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How the US-Iran conflict has thrown India’s Chabahar plans into doubt
7 min readNew DelhiJul 21, 2026 03:06 PM IST A dramatic image posted on social media by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth last week fuelled concern in India. It showed the maritime control tower at Iran’s Chabahar port collapsing after US military strikes. The image was part of a series of photographs posted by Hegseth, captioned: “Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz”. While New Delhi is already reeling under the impact of US sanctions on its strategically vital infrastructure project in Iran, where it has invested billions, the military strikes sparked fresh concerns. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that the terminal it operates at Chabahar Port, Shahid Beheshti, was not damaged in the US strikes. “We have seen some reports in that regard, but we can also tell you that the terminal itself did not face any damage,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The ministry, however, reiterated India’s position that civilian infrastructure should not be targeted during conflicts. Here’s a look at the strategic importance of Chabahar for India, New Delhi’s investment in the project and how its future hangs in the balance. India’s stakes in Chabahar The Chabahar port has two main terminals — Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari — with India managing the latter. It is operated by India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL), a wholly owned subsidiary of India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), under a 10-year renewable agreement with Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation. A tower at the Chabahar port in 2021. Wikimedia Commons India and Iran have been developing Chabahar as a key trade and connectivity hub, particularly to improve access to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Chabahar holds strategic importance for India as it provides an alternative trade route to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan, which does not allow Indian goods transit through its territory. For Iran, Chabahar is vital because it is its only oceanic port with direct access to the Indian Ocean, bypassing the congested Strait of Hormuz. To ensure its continuous operation, India and Iran signed a landmark 10-year contract in May 2024 — replacing previous short-term contracts — to equip and operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal. To avoid financial penalties in the wake of US sanctions, India prepaid its $120 million investment and transferred its operational stake at Shahid Beheshti to local entities. Story continues below this ad US sanctions on Chabahar American sanctions on Chabahar stem from its broader economic and military measures against Tehran. Despite India’s continued efforts to develop the port for regional connectivity, the history of these sanctions and waivers has severely restricted the project’s progress. The Donald Trump administration walked the US out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, and imposed sanctions on dealing with Tehran. At the same time, it also granted a targeted sanctions waiver for the Chabahar port to support humanitarian and economic efforts in Afghanistan. Chabahar port location For several years, the port facilitated the delivery of Indian wheat and medical supplies to Afghanistan. In September last year, the US administration withdrew the sanctions waiver, only to grant the exemption again through a six-month waiver in October that officially expired on April 26. Jaiswal said that India has been in discussions with “relevant stakeholders” after the expiry of the waiver. Story continues below this ad “There was a waiver which was given by America and that waiver got over some time back. Post that, we have been in discussion with relevant stakeholders as to how to take this particular issue forward,” he said. Owing to the end of the sanctions waivers, India is losing its direct operational control over the Chabahar project. Importance for New Delhi, Tehran Chabahar is vital for India not only because it provides direct, secure access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, but also because it serves as a counterweight to China’s development of the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, located just 140 km away. The sea-land transit route that allows India to bypass Pakistan is also viewed as an important part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, a multi-mode transport network connecting India with Iran, Russia, Europe and parts of Central Asia. In that sense, the port represents far more than maritime infrastructure. For Tehran, however, it also serves as a crucial economic hub in the Sistan-Baluchistan province, functioning as a gateway to connect Iran with landlocked Central Asian states, Afghanistan and Russia. As Chabahar was hit by the US military strikes last week, Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei lashed at Hegeseth, talking about Chabahar in the same breath as the Minab school attack. “The Chabahar Maritime Surveillance Tower — a civilian facility dedicated to maritime safety and navigation — was deliberately targeted by the United States on 16 June as part of its ongoing aggression that began on 28 February. The US Secretary of War proudly released footage of the tower’s collapse,” Baqaei posted. “Had he been able, he would likely have broadcast the lethal missile attack on the Minab school and the massacre of civilians in Lamerd with the same chilling pride.” Future hangs in balance In 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that the grant assistance for the supply of equipment (to Chabahar) had been enhanced to $120 million. “India has also committed to provide a Line of Credit of $250 million in rupee equivalent for the development of Chabahar Port. Since 2018, the port has handled over 450 vessels, 1,34,082 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent) of containerised cargo and more than 8.7 million tons of bulk and general cargo,” he said. Story continues below this ad India has already supplied port equipment worth about $24 million to develop the port, he said, adding: “The process for procurement of remaining port equipment for Chabahar Port is underway.” Chabahar had received an allocation of Rs 400 allocation in the previous financial year. But the Union Budget for 2026-27 made no allocation for the port. This has left questions hanging over the future of this strategic trade route to Afghanistan, and further to Central Asia. Without Chabahar, India loses its primary non-Pakistani corridor to landlocked markets, effectively undoing New Delhi’s decades of connectivity planning. The port had reduced transit times by 40% and costs by nearly a third, making it indispensable for India’s regional strategy. Also, the situation is set to fuel strategic concerns for New Delhi if Beijing (via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and through Gwadar) could increase its geopolitical footprint in Iran. The elimination of the Chabahar waiver by the US by default tilts the regional balance toward China and Pakistan.
U.S. strikes Iran and Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia shipping as mediators push 10-day ceasefire
U.S. strikes Iran and Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia shipping as mediators push 10-day ceasefire - The U.S. has carried out its tenth consecutive evening of attacks against Iran. - Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, while Houthi militants in Yemen declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. - Rystad Energy has warned about the risk of a significant rebound in oil prices. The U.S. completed a fresh round of strikes against Iran on Monday evening as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, potentially opening a new front in the Middle East conflict. The latest cycle of tit-for-tat strikes comes amid reports that regional mediators have presented Washington and Tehran with a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire, a pitch that could put last month's Memorandum of Understanding back on track. The U.S. Central Command said overnight that it had carried out another round of strikes on Iran at 9 p.m. ET on Monday. "U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz," Centcom said in a statement. It added that commercial vessel transits through the strategically vital waterway were continuing. Centcom forces, the statement said, had facilitated the transit of around 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May. Iran, meanwhile, attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel as it seeks to tighten its control over the waterway, one that typically handles around 20% of the world's oil traffic. Houthi militants in Yemen on Monday declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia effective immediately, a move that could substantially threaten Middle East oil supplies. The Houthis have repeatedly threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait during the U.S.-Iran war. The strait is a choke point for commercial ship traffic that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and global markets. The militants, in a statement carried by state news, accused the Saudis of laying an "aggressive siege" against them. Tensions escalated last week after they claimed that Riyadh had bombed Sanaa International Airport. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said that it would respond to the Houthis naval blockade with force, reportedly describing such threats as "a blatant violation of international law." 10-day ceasefire 'won't be an easy task' Oil prices rose briefly on news of the Houthi statement but later pared gains as energy market participants closely monitored the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough. International benchmark Brent crude futures with September delivery were last seen trading 0.5% lower at $88.77 per barrel, having surpassed $90 in the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with August delivery, meanwhile, stood 0.4% lower at $82.88. Strategists at ING said there's some hope of de-escalation between the U.S. and Iran given the reports that mediators are proposing a 10-day ceasefire. "This won't be an easy task," ING's Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said in a research note published Tuesday. "Large divisions remain between the US and Iran. And President Trump said the US would retaliate following the deaths of several American troops," they added. In a post on Truth Social on Monday, President Donald Trump said: "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" He added that this directive had been passed on to every leader in the military. Saudi Arabia oil risk Jorge León, senior vice president and head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy, said the Houthis' threat puts approximately 2.5 million barrels per day of Saudi Arabian oil at risk at a time when traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is at a standstill. "With the Gulf's primary maritime outlet largely closed, the market is increasingly dependent on Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and Red Sea terminals to maintain export flows," León said Monday in a research note. Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline network, or Petroline, is a roughly 750-mile system that transports crude across Saudi Arabia, connecting Abqaiq on the oil-rich kingdom's eastern Gulf coast to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea. "Any disruption at Bab el-Mandeb would therefore threaten not only Saudi shipments but one of the few remaining routes capable of compensating for the severe reduction in Hormuz traffic," León said. "If a ceasefire does not materialize and Hormuz remains largely closed while the Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping intensifies, the risk of a significant rebound in oil prices would be substantial," he added. — CNBC's Chloe Taylor and Spencer Kimball both contributed to this report.
