijing will fully fulfill its commitments regarding rare earths and U.S. agricultural products. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disclosed this news on the X platform on Thursday afternoon, stating that he and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held a call with Chinese State Council Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of the September meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping. Bessent said that he and Greer emphasized to the Beijing side that the United States expects Beijing to fully honor its commitments on rare earths and U.S. agricultural products, and the two sides also discussed how to implement the Trade and Investment Commission mechanism to ensure practical progress in building a more balanced, fair, and constructive U.S.-China economic relationship. When President Trump visited China in May, he invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the United States on September 24.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Tuesday the update of its covered list of regulated equipment, including foreign-produced advanced robotic equipment and power inverters. The FCC pointed out that the reason for this update is that U.S. executive agencies determined that these equipment threaten national security, and external interpretations widely view these measures as primarily targeting China. In the updated covered list of regulated equipment, two new categories of equipment have been added: first, advanced robotic equipment, including mobile robots such as humanoids and quadrupedal robots; and second, foreign-produced networked power inverters. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr pointed out that this is to ensure the security of critical U.S. supply chains. In response to the latest list announced by the FCC, House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar issued a statement praising the move for protecting the United States and enhancing the strength of the U.S. robotics industry. The FCC's new ban has generated repercussions in the U.S. robotics manufacturing industry, with Bill Byrd, CEO of U.S. AI-native industrial robotics manufacturing company Standard Bot, posting on the social media platform X that this is one of the most forceful technology security measures in modern U.S. history.
A bipartisan group of U.S. federal representatives visited Taiwan from July 30 to August 1, during which they will exchange views with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on bilateral U.S.-Taiwan relations and important regional issues. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) stated in a Facebook post that the delegation is led by Representative Young Kim (R-CA), with accompanying members including Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX), and Representative Randy Feenstra (R-IA). This visit is part of the representatives' inaugural tour of the Indo-Pacific region.