Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it destroyed two U.S. HIMARS rocket launcher systems deployed to Kuwait.

South Africa plans to rebuild a strategic petroleum reserve to mitigate supply risk, the Minerals Resources and Energy Department (DMRE) said in a July 9 draft policy paper for public comment. DMRE estimates a current shortfall of about 10 mln bbl and proposes a 60-day buffer—roughly 36 mln bbl based on EIA’s estimate of 600,000 bpd—split about two-thirds crude and one-third products. National Treasury and the state oil company will design financing and guarantee mechanisms for the reserve. Under the plan, licensed wholesalers and importers would be required to hold stocks equivalent to 21 days’ demand. South Africa last expanded emergency stocks in the 1970s with the Saldanha Bay facility (capacity ~45 mln bbl).

Kuwait condemned what it called Iran’s "vile attack" on the Gulf state, saying in a foreign ministry statement the ongoing strikes "constitute a highly dangerous escalation" that will raise regional tensions and instability, threaten regional peace and security, and undermine diplomatic efforts to ease the crisis. The ministry said Kuwait reserves all rights to take any necessary measures to protect its security and sovereignty under international law and the UN Charter.