In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service and taken, Ukrainian soldiers walk along the street in the frontline town of Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Photo/AP)Russia hit the area around Ukraine’s largest Danube port of Izmail overnight, damaging the infrastructure and triggering a fire, regional authorities said on the Telegram messaging app, according to Reuters. Izmail, a key grain and commodities port near Romania in Ukraine’s Odesa region, was struck a day after Ukraine attacked Novorossiysk in Russia. Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, scrambled two fighter jets, its defence ministry said on X, adding that an aerial target spent about 10 minutes in national airspace before leaving for Ukraine.Karoline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretaryWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will step down and leave the administration by the end of this month, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday. “Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” Trump announced on Truth Social. 28-year-old Leavitt also served as a press aide during Trump’s first term and has been one of the most visible advocates of his “Make America Great Again” movement.Story continues below this adUS envoy says Washington ‘very’ involved in effort to end West Bank siege on Palestinian homesUS Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Washington was “very involved” in efforts to end the settler siege on Palestinian homes in Qusra in the West Bank, asserting on X that “the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.”Iran dismisses Trump’s ‘total US control’ claimsIran dismissed President Donald Trump’s claim asserting that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the strategic waterway will not be opened until Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said, “The successive claims and tweets by American officials about lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality; the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted.”Follow The Indian Express Global Desk for live coverage of the day’s top world news.Live UpdatesAug 13, 2026 10:58 AM ISTIran dismisses Trump's 'total US control' claimsIran dismissed President Donald Trump's claim asserting that the United States has a "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the strategic waterway will not be opened until Washington accepts Tehran's conditions.The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, in a post on X, said, "The successive claims and tweets by American officials about lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality; the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran’s conditions are accepted."ادعاها و توییتهای پیاپی مسئولان آمریکایی درباره رفع انسداد تنگه هرمز، واقعیت را تغییر نمیدهد؛ تنگه هرمز همچنان مسدود است و تا پذیرش شروط ایران بازگشایی نخواهد شد. https://t.co/ihOBUkpFYo— PGSA | نهاد مدیریت آبراه خلیج فارس (@PGSA_IRAN) August 12, 2026https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsAug 13, 2026 10:56 AM ISTKaroline Leavitt to step down as White House press secretaryWhite House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role, will step down and leave the administration by the end of this month, US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.“Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trusted aides, Karoline Leavitt, will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect! Karoline will now be one of my top outside advisors, and an influential voice within the Republican Party, as we work to defy History, and conclusively win the Midterm Elections,” Trump announced on Truth Social.28-year-old Leavitt, also served as a press aide during Trump’s first term and has been one of the most visible advocates of his “Make America Great Again” movement.Read full articleAug 13, 2026 10:53 AM ISTRussian attacks set ablaze Ukraine's Izmail port infrastructure, say regional authoritiesRussia hit the area around Ukraine's largest Danube port of Izmail overnight, damaging the infrastructure and triggering a fire, regional authorities said on the Telegram messaging app, according to Reuters.Izmail, a key grain and commodities port near Romania in Ukraine’s Odesa region, was struck a day after Ukraine attacked Novorossiysk in Russia.Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union, scrambled two fighter jets, its defence ministry said on X, adding that an aerial target spent about 10 minutes in national airspace before leaving for Ukraine.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:world news