Evening Wire: The Iran War Escalates & Canada Poisons D.C. Air Quality? | 7.17.26

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**Georgia Howe** (1:03)
Iran escalates attacks on US allies in the Middle East. Clips from Democrats' Maine Senate primary debate go viral, and DC air hits code purple level due to Canadian wildfires. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire executive editor John Bickley. It's Friday, July 17th, and this is Evening Wire.

**John Bickley** (1:23)
In a major escalation in the Middle East, Iran targeted a water desalination plant in Kuwait in a series of missile strikes. Daily Wire Foreign Affairs reporter Cassie Akiva has the latest.

**Cassie Akiva** (1:34)
The US appears to be moving to isolate Iran's most strategic port city. American forces struck bridges, railways, highways, and military infrastructure around Bandar Abbas overnight, marking the sixth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran. The city sits on the Strait of Hormuz, hosts the headquarters of Iran's Navy, and serves as a key hub for the regime's military and commercial operations. Iranian state media reported strikes on a major railway junction, while images circulating online show damaged bridges, roads, and rail lines. CENTCOM also confirmed the destruction of an Iranian communications tower used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to monitor vessels transiting in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran launched retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, striking infrastructure in Qatar, Bahrain, and a power and water facility in Kuwait.
President Trump said Thursday night that the US is, quote, winning big in Iran and that Americans will see the results, quote, very, very shortly.

**Georgia Howe** (2:31)
At least one shooter opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Phoenix this week. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Tare has the details.

**Jenny Tare** (2:41)
Several rounds struck in ICE buildings exterior on various parts of the structure, the FBI revealed Thursday, adding that one or more unidentified people fired the shots. No injuries were reported as a result of the shooting, and it is not yet clear whether anyone is in custody.
One video of the building appeared to show some of the damage to windows riddled with bullet holes. Federal investigators have asked members of the public to report any suspicious activity in the area of North Central Avenue on Tuesday, July 14th in the afternoon. The latest shooting comes amid rising tensions across the country, following two recent shootings by ICE officers in Houston last week and Maine on Monday. ICE has faced a massive surge in attacks since the Trump administration commenced its mass deportation effort. In one case, a group of Antifa members lured officers out of a North Texas ICE facility last year with fireworks on July 4th before opening fire. One local police officer was shot in the neck but survived.

**John Bickley** (3:45)
The eight Democrat candidates in Maine vying to take over the Senate nomination after Graham Platner bowed out took to the debate stage last night to make their case. The first hour of the debate featured Secretary of State Shana Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah and former congressional candidate Jordan Wood. Here's Bellows touting her attempt to remove Donald Trump from the presidential ballot as Secretary of State and refusing to provide the federal government transparent voter information.

**Shana Bellows** (4:17)
I threw Donald Trump off the ballot on January 6th. And then when Donald Trump came for your voter data, I said hell no.

**John Bickley** (4:28)
And then here's Jackson, who prediction markets show as the front runner, arguing for Medicare for all.

**John Bickley** (4:33)
What is the idea from Graham Platner that you heard that you will use to move forward with your campaign and try to win votes?

**Troy Jackson** (4:42)
Well, I think that's pretty clear. I mean, what Graham talked about is something that I've been fighting for since I got into politics, healthcare, Medicare for all.

**John Bickley** (4:51)
The second hour of the debate featured David Costello, Dan Cleven, Elizabeth Dickerson, and Ashley Webb, who's a trans-identifying man who said his songwriting in honesty qualifies him for the seat.