Another ship hit in Hormuz as Houthis add to regional risks
Another ship hit in Hormuz as Houthis add to regional risks A tanker has been struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah, UK Maritime Trade Operations says on Tuesday - Hormuz was deserted on Jul 21, with no ships observed transiting, data shows. PHOTO: REUTERS [SINGAPORE] Another tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz as renewed hostilities empty the waterway, while a threat by Houthi rebels to blockade Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea heightened regional maritime risks. The Kaifan, an oil products tanker owned by Kuwait Oil Tanker, was the vessel attacked in the strait, according to security consultancy EOS Risk Group. The ship was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah, UK Maritime Trade Operations said earlier on Tuesday (Jul 21), without naming the tanker. Kuwait Oil Tanker did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment, and ship tracking data shows Kaifan last signalled its location more than a month ago near Sohar, Oman. The attack on the Kuwaiti tanker follows strikes in recent days on vessels owned by Dynacom Tankers Management. Hormuz was deserted on Tuesday, with no ships observed transiting, data shows. Iran’s recent spate of attacks has focused on oil tankers shuttling through the strait along the Omani coast, often with their transponders turned off. Earlier strikes have affected major operators such as South Korea’s Sinokor Group and Greece’s Dynacom, which have been instrumental in sustaining crude flows during much of the war with tankers sailing through Hormuz dark. In the week ended Jul 19, Hormuz crossings averaged seven tankers each day, compared with 16 per day a week earlier, said Rahul Kapoor, global head of shipping analytics and research for S&P Global Energy. “Ship operators remain increasingly cautious, with risk tolerances continuing to be tested,” he said. An empty Sinokor supertanker, Plata Singapore, that was sailing towards the Gulf of Oman with the aim of reaching Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura in the Persian Gulf, deviated from its path on Sunday, according to ship tracking data. The vessel is currently in the Arabian Sea. The South Korean company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The threat by Iran-backed Houthi militants to blockade Saudi Arabia’s maritime traffic has added another element of risk. Shipowners with vessels seeking to transit the Red Sea were advised to review their affiliations with the kingdom, with at least one supertanker in nearby waters switching its broadcast to say that it belongs to the Indian government. The India-flagged supertanker, Desh Viraat, which is half-filled with crude from Fujairah, began sailing southwest earlier this week towards Bab el Mandeb in the Gulf of Aden, signalling it had armed guards onboard. Soon after the Houthi threat on Monday, it switched that signal to “Govt. of India Await”, making clear that it has links to New Delhi. Desh Viraat’s owner, the Shipping Corporation of India, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. “Companies maintaining regular Saudi trade should consider their exposure elevated, particularly for vessels calling at Red Sea ports,” maritime risk company Marisks said in a note to clients late on Monday that was seen by Bloomberg News. Even though it remains to be seen whether the Houthis will carry through with their threat, “for shipowners, risks have heightened”, said Anoop Singh, global head of shipping research at Oil Brokerage. “If you have an alternate voyage to take, then you will take that and avoid those in the region.” BLOOMBERG Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free. Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
Oil prices to hit $120 soon? Goldman Sachs makes big prediction as Hormuz concerns loom
Goldman Sachs expects Brent crude to average $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 next year, assuming tensions in the Middle East ease. However, the risks to its forecasts remain "tilted to the upside" due to potential disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and possibly the Red Sea, analysts said. Global energy markets have faced renewed volatility this month, with Brent climbing back above $91 per barrel amid fresh fighting between the U.S. and Iran and a threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to blockade shipments from Saudi Arabia. Red Sea routes have played a key role in enabling Persian Gulf crude cargoes affected by disruptions to reach buyers. Also read: Relieved that crude has finally fallen? The real warning signs just began flashing elsewhere Goldman Sachs said lower global inventories in the second quarter have increased the oil market's vulnerability to supply shocks. However, weaker Chinese imports and greater demand elasticity could limit the potential for further price gains. Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday as markets weighed reports of renewed diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran, including a proposed 10-day ceasefire, against continued military exchanges and a threat by Yemen's Houthis to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. Crude oil price today A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had received a 10-day ceasefire proposal from mediators. The initiative aims to preserve the interim agreement signed on June 17 and create a path toward a lasting deal to end the conflict that began on February 28 following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. The diplomatic push followed another night of U.S. strikes on Iranian cities and retaliatory attacks by Iran's Revolutionary Guards on U.S. military assets across the region. U.S. Central Command later said on Monday that it had launched another round of strikes on Iran. The U.S. carried out its 10th consecutive day of strikes after President Donald Trump vowed that Iran "will pay" for the killing of American soldiers. Iran responded with attacks on Kuwait. The conflict began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host U.S. military bases. U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, along with Israeli strikes on Lebanon during the conflict, have killed thousands of people and displaced millions. Also read:Oil is crude once again! Is $95 the new normal and what it means for Indian investors? Over the past week, Trump has also threatened to widen the scope of U.S. strikes in Iran to include energy facilities and bridges. The 1949 Geneva Conventions, which set rules for humanitarian conduct during war, prohibit attacks on sites considered essential to civilian life. Following Trump's earlier threats to target such infrastructure, international law experts in the U.S. said earlier this year that such attacks could potentially constitute war crimes. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times) (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel) (What's moving Sensex and Nifty Track latest market news, stock tips, Budget 2025, Share Market on Budget 2025 and expert advice, on ETMarkets. Also, ETMarkets.com is now on Telegram. For fastest news alerts on financial markets, investment strategies and stocks alerts, subscribe to our Telegram feeds .) Subscribe to ET Prime and read the Economic Times ePaper Online.and Sensex Today. Top Trending Stocks: SBI Share Price, Axis Bank Share Price, HDFC Bank Share Price, Infosys Share Price, Wipro Share Price, NTPC Share Price (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel) (What's moving Sensex and Nifty Track latest market news, stock tips, Budget 2025, Share Market on Budget 2025 and expert advice, on ETMarkets. Also, ETMarkets.com is now on Telegram. For fastest news alerts on financial markets, investment strategies and stocks alerts, subscribe to our Telegram feeds .) Subscribe to ET Prime and read the Economic Times ePaper Online.and Sensex Today. Top Trending Stocks: SBI Share Price, Axis Bank Share Price, HDFC Bank Share Price, Infosys Share Price, Wipro Share Price, NTPC Share Price
Inside the US strike on a shadow fleet tanker
Inside the US strike on a shadow fleet tanker Evidence suggests the ship on which three Indian sailors died was not moving when it was struck in the Gulf of Oman, but it had been engaged in risky offshore transfers of oil. To the sailors recruited from India, it was just another job. But the ship they boarded was a shadow fleet tanker destined for a war zone. The Settebello had spent at least five years moving Iranian oil that was under US sanctions, often disguising its location, according to a maritime tracking firm. It hid again in early June in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait of Hormuz, where it loaded fuel from other ships at sea. On the morning of June 10, it became a target of the US Navy. Shortly after 7am, US missiles blasted into the engine room where an engineer and mechanic had just begun their shifts, killing both men instantly. A young cadet having breakfast next door suffered fatal head wounds. They were the first and only civilian victims of the American blockade on Iranian ports – and among at least 17 sailors killed since the war began, according to the United Nations, most of them casualties of Iranian strikes. Just how they became casualties of a war they weren’t part of offers a window into the dangers faced by merchant sailors in the Middle East, where fighting between the United States and Iran has made the waters in and around the Strait of Hormuz some of the world’s deadliest. The US military said it fired precision munitions into the Settebello’s engine room because it was violating the American blockade on Iranian ports and repeatedly failed to comply with directions. At the same time, evidence suggests the ship was drifting with its engine off at the time of the strike, leading experts to ask whether it was an avoidable and excessive use of force by the United States. The ship’s crew faced heightened danger because of risky decisions by its command to load up oil, most likely Iranian, in a series of ship-to-ship transfers in the days before the strike, despite Navy warnings about the US blockade. This account of the days and hours before the fatal encounter was pieced together through interviews with crew members, US military officials and families of victims. The crew members spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal by their employers. Both the sailors’ and military’s accounts are incomplete. US Central Command declined to share recordings of the communications made with the crew and specify when exactly they occurred. But the findings offer the most detailed account of the events that turned the Settebello’s cargo mission into a fatal encounter. A risky job The 28 men aboard the ship were mostly Indian, and most had joined within the past year, according to records obtained from their recruitment