On March 13, 2026, China announced emergency humanitarian assistance of USD 200,000 to support victims of a tragic airstrike on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. The attack, which occurred on February 28 amid escalating US-Israel military operations against Iran, reportedly killed over 160 people, mostly young girls, and injured nearly 100 others. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep condolences for the deaths of the students and extended sincere sympathies to their grieving families during a regular media briefing in Beijing. He stated that the Red Cross Society of China has decided to provide the Iranian Red Crescent Society with the $200,000 as emergency funds, specifically to aid bereaved parents and help alleviate the suffering caused by the incident. Guo strongly condemned indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets, emphasizing that striking schools and harming children represents a grave violation of international humanitarian law and crosses theĺşçşż of human morality and conscience. âSuch acts are unacceptable,â he added. China, a longstanding close ally of Iran, has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities since the conflict intensified, including the reported assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Guo reiterated Beijingâs position, urging all parties to halt military operations without delay, prevent further escalation, and avoid broader regional instability that could harm global economic growth. The strike targeted the Shajareh Tayyebeh girlsâ primary school in Minab, near an IRGC base previously hit in operations. Iran has attributed the attack to joint US-Israel actions. While the US Central Command stated it was investigating reports, and Israelâs military claimed no awareness of operations in the area, emerging evidenceâincluding satellite imagery, videos, and preliminary US military probesâpoints to a possible US precision strike (potentially a Tomahawk missile) on a nearby military target, with the school damaged due to proximity or targeting errors based on outdated intelligence. The United Nations and UNESCO have condemned the incident as a severe breach of humanitarian law, highlighting the protection afforded to educational institutions and children in conflict zones. China affirmed its readiness to offer further humanitarian support to Iran in the spirit of goodwill, helping the Iranian people navigate these challenges. â With Agencies Inputs
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Omanâs Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vesselâs owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemenâs Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait â at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the worldâs trade usually passes â would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdomâs âunjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 yearsâ.
Saudi Arabia said it would take âall necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international lawâ. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iranâs president said the country had returned âfull-scale warâ, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan â a key mediator in the conflict â for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay âmany times overâ for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British militaryâs United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iranâs Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US militaryâs Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to âdegradeâ Iranâs ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the countryâs only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iranâs launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.