Reported attacks on Saudi infrastructure and an Iranian cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz have intensified supply concerns following the closure of a key Saudi oil pipeline, with claims from state media and armed groups pending independent verification.

These developments have driven Brent and WTI crude futures up approximately 3% to near $108 and $103 per barrel, respectively, amid ongoing US blockade operations and heightened regional tensions.

Former CIA officer Larry Johnson reports that the 18th BRICS summit opened in New Delhi with the unanimous adoption of a declaration endorsing payment infrastructure intended to facilitate cross-border trade outside the Western financial system. While the text details plans to expand local currency settlements and integrate domestic payment systems like India's UPI, the source characterizes this move as a "lifeline" for Iran, which it alleges is currently under US sanctions, a naval blockade, and at war with the United States and Israel.

According to an anonymous official briefed on the matter, Iranian Atomic Energy Organization head Mohammad Eslami is not expected to attend the IAEA General Conference due to an unwaived travel ban, a development that underscores worsening relations with the West following the resumption of hostilities.

Since the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran has reportedly withheld IAEA access to affected areas, preventing verification of a 440.9-kilogram stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Houthis stated that Saudi Arabia conducted more than 50 strikes against their positions over 24 hours, a claim that has not been independently verified. This development follows a week-long Houthi offensive in which the group reported capturing Yemen's Red Sea coast and executing a drone and missile attack on a Saudi military base.

The escalation coincides with ongoing fighting that resumed in July after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade, occurring while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed amid the Iran war.