agency. The Settebello had a five-year history of moving Iranian oil, according to TankerTrackers.com, a company that monitors global shipping. The US military said it was a part of a shadow fleet designed to evade sanctions, even though the ship itself was not under sanctions by the United States. In late April, the crew began its journey from the Chinese port of Lianyungang and headed to the Gulf of Oman, according to ship-tracking data. In daily calls, Rajesh Sharma, whose son, Aditya, was the trainee cadet killed in the attack, had urged his son to leave and come home. But his son said that he needed to keep working if he wanted to achieve his dream of one day becoming a captain, Sharma said. Over the first eight days of June, critical days before the strike, the ship appeared to be stationary in Oman’s territorial waters off the port of Shinas, according to analysis of satellite imagery by TankerTrackers.com. A crew member said the ship had its anchor down during this period. On June 2, a new captain, Sanjeet Kumar Behera, joined the ship. Then the Settebello loaded oil at sea from several ships, according to two crew members. One of them said that he suspected the fuel was Iranian but that the crew was not told the source of oil. That, he said, would be known only by the ship’s owner and captain. A spokesperson for US Central Command, Captain Tim Hawkins, told the New York Times that US intelligence determined the oil was Iranian. He said that in the days before the strike, the Settebello’s crew dismissed nearly 60 verbal warnings relayed via radio, often retorting “belligerently” and ignoring at least eight military shows of force that included flares and fighter jet flyovers. “The vessel went out of its way to not comply,” he said. Manoj Yadav, general secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, told the Times he had been briefed by Behera and other senior crew members. They told him they had only received general warnings after June 2 that they did not believe applied to the Settebello. The warnings instructed vessels not to move toward blockaded Iranian ports and were announced over a radio system used by many ships, he said. Yadav added that the crew denied responding to US warnings. “Sailors are ordinary people, not combatants trained for war,” Yadav said. The final moments On June 8, as a spasm of hostilities jeopardised a two-month ceasefire, the Settebello made its riskiest gambit. The crew sailed for a few hours into the middle of the Gulf of Oman, where they expected a second ship to transfer oil to the Settebello, one crew member said. By now, the Settebello was carrying 26,000 metric tons of bitumen, a thick petroleum product used in road construction, according to a crew member. Then they turned the engine off, and the ship began to drift, according to three crew members. The second ship never came, a crew member said. The sailors were worried. They heard that other ships had been struck by the United States, including in late May and early June. On June 8, another tanker, the Marivex, was struck in the Gulf of Oman. Still, the Settebello crew went about their daily routines. They drifted for more than a day, one crew member said. At the time of the strike, at 7.14 am on June 10, the ship’s crew was largely asleep. A cadet was manning the radio on the bridge, as the captain rested in his room, according to two sailors. Hawkins said the ship received two final warnings, the last telling the crew it had 15 minutes to evacuate the engine room. He declined to say if the ship responded. Yadav said a cadet, who was on the bridge for three hours before the attack, told him he had heard no warnings. The missiles fired from a US warplane rocked the 182-metre tanker and killed Suresh Patnala, the Settebello’s chief engineer; Shivanand Chaurasia, a fitter; and the trainee cadet, Aditya Sharma. The aftermath Their deaths drew a diplomatic protest from India, which supplies 12 per cent of the world’s merchant shipping workforce. But more persistent has been a campaign led by the Indian seamen’s union. It is demanding compensation from the US government for the victims’ families and an independent investigation into what it has publicly called a “war crime.” Several naval warfare experts who reviewed footage of the strike, which was released by the US military, said the ship appeared to be drifting or at rest. There was no indication the ship was moving. The US military declined to comment on whether the ship was drifting. International law requires countries to pursue the least destructive means to stop ships suspected of carrying contraband. Whether the US Navy did so is the central question in the attack on the Settebello. Whether a vessel is moving or resting is key to determining if a military strike is legal when enforcing a blockade, according to Dr Ian Ralby, who is president of the maritime governance nonprofit group, Auxilium Worldwide. “You disable a vessel that is actively in violation – as in, it is under way. Why shoot out the engine room if the engines aren’t even running?” he said. Todd Huntley, a retired Navy captain and national security law expert at Georgetown Law, said there were questions about why the military did not choose to search the vessel, but the military’s account of multiple warnings being rebuffed by the crew would make the use of disabling force “much more reasonable”. The Central Command spokesperson, Hawkins, said seizing a ship resisting the blockade is a potentially risky operation, and it is safer to disable it. ‘Someone killed my husband. No one is accepting the blame, but someone is responsible.’Patnala Bala Bhargavi, wife of engineer Suresh Patnala. The ship’s Emirates-based manager, IOS Marine FZE, could not be reached by phone. The surviving crew members and relatives of those killed said they have been unable to reach the tanker’s owner, Aqua Aurora Shipping Lines, which does not have publicly listed contact information. For the families of the three men killed, grief is mixed with anger. “He was doing his job there. They don’t have weapons. They are all civilians,” said Rajesh Sharma, who said this was his son’s first voyage as a trainee, earning a $US200 monthly stipend. Sharma attended a union meeting this month in Mumbai, where he scrolled through photos of his son on his phone. “This was Aditya’s last selfie,” he said, pointing to his son, in a Batman T-shirt with the open sea behind him. Another photograph he received hours later showed his son lying unconscious, a cloth tied around his head to stem the bleeding, wearing the same T-shirt. Patnala Bala Bhargavi, 39, the wife of the Settebello’s chief engineer, who was also killed, said, “Someone killed my husband. No one is accepting the blame, but someone is responsible.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.
Iran targets US military sites, Houthis make port threats
Iran has targeted US radar and air defence installations in the Gulf, warning the US of "more decisive and powerful" attacks to come as the conflict threatened to widen with a blockade of Saudi ports by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked and stopped two "non-compliant oil tankers" attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, part of an effort to tighten its grip on the vital waterway while the war reignited. Following the deaths of at least three US soldiers in the past several days, the United States launched a new round of attacks against Iran which it said were "designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strait. Hours later, the Iranian army said it had targeted US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, including air defence systems, radar installations and administrative buildings. "With this radar sweep, the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks," the Guards said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA. US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would pay "many times over" for every American soldier killed, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the conflict had become "a full-scale war". Nearly 100 US service members have been wounded since 7 July, the Pentagon said, most with minor concussions. Red Sea threat Tehran's Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, meanwhile threatened a major broadening of the war, announcing they would blockade Saudi ports. Such a move by the Houthis would put at risk Riyadh's ability to bypass the flashpoint Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports and have major repercussions on the global economy. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce, but the rebels have largely remained on the sidelines since Israel and the United States attacked Iran in late February. Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the threat from what it called the "terrorist Houthi militia" and said it "continues to support the brotherly Yemeni people and their legitimate government". The Middle East war resumed after an April ceasefire and a June framework deal collapsed. Iran reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US hit back by again blockading Iran's ports. Oil prices surged briefly to a one-month high before easing slightly early today as the sides battle to control the strait, through which a fifth of world oil travelled in peacetime. Although far below its pre-war totals, Saudi Arabia has been able to continue exporting millions of barrels of oil a day via its Red Sea port of Yanbu. Oil markets have for months feared that the Houthis would return to attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden - as they did during the Gaza war - potentially cutting off yet more crude from global markets. The Houthis, who have been at war with Saudi Arabia for over a decade, have not said how they will enforce their blockade. Diplomatic exchanges In the Strait of Hormuz, meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards said two tankers attempting to transit the strait "were hit by explosions, resulting in massive fires that brought them to a standstill". The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) earlier reported that an "unknown projectile" struck a tanker off the coast of Oman. UKMTO later reported another tanker off the coast of Oman had been struck by a projectile. Despite the latest fighting, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said diplomatic exchanges with Washington via mediators were ongoing. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni is in Islamabad for a two-day visit during which he will meet with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and powerful army chief Asim Munir, according to Pakistan's interior ministry. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to meet with Mr Trump in Washington as pressure builds for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, Israel's key condition before withdrawing from south Lebanon.
BBC World Service - Global News Podcast, New threat to global oil supplies
New threat to global oil supplies Iran-backed Houthis announce blockade of Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, compounding the turmoil caused by the conflict between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Houthis in Yemen are seeking to broaden the impact of the US-Iran war with a blockade of Red Sea ports. The Tehran-backed group warned it would impose an "embargo" on the top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, after the two sides traded fire for the first time in years. Disruption to maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb could further compound the turmoil caused by the confrontation between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Also: Donald Trump announces 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. Italy's struggle with childhood obesity. How 3D-printed batteries could change the ability to store renewable energy from solar and wind. What will the UK's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's foreign policy look like? The social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate appear in court in the US in connection with new British rape and sex-trafficking-related charges. And how fitness trackers can alert women that they are pregnant before they know it themselves. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Aramco tanks and oil pipe at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia Credit: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo Featured - . Podcast - Global News Podcast The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens
India's Most Strategic Islands? Why Andaman And Nicobar Matter More Than Ever
India's Most Strategic Islands? Why Andaman And Nicobar Matter More Than Ever Great Nicobar Project, besides serving geopolitical aspirations, could bring development to islands. Greenfield Airport could boost tourism and expand Navy’s operational outreach The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are emerging as one of New Delhi’s most valuable strategic assets, not because of any single military project, but because geography, infrastructure and geopolitics are converging. - Trump Says Strait Of Hormuz Will Remain Open: 'Iranian Leaders Are Stone-Cold Crazy' - India Backs 2016 South China Sea Ruling; Stresses Peaceful Resolution, Freedom Of Navigation Under UNCLOS - Iran Threatens to 'Crush' Regional Infrastructure If US Strikes | War In Deadlock | The Right Stand - Opinion | What Rattled India's Enemies, Triggered Media Hitjobs About Modi's Visit Down Under A recent analysis by Indian defence portal IDRW says that Washington increasingly views India’s military and dual-use infrastructure build-up in the island chain as a “force multiplier" that strengthens stability across the Indo-Pacific. It further said that a stronger Indian military presence on the islands enhances regional maritime security, disaster response, logistics and surveillance while complementing broader Indo-Pacific objectives. The islands’ strategic value stems from India’s own security interests, expanding maritime responsibilities and growing role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region. “The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are strategically vital for India as they are located close to the Strait of Malacca and Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia. They are geographically positioned to monitor and tap into maritime traffic passing through one of the world’s busiest chokepoints, and strengthen ties with the country’s eastern neighbourhood, as envisaged in its Act East Policy," said Sohini Bose, Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF). Geography Is India’s Biggest Advantage Stretching across the eastern Indian Ocean, the archipelago lies close to the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints linking the Indian Ocean with the Pacific. Nearly a third of global shipping and a significant share of global energy supplies pass through these waters every year. Any disruption to these sea lanes would have far-reaching consequences for global trade. For India, this location provides unparalleled maritime domain awareness. Rather than controlling the Malacca Strait, India’s advantage lies in being able to observe activity around one of the world’s most strategically important waterways. This improves early warning, strengthens naval deployments and allows quicker responses during emergencies. Former Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash has often described geography as India’s greatest strategic asset in the eastern Indian Ocean. Unlike artificial military advantages that require constant investment, the islands’ location offers India a permanent geopolitical advantage. What Exactly Is India Building There? India’s infrastructure push is not limited to military facilities. Over the past few years, the government has upgraded runways capable of handling larger military aircraft, strengthened naval bases, expanded logistics facilities and improved surveillance and communications networks across the islands. The Andaman and Nicobar Command, India’s only integrated tri-service command, has also received increasing attention as New Delhi seeks better coordination between the Army, Navy and Air Force. One of the most ambitious projects is the proposed Great Nicobar development, which includes an international trans-shipment port, a greenfield airport, power infrastructure and improved connectivity. The project aims to transform Great Nicobar into both an economic and strategic hub capable of supporting commercial shipping while also improving India’s ability to sustain military operations far from the mainland. “This is also the rationale behind the Great Nicobar Project, which, in addition to serving these geopolitical aspirations, is tailored to bring long-anticipated development to the islands. The Greenfield Airport is a dual-use facility within the project, expected to boost tourism in the islands and expand the Navy’s operational outreach," said Bose. At the same time, the project has sparked concerns among environmentalists over its impact on fragile ecosystems, biodiversity and indigenous communities. Why Does This Matter To The US? Washington’s interest is driven less by military basing and more by strategic cooperation. The US increasingly sees capable regional partners as essential to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific. Rather than expanding permanent American deployments everywhere, the focus has shifted towards strengthening the capabilities of trusted partners such as India, Japan and Australia. Improved airfields and logistics facilities enhance humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations during cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis—missions in which India has frequently played a leading regional role. The islands also strengthen maritime domain awareness, allowing better tracking of commercial shipping, illegal activities and naval movements across the eastern Indian Ocean. Existing defence agreements such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) further improve operational cooperation by allowing reciprocal access to designated military facilities for logistics support during exercises, port visits and humanitarian missions. Interoperability has also grown through common platforms such as the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, operated by both India and the United States. These aircraft significantly enhance anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering and long-range maritime surveillance. How The Islands Fit Into New Delhi’s Wider Maritime Posture Vis-à-Vis China? Over the past decade, the People’ Liberation Army Navy has steadily increased its deployments into the Indian Ocean through anti-piracy missions, submarine patrols, research vessels and growing access to overseas ports. China’s expanding commercial investments across the Indian Ocean Region have also increased its maritime presence. India does not view every Chinese deployment as an immediate military threat. However, sustained Chinese naval activity has reinforced New Delhi’s need for better surveillance, faster response capabilities and greater operational reach across the eastern Indian Ocean. “Beijing suffers from its ‘Malacca dilemma’, or apprehensions of obstructions in this chokepoint that can hinder nearly 80% of its overseas trade," Bose points out. She further said China has sought to maintain an “active presence" in the region to ensure uninterrupted passage. “However, as China’s strategic footprint grows in the Indian Ocean Region, apprehensions that its rise will destabilise the status quo increase among other stakeholders, including India. New Delhi regards the Bay of Bengal (northeastern Indian Ocean) as its ‘primary area of interest’. The location of the islands, close to the Strait of Malacca and straddling critical shipping routes, provides India with the opportunity to ensure freedom of navigation in these waters, through surveillance, naval patrols and maritime domain awareness," she explained. Rather than signalling confrontation, the infrastructure build-up reflects India’s effort to strengthen deterrence, improve preparedness and safeguard critical sea lanes that are vital to both national and global economic security. Will Andaman & Nicobar Become The Cornerstone Of India’s Indo-Pacific Strategy? The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are no longer viewed simply as distant territories on India’s eastern frontier. They are increasingly becoming the centrepiece of India’s evolving maritime strategy. Their value lies not only in their proximity to one of the world’s busiest shipping routes but also in their ability to support surveillance, logistics, humanitarian assistance, disaster response and joint military operations. “Given the geographic location and strategic potential, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are already a vital aspect of India’s vision of the Indo-Pacific, which encapsulates its Act East Policy. While the Andaman and Nicobar Command protects the country’s eastern maritime security interests and engages in collaborative security engagements with Southeast Asia, development projects such as those in Great Nicobar will enhance the island’s strategic and economic viability, making it a more conducive platform for forging ties with the neighbouring countries. However, it will be simultaneously necessary to conserve the ecological and anthropogenic rarities to ensure the sustainable development of these islands," stressed Bose. If India succeeds, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are unlikely to remain merely an outpost. Over the next decade, they could become the cornerstone of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, strengthening its role as a leading maritime power while reinforcing its long-standing commitment to strategic autonomy. Key Questions Answered The Great Nicobar Project faces criticism for potential ecological damage and tribal disruption. Approximately 130 square kilometers of forest land are being utilized for the project. Critics warn of irreversible environmental damage. About the Author Enjoy uninterrupted reading? Unlock the full story, distraction-free Scan the QR code to download the News18 app and enjoy a seamless news experience anytime, anywhere.
Strait of Hormuz vessel crossings extend slide on fresh US-Iran attacks
A total of four commodity vessels crossed the strait on Monday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from seven the previous day, Kpler data showed. Also read: US military completes its latest strikes on Iran, marking the 10th successive night of attacks The four vessels included two tankers that exited the strait as well as two vessels that entered. The two vessels that exited comprised a tanker that was carrying petrochemicals and one that was empty. Meanwhile, the two vessels that entered the strait included a bitumen tanker and an oil tanker. There were no visible very large crude carrier (VLCC) or liquefied natural gas tankers passing through the strait on Monday. Shipping tensions intensified further as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, a move that threatens to disrupt global energy supplies beyond the Gulf. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday it had received multiple reports that a tanker had messaged that it had been struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers said two of its managed vessels were hit by projectiles of unknown origin on Monday while sailing off the coast of Oman, while a third tanker was struck by a drone at Russia's Novorossiysk CPC terminal in the Black Sea. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Explore More Stories
US and Iran dig in over the Strait of Hormuz, showing the limits of intensifying airstrikes
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Iran are back to bombing every day in a bid to control the Strait of Hormuz. And neither is backing down, showing the limitations of President Donald Trump’s reliance on escalating airstrikes to bend Tehran to his will. While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.” The renewed escalations reflect "a fundamental misreading of the Iranian psyche and a lack of learning” from previous fighting, said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I think it’s driven by a calculus on either side that they can double down on military escalation as a way of breaking the impasse and getting the other side to relent,” Yacoubian said. “The danger, of course, is that the more escalatory it becomes, the harder it will be to seize any potential opening back to diplomacy.” The Trump administration says the door to diplomacy is open Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is still open to negotiating, telling reporters Sunday night that Iran continues "to send signals that they want to talk, that they want to negotiate, but their behavior is what we’re responding to. And their behavior is they’re launching missiles and drones at ships” in the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil normally passes. “The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution, and we’ve tried multiple times with Iran, and we’ll continue to try," he said. "If that door opens, we’ll be happy to see it open.” Trump is focused on making Iran pay for the recent deaths of U.S. troops, violations of the interim deal reached last month and attacks on ships in the strait, according to a U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said that military strikes on Iran would continue until Trump decides otherwise, but that talks between the countries also would go on. For some outside observers, the administration appears to be struggling to find an off-ramp, both militarily and diplomatically. “This administration currently is flustered,” said Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat once involved in past nuclear negotiations with Tehran and now a fellow at the Middle East Institute. “It really doesn’t have a coherent and consistent strategy as to how to extricate itself from this quagmire.” There are some limitations to Trump's air war The U.S. military can only accomplish so much as it ramps up attacks on Iran, experts say. The conflict has demonstrated the limits of relying solely on air power, said Christopher Preble, a scholar at the Stimson Center think tank focused on U.S. foreign policy. But he noted that sending in ground troops would be unpopular with many Americans and members of Congress. “It seems that President Trump certainly has the capability to continue to bomb, and Iran will have the capability to continue to keep the strait closed — or closed well enough,” Preble said. David Schenker, a former official in the first Trump administration who is now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the renewed strikes on Iranian infrastructure are a repeat of attacks during the early weeks of the war. And those did not result in Iran’s capitulation. “The U.S. hit 13,000 targets in the first 6 weeks of the war, and this didn’t sway Iran to take a knee,” he said. Retired Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, said previous wars such as Vietnam showed the limitations of air power alone. “Generally, you have to couple air power with ground operations, sometimes naval operations as well, and certainly space today,” he said. When launching the war on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel struck many fixed targets identified before the conflict began. But Iran had a long time to prepare for the attacks by concealing and dispersing weapons. “So the easy targets are pretty much gone,” Kendall said. “They can hide ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and small air vehicles pretty easily. So it’s a very hard job to try to suppress that kind of a threat over a period of time. And that’s why they’re still able to attack not just ships in the Straits, but also our bases in the region and so on.” Diplomacy has struggled with a lack of trust between the US and Iran A diplomatic solution also could prove elusive. Eyre, of the Middle East Institute, said the Trump administration has shown no preference for “actual diplomacy,” relying instead on close advisers with little international relations experience while outsourcing some of the work to mediators such as Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt. “We’ve got a tough road ahead of us, but it theoretically could be done,” Eyre said of potential negotiations to end the conflict. “Unfortunately, there is so little mutual confidence in the other side. There’s so little bilateral trust between the U.S. and Iran that it makes everything so much harder.” Both Schenker and Yacoubian said recent comments from Trump, Rubio and their Iranian counterparts reflect some openness to diplomacy. Yacoubian pointed to the “measured” response from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the recent killing of U.S. service members in Jordan, indicating a possibility for an off-ramp. Iran’s release last week of an Iranian-American woman who had not been allowed to leave the country also showed a sign of goodwill from Tehran, she said. But these small, positive signals could quickly become moot if the decision by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels Monday to announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia expands to a complete shutdown of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. That, Yacoubian says, could constitute “a perfect storm of disruption” for the already precarious global economy. ___ Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
Mediators Presented Ceasefire Proposal to US, Iran - Reports
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260721/mediators-presented-ceasefire-proposal-to-us-iran---reports-1124470681.html Mediators Presented Ceasefire Proposal to US, Iran - Reports Mediators Presented Ceasefire Proposal to US, Iran - Reports Sputnik International Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, and other regional mediators presented a 10-day ceasefire proposal to the United States and Iran, Axios reported, citing sources. 2026-07-21T03:18+0000 2026-07-21T03:18+0000 2026-07-21T04:40+0000 us-israel war on iran strait of hormuz iran us-iran relations us pakistan qatar egypt https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07ea/06/16/1124340522_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_bb89d0fbebd5ed4fbbaa3e944e4a0b0c.jpg.webp The administration of US President Donald Trump is reviewing the proposal and has urged Israel to avoid steps that could close the window for diplomacy, the report said on Monday night. However, Washington is simultaneously preparing for the possible failure of the negotiations. At the same time, the Israeli army has been put on high alert and is preparing for a possible escalation of the war into a full-scale coordinated campaign within a few days, the report noted. The new ceasefire proposal reportedly envisions a halt to hostilities, the resumption of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, and an opportunity for Washington and Tehran to salvage the memorandum of understanding.On the night of June 18, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict that began on February 28. However, on the night of July 8, Washington resumed strikes against Iran, citing Tehran's actions against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran called the US attacks a serious violation of the agreements reached and began retaliatory strikes against US bases in the Middle East. strait of hormuz iran pakistan qatar egypt Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ 2026 Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ News en_EN https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07ea/06/16/1124340522_239:0:2970:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_6a13b5f0c9016a766156eee17159bc21.jpg.webp Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ Sputnik International [email protected] +74956456601 MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“ strait of hormuz, iran, us-iran relations, us, pakistan, qatar, egypt strait of hormuz, iran, us-iran relations, us, pakistan, qatar, egypt Mediators Presented Ceasefire Proposal to US, Iran - Reports 03:18 GMT 21.07.2026 (Updated: 04:40 GMT 21.07.2026) Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, and other regional mediators presented a 10-day ceasefire proposal to the United States and Iran, Axios reported, citing sources. The administration of US President Donald Trump is reviewing the proposal and has urged Israel to avoid steps that could close the window for diplomacy, the report said on Monday night. However, Washington is simultaneously preparing for the possible failure of the negotiations. At the same time, the Israeli army has been put on high alert and is preparing for a possible escalation of the war into a full-scale coordinated campaign within a few days, the report noted. The new ceasefire proposal reportedly envisions a halt to hostilities, the resumption of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, and an opportunity for Washington and Tehran to salvage the memorandum of understanding. On the night of June 18, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict that began on February 28. However, on the night of July 8, Washington resumed strikes against Iran, citing Tehran's actions against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran called the US attacks a serious violation of the agreements reached and began retaliatory strikes against US bases in the Middle East.
Ships shun Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting strains key oil corridor
- Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slumped since U.S. President Donald Trump's blockade took effect last week. - Crossings through the Strait have fallen sharply across multiple shipping datasets with renewed U.S. strikes on Iran. Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has slumped since U.S. President Donald Trump's blockade took effect last week, with shipowners increasingly avoiding one of the world's most important energy corridors as fighting between the U.S. and Iran intensifies. Crossings through the Strait have fallen sharply across multiple shipping datasets with renewed U.S. strikes on Iran, Tehran's declaration of a blanket ban on maritime traffic and fresh attacks on commercial vessels has prompted operators to reassess the risks of entering the Gulf. Lloyd's List Intelligence recorded just 53 vessel transits in the week through July 20, down 66% from 157 the previous week. Tanker and gas carrier movements, which are the ships responsible for transporting most Gulf crude oil and liquefied natural gas, dropped to 30 crossings from 90. Kpler data similarly show activity deteriorating almost immediately after the blockade began. Daily crossings, which had averaged more than 20 vessels before July 15, fell to 16 that day before dropping to single digits on July 16. Traffic remained subdued through the rest of the week, with only sporadic recoveries. The latest slowdown reverses weeks of gradual normalization after the mid-June ceasefire had encouraged some shipowners to resume Gulf voyages. Instead, the renewed fighting has once again nearly emptied the strategic waterway that carries roughly a fifth of global oil consumption. "Things have slowed down significantly since tensions reignited," said Bridget Diakun, senior risk and compliance analyst at Lloyd's List Intelligence. "That's not surprising - people pull back and reassess, as you'd expect." Traffic has not disappeared altogether, however. "Every single person has a different risk appetite," Diakun said. "We're still seeing tankers crossing in and out, it hasn't ground to a complete halt." Rather than recovering steadily, vessel movements are likely to continue coming "in ebbs and flows" as shipowners seize brief windows of perceived safety before pulling back again whenever tensions escalate, she said. S&P Global data painted a similar picture. Just 40 vessels transited the strait between July 17 and July 19, averaging roughly 13 crossings a day, while weekly traffic through July 19 fell almost 50% from the previous week. Commercial ships still accounted for more than 70% of traffic over the period, although only about one-third were assessed as compliant with maritime restrictions. Iran-linked and sanctioned vessels continued to dominate many movements, suggesting mainstream international shipowners remain reluctant to return. "The latest escalation shows how expectations of a rapid opening of the Strait were premature," said Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee. "The hostilities and reimposed blockade set the conflict back on an escalatory trajectory," he said, adding that flows through Hormuz had dropped to around 15% of pre-war levels. Oil could retest $100 a barrel if the current intensity of fighting persists for several weeks or if regional energy infrastructure comes under attack, he told CNBC via email.
Another tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz as US attacks Iran for 10th consecutive night
DUBAI: The British military said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, the latest assault to target shipping in the strategic waterway. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship reported over the radio it had been hit by an unknown projectile. Two other ships were attacked in the strait over the last day, with Iran' paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claiming those assaults. A fifth of all oil and natural gas that was traded passed through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime, but Iran has maintained a chokehold on the waterway since the start of the war on Feb. 28. Also read | Chinese destroyer held live-fire drill in Japan's EEZ, Japan says Recent rounds of attacks between Iran and the United States come as the two countries vie for control of the strait. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. The United States military said late Monday it was carrying out its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in a push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The renewed bombings followed the death of another American service member, and came after Iran launched attacks on American allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. U.S. Central Command said on social media that the latest strikes "are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strait. Even as the U.S. and Iran inch closer to all-out war again, glimmers of hope appeared on the diplomatic front, as Iran's interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for talks. The interim deal signed last month that was meant to end the fighting has crumbled. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a vital supply route for world energy supplies - has largely stalled. And as fighting intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded Monday above $88 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans' wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall. Also read | Expansion of US strikes on Iran leads to more retaliation across the Gulf A new potential threat to energy markets emerged Monday after Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said they planned to prevent Saudi Arabia from shipping in the Red Sea, an alternate route for oil exports during the war. The U.S. military identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan in attacks that left a third person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the "controlled detonation" of a downed Iranian drone. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" Trump was planning to attend a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where at least one service member's remains were due to arrive. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the American strikes killed at least one person around Tabriz, a northwestern city about 520 kilometers (325 miles) from the capital, Tehran. Tabriz is believed to host underground missile bases run by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. U.S. strikes likely also hit Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, Sirik and Jask in Hormozgan province and Konarak and Chahbahar in Sistan and Baluchistan province, IRNA reported. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Monday evening that a second ship had been attacked a day earlier in the Strait of Hormuz, this one off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The other vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said. The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran's control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait. Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Kuwait said its air defenses fired at an incoming barrage, and Jordan's armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties. Bahrain's Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country's air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians. "The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions," Sean Parnell posted Monday on X in response to a New York Times report that the Pentagon has withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes. He denied that the Pentagon was hiding data about injuries. However, the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the military's clearinghouse for reporting deaths and injuries in conflict, has not been updated as of Monday evening with the latest attacks that left three U.S. troops dead and others injured. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market. The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked. There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia. Trump has threatened to target Iran's power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, and recent attacks suggest the U.S. military is carrying out that plan. The U.S. in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil. The military says it has redirected seven ships and disabled one since then. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others. Momeni's counterpart, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, expressed optimism. "God willing, we will have good news," Naqvi said. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran but that "it has to be real." "If the door opens to diplomacy - if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations - that'll be a very positive development," Rubio said. "That's not where we are tonight, unfortunately." Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship reported over the radio it had been hit by an unknown projectile. Two other ships were attacked in the strait over the last day, with Iran' paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claiming those assaults. A fifth of all oil and natural gas that was traded passed through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime, but Iran has maintained a chokehold on the waterway since the start of the war on Feb. 28. Also read | Chinese destroyer held live-fire drill in Japan's EEZ, Japan says Recent rounds of attacks between Iran and the United States come as the two countries vie for control of the strait. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. The United States military said late Monday it was carrying out its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in a push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The renewed bombings followed the death of another American service member, and came after Iran launched attacks on American allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. U.S. Central Command said on social media that the latest strikes "are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strait. Even as the U.S. and Iran inch closer to all-out war again, glimmers of hope appeared on the diplomatic front, as Iran's interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for talks. The interim deal signed last month that was meant to end the fighting has crumbled. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a vital supply route for world energy supplies - has largely stalled. And as fighting intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded Monday above $88 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans' wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall. Also read | Expansion of US strikes on Iran leads to more retaliation across the Gulf A new potential threat to energy markets emerged Monday after Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said they planned to prevent Saudi Arabia from shipping in the Red Sea, an alternate route for oil exports during the war. The U.S. military identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan in attacks that left a third person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the "controlled detonation" of a downed Iranian drone. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that "Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!" Trump was planning to attend a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where at least one service member's remains were due to arrive. US targets strategic sites in IranU.S. Central Command said Sunday's airstrikes targeted "Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks." Last week, the U.S. struck bridges and a tower at an Iranian port. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the American strikes killed at least one person around Tabriz, a northwestern city about 520 kilometers (325 miles) from the capital, Tehran. Tabriz is believed to host underground missile bases run by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. U.S. strikes likely also hit Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, Sirik and Jask in Hormozgan province and Konarak and Chahbahar in Sistan and Baluchistan province, IRNA reported. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Monday evening that a second ship had been attacked a day earlier in the Strait of Hormuz, this one off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The other vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said. The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran's control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait. Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Kuwait said its air defenses fired at an incoming barrage, and Jordan's armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties. Bahrain's Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country's air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians. Nearly 100 U.S. injuries since early JulyThe Pentagon's chief spokesman said nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured since the U.S. restarted strikes on July 7, and 96% of them have returned to duty. "The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions," Sean Parnell posted Monday on X in response to a New York Times report that the Pentagon has withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes. He denied that the Pentagon was hiding data about injuries. However, the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the military's clearinghouse for reporting deaths and injuries in conflict, has not been updated as of Monday evening with the latest attacks that left three U.S. troops dead and others injured. The Strait of Hormuz remains key to the conflictYemen's Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, said they would block shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week that they blamed on Saudi Arabia. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market. The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked. There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia. Trump has threatened to target Iran's power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, and recent attacks suggest the U.S. military is carrying out that plan. The U.S. in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil. The military says it has redirected seven ships and disabled one since then. A glimmer of hope for diplomacyPakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the interim ceasefire reached last month that called for resolving remaining issues tied to the war within 60 days. The truce unraveled after both sides resumed attacks on each other's military installations and other infrastructure. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others. Momeni's counterpart, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, expressed optimism. "God willing, we will have good news," Naqvi said. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran but that "it has to be real." "If the door opens to diplomacy - if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations - that'll be a very positive development," Rubio said. "That's not where we are tonight, unfortunately." Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Prime ExclusivesInvestment IdeasStock Report PlusePaperWealth Edition
Latest FCDO Dubai travel advice for UK holidaymakers after Iran strikes
Latest FCDO Dubai travel advice for UK holidaymakers after Iran strikes The US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran in February and the country retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz waterway and striking sites across the Middle East - including Dubai Brits travelling to Dubai over the summer may be feeling uncertainty since the latest escalation in the in the Middle East war between the US and Iran. Monday marked the nineth consecutive day of US strikes on dozens of Iranian sites after tensions flared when both sides abandoned a short-term ceasefire agreement earlier this month. The US and Iran have been in conflict since February when the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian targets. Iran retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz waterway and striking sites across the Middle East - including Dubai. Despite the escalations, the UK's Foreign Office (FCDO) has not changed its advice for travel to the United Arab Emirates since it removed its "all but essential travel" advisory published on June 18. Just one day earlier, the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring the war to a close within 60 days. This appears to have failed. This means that people can travel to the UAE without having their travel insurance invalidated. What does this mean for Brits travelling to the UAE? The FCDO no longer advises against all but essential travel to the UAE, but warns that "the situation remains unpredictable and attacks could resume at short notice". The warning stands as of Monday, 20 July. British nationals should read the FCDO's crisis abroad document, follow advice from local authorities and sign up to FCDO travel advice email alerts. If conflict resumes, it advises travellers to stay away from areas around security or military facilities, keep departure plans and travel documents up to date and remain indoors if told to take shelter. The FCDO no longer warns against non-essential travel to the UAE, so travel insurance is likely to be valid if booking a trip now. However, your travel insurance is at risk of being invalidated if you travel against advice from FCDO. It is important to check individual policies. Package holidays are likely to start operating as usual and there are no grounds for travellers to expect a refund if they cancel, nor to claim the money back through travel insurance. If FCDO advice changes to advising against all travel, you can cancel a package holiday without penalty for a full refund.
Iran targets US radar, air defence in Gulf, hits oil tankers
- Iran targeted US radar and air defence installations, as the Gulf conflict threatened to widen. - The US launched a new round of attacks against Iran. - Yemen’s Houthis announced they would blockade Saudi ports. Iran targeted US radar and air defence installations in the Gulf on Tuesday, warning Washington of “more decisive and powerful” attacks to come as the conflict threatened to widen with a blockade of Saudi ports by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked and stopped two “non-compliant oil tankers” attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, part of an effort to tighten its grip on the vital waterway while the war reignited. Following the deaths of at least three US soldiers in the past several days, the US launched a new round of attacks against Iran late on Monday, which it said were “designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping” in the strait. Hours later, the Iranian army said it had targeted US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, including air defence systems, radar installations and administrative buildings. “With this radar sweep, the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks,” the Guards said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA. READ | Yemen Houthis announce Saudi blockade in new Iran war escalation US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that Iran would pay “many times over” for every American soldier killed, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the conflict had become “a full-scale war”. Nearly 100 US servicemembers have been wounded since 7 July, the Pentagon said on Monday, most with minor concussions. Tehran’s Yemeni allies, the Houthis, meanwhile, threatened a major broadening of the war, announcing they would blockade Saudi ports. Such a move by the Houthis would put at risk Riyadh’s ability to bypass the flashpoint Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports and have major repercussions on the global economy. Saudi Arabia and the Houthis traded fire last week for the first time in years, threatening a 2022 truce, but the rebels have largely remained on the sidelines since Israel and the US attacked Iran in late February. Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the threat from what it called the “terrorist Houthi militia” and said it “continues to support the brotherly Yemeni people and their legitimate government”. The Middle East war resumed after an April ceasefire and a June framework deal collapsed. Today at 4 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began a new round of strikes against Iran at the Commander in Chief's direction. The strikes are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 20, 2026 Tehran reimposed its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington hit back by again blockading Iran’s ports. Oil prices surged briefly to a one-month high on Monday before easing slightly early on Tuesday as the foes battle to control the strait, through which a fifth of world oil travelled in peacetime. Although far below its prewar totals, Saudi Arabia has been able to continue exporting millions of barrels of oil a day via its Red Sea port of Yanbu. Oil markets have for months feared that the Houthis would return to attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – as they did during the Gaza war – potentially cutting off yet more crude from global markets. In the Strait of Hormuz, the Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday two tankers attempting to transit the strait “were hit by explosions, resulting in massive fires that brought them to a standstill”. UKMTO WARNING 094-26— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) July 20, 2026 Click here to view the full warning.⤵️https://t.co/aoiDBX4hey#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/OGgsCfHkG2 The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) earlier reported that an “unknown projectile” struck a tanker off the coast of Oman. On Tuesday, UKMTO reported another tanker off the coast of Oman had been struck by a projectile. Despite the latest fighting, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said diplomatic exchanges with Washington via mediators were ongoing. Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni is in Islamabad for a two-day visit during which he will meet with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and powerful army chief Asim Munir, according to Pakistan’s interior ministry. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is set to meet with Trump in Washington on Tuesday as pressure builds for Beirut to disarm Hezbollah, Israel’s key condition before withdrawing from south Lebanon.
Iranian Strikes On US Bases In Jordan Aided By 'Accurate Intel' From Locals, IRGC Says
Iranian Strikes On US Bases In Jordan Aided By 'Accurate Intel' From Locals, IRGC Says Via The Cradle Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Monday that its most recent retaliatory operations against US military assets in Jordan were carried out with "cooperation and accurate information" provided by the Jordanian people. "Honorable people and troops of Jordan, thank you for your sincere cooperation and accurate information that led to the precise targeting of US forces… and the destruction of 20 shelters where child-killing US forces were stationed in the Al-Azraq (Muwaffaq Salti) Base," it said. The IRGC added that those operations resulted in "the killing of dozens of US terrorist forces." "With your help, the fighters of the IRGC Aerospace Force targeted large C17 transport planes and P8 command and control planes of the invading US army at Aqaba Airport with ballistic missiles and caused heavy damage to a number of them," it went on to say. "Thank you again for your efforts and cooperation," the IRGC said in another message addressing the people of Jordan. Iran's retaliatory strikes have inflicted heavy damage on US sites and assets in Jordan over the past several days since US President Donald Trump renewed a brutal campaign of strikes against the Islamic Republic. Tehran's latest operations have killed a minimum of four US soldiers, including at least three in Jordan. Another has been killed in Iraq. New satellite imagery, released by Soar Atlas, reveals additional damage at Washington’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. The satellite imagery appears to show damage to at least two aircraft hangars, a large impact site near troop accommodation areas, and several destroyed shelters. Satellite images from Jordan’s King Faisal Air Base, which hosts US troops, showed extensive damage as well. The IRGC also detailed its latest, overnight operations against US sites in Kuwait on 20 July – launched in response to Washington’s ninth consecutive night of violent bombardment against Iran. It said early on Monday that the 22nd wave of Operation Victory 2 targeted US military assets at Kuwait’s Ali al-Salem Air Base. Satellite imagery reportedly shows extensive damage at US military base in Jordan —— New satellite images from SoarAtlas reportedly reveal additional damage at Jordan's Muwaffaq Salti Air Base following Tehran's retaliatory response against the sources of aggression in the… pic.twitter.com/7DwLVnpsd2 — The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) July 20, 2026 According to the statement, a US early-warning radar system was completely destroyed. Additionally, a warehouse containing aviation equipment and spare parts, as well as a hangar housing US MQ-9 drones, were hit, setting several drones on fire, according to the IRGC. The statement urged Kuwaiti citizens to be aware of Washington’s use of its territory for attacks on Iran, and for its wars and interventions across West Asia in general. Another IRGC statement released Monday provided further details on the Iranian strike against the Al-Tanf Base in Syria, carried out on July 17 in response to a US attack that killed several Iranian troops last week. The US claims it has withdrawn from all bases in Syria, including Al-Tanf, where for years it trained extremist militants linked to ISIS. It remains unclear what US presence remains in Syria. The IRGC said its "surprise attack" on Al-Tanf was "dedicated to the martyred soldiers of Bampur" and "killed a number of US soldiers." Video captures the moment that several Iranian medium to intermediate-range ballistic missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan overnight, killing at least two and injuring several other American Servicemembers. pic.twitter.com/cJz39E1LvP — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 18, 2026 "The Strait of Hormuz remained under the full control of the Iranian Armed Forces," IRNA further quoted the IRGC as saying. Earlier on Monday, Iran said it hit and demobilized two tankers moving through the strait, under orders from the US. The announcements follow heavy overnight attacks carried out by Washington against Iran. US airstrikes hit multiple cities including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini. Washington’s strikes southwest of Tabriz killed one person and wounded several others, according to IRNA. Jordanians celebrate as Iranian missiles rain down on American positions. pic.twitter.com/6nMF6RKG1X — DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) July 18, 2026 US Central Command (CENTCOM) said after midnight that it "began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran … for the ninth consecutive night," adding that "the strikes will continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting… Hormuz." Tyler Durden Mon, 07/20/2026 - 18:25
US gasoline price averaging $4 per gallon: AAA
According to AAA, the average price was exactly $4 on Monday, a number it had been creeping toward in recent days after the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran fell apart. That’s up from about $3.87 a week ago. As the ceasefire ended, Iran began firing on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for oil from the Middle East. About a fifth of the world’s oil flows through this channel during peacetime. At the same time, the U.S. said it was imposing a blockade on the strait. Ship traffic through the strait appears to have slowed. According to MarineTraffic.com, crossings of the waterway “remained limited” over the weekend. These developments sent the price of oil, the main component in gasoline, upward in recent weeks. After the now-dissolved ceasefire was announced, U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading at as low as $67 per barrel, but they are trading at $83 a barrel as of Monday afternoon. The White House says that prices “will plummet back to pre-conflict levels” after the U.S. military curtails Iran’s ability to attack ships in the strait. Read more at TheHill.com.
US-Iran War Live: Iran fires three missiles towards Jordan in latest Gulf escalation
US-Iran War Live: Iran fires three missiles towards Jordan in latest Gulf escalation Middle East war: Israel begins pilot zones in south Lebanon The Israeli military said a pilot zones programme in southern Lebanon began on Monday in coordination with the US military and the Lebanese armed forces, as part of efforts to implement a US-backed agreement aimed at disarming Hezbollah, withdrawing Israeli forces and deploying Lebanese troops in the area. The military said it would respond to any violation of the agreement. US Iran war: UAE condemns Iran's attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait The United Arab Emirates has condemned what it described as Iran's "renewed hostile attacks" on Bahrain and Kuwait, saying the missile and drone strikes were a "flagrant violation" of the two countries' sovereignty and a threat to regional security. In a statement, the UAE's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its "full solidarity" with Bahrain and Kuwait and backed "all measures aimed at safeguarding their security and stability." Middle East war: Air France suspends Dubai, Riyadh flights Air France has suspended flights to Riyadh until July 24 and to Dubai until July 27 due to the security situation in the region and airspace restrictions, the airline said. Flights to Beirut will remain suspended until August 2 as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt air travel. US-Iran war: Here's what happened so far - Trump vows retaliation after US troop deaths: US President Donald Trump said Iran would "pay many times over" for killing American soldiers after the US military death toll in the war rose to 17 over the weekend. Around 430 US personnel have also been injured. Trump will attend the dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen troops at Dover Air Force Base. - US considers wider military campaign: Trump has threatened to expand strikes to Iran's energy infrastructure and bridges, while Reuters reported that recent US attacks are also aimed at degrading Iranian military capabilities ahead of any larger operations. - Congress to scrutinise war: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine are set to face questions in Congress on Tuesday over the war and its mounting financial cost. - Houthis announce naval blockade of Saudi Arabia: Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, raising fears of another front in the conflict and fresh risks to global energy supplies and Red Sea shipping. - Diplomatic efforts continue: Iran said mediators had presented new proposals, while a senior Iranian official told Reuters Tehran had received a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire. Pakistan has also been asked to revive its mediation efforts. - Shipping risks intensify: The IRGC claimed two oil tankers exploded after taking an "unsafe" route through the Strait of Hormuz, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Separately, UKMTO reported that a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile off Oman's coast. - US strikes enter ninth night: US Central Command said it carried out its ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting capabilities linked to threats against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. - Fresh attacks reported across Iran: Explosions were reported in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini. Iranian state media said one person was killed and several others were injured near Tabriz. - IRGC claims regional attacks: Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they targeted US military assets at Jordan's Aqaba airport, Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, as well as positions in Syria. - Regional tensions remain high: Sirens sounded across Bahrain, Kuwait said it intercepted more Iranian drones, and authorities reported that a desalination plant caught fire for a second consecutive day after coming under attack. - Lebanon and Gaza developments: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is expected to meet Trump in Washington to discuss Hezbollah's disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Hamas has appointed Khalil Al-Hayya as its overall leader, a move analysts say could signal a tougher negotiating stance.
US to boost military aircraft presence in Mideast amid tensions with Iran: Report
The US is planning to increase the number of military aircraft deployed in the Middle East amid escalating tensions and exchanges of fire with Iran, CNN reported Monday. Washington is considering sending additional F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from bases in Europe, as well as additional aerial refueling tankers, a US official reportedly said. The report came as the US continued to carry out airstrikes against Iran, with the attacks largely focused on southern Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting facilities and bases that it says are used by the US military in several regional countries. The exchange of fire between the two countries comes despite a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding signed in June to end the war and reach a lasting peace agreement. Last week, US President Donald Trump was briefed in the Situation Room on potential strategies to escalate the conflict. Among the options under consideration were an operation to seize Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil export terminal, and airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities at Pickaxe Mountain. At the same time, Trump has not dismissed the possibility of a diplomatic resolution. Overnight, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the opportunity to resume negotiations remains available, indicating that diplomacy is still being considered. READ: Bulgaria to seek parliamentary approval for deployment of US refueling aircraft at air base
Pentagon Identifies Two of the Latest U.S. Casualties in Iran Conflict
The U.S. Department of War (DOW) has released the names of two of four brave American troops who tragically died while in combat with the terrorist Iranian regime last week. The first deadly attack on American troops occurred on July 17 with an Iranian strike in Jordan, leaving three dead. Subsequently, on July 18, a fourth American died while handling explosives from a downed Iranian drone in Iraq. So far, military authorities have only released the names of two fallen soldiers, both of whom were serving in the United States Army. We honor their sacrifice and hope that the American military will soon wipe out the last of the Iranian regime leaders and stop more than five decades of Iranian terrorism once and for all. The Monday DOW press release described both soldiers as dying during Operation Inherent Resolve, which is the long-term operation to combat Islamic terrorism in Iraq and Syria, even though both of the deadly incidents last week reportedly involved Iranian attacks. 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii was killed in action on July 18, 2026, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, was killed in action on July 17, 2026, during an enemy attack on July 17, 2026, at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan. The incident is under investigation. 1st Lt. Feehan was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Pvt. Gonzales was assigned to 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command, Ansbach, Germany. It is not clear from this if Feehan was the American who died in Iraq on Saturday, or whether he was the third initially unconfirmed casualty from the Jordan strike. Gonzales was certainly one of three casualties in Jordan. The Pentagon identified the two service members who were kiIIed in Jordan in an iranian missle attack— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 20, 2026 Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii RIP 💔🙏 pic.twitter.com/FhTqIBopD6 Related: Iran's Regime Executes Two Young Freedom Protesters Stars and Stripes reported more definitely that both Gonzales and Feehan died in Jordan. The military outlet also stated that all of the casualties in Jordan were U.S. Army air defense troops. CENTCOM or U.S. Central Command launched retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian regime targets over the weekend after the Americans’ deaths. On Sunday, CENTCOM provided an update that confirmed altogether the four U.S. casualties rather than the initial two reported. The Iraq tragedy happened “during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone. A second service member was wounded and continues to receive medical treatment for a minor injury.” CENTCOM completed the latest round of strikes on Iran Sunday, according to an official statement. The number of American dead in the Iran operation this year seems to have reached 17. We pray that there will be no more American casualties and that our military can end the conflict decisively very soon. Editor’s Note: Every single day, especially in this 250th year of America’s existence, here at PJ Media, we will stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve. Help us continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration and its successes. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.