Conflict Events Archive
15,097 documented events · latest Oct 15, 2026 — chronological archive with full summaries and multi-source verification.
Trump open to Russia-US economic cooperation after peace in Ukraine — newspaper
US officials opined that Trump reached an agreement on Russian diesel supplies in order, first, to lower fuel prices in the US, and second, to "offer economic and political benefits" to Russia to engage in negotiations
Russian forces hit Izmail port infrastructure, two dry cargo ships at sea
The targets were damaged by drone strikes
US may ease sanctions on vessels used to transport oil from Russia — agency
According to a source cited by Reuters, the US administration may take this step to reduce record-high global freight rates
Israel has detained more than 2,000 Palestinian children since 2023: report
At least 350 Palestinian children currently face 'harsh conditions' in Israeli prisons.
Musk says it is time for Zelensky to step down
The US entrepreneur commented on a post by one of the X platform's users
US considering using ‘Mother of All Bombs’ against Iran, sources say | CNN Politics
The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called “mother of all bombs” to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites should President Donald Trump give the order to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections, according to multiple US officials familiar with the matter. Using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb or MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, for the first time in the conflict with Iran would mark a notable escalation, even though there are doubts over how effective it would be in accomplishing any of Trump’s stated strategic objectives or tipping the balance of the war, multiple sources familiar with internal military planning discussions about potentially deploying the weapon said. Trump is facing pressure to bring an end to the deeply unpopular war — as Republicans brace for potential political backlash from voters in the upcoming midterm elections and there is little indication the two countries are close to a negotiated resolution after more than six months of US bombing. While the US military continues to provide Trump with options for potential strikes against outstanding Iranian targets, some officials continue to privately question whether the White House has a strategy that incorporates those plans in a way that could actually end the war — something only the president has the power to do. For months, Trump and his advisers have discussed options that could act as a “definitive” end to the war, at least from a messaging point of view, aware of how unpopular the conflict has become among Americans. While some administration figures have characterized the war as essentially won, Trump has been more guarded in recent remarks, stopping short of declaring victory and saying the US still has unfinished business in the country. Behind the scenes, Trump has also cast doubt on some outside allies who have encouraged him to simply bring US troops home and move on. Doing so, Trump has argued, would look like defeat. Over the course of the last several weeks, White House advisers have held meetings to discuss various options for Iran. While Trump announced publicly that he would not take new actions before the midterms, several advisers said privately they didn’t know whether that statement was definitive or could change before Election Day. Trump has ordered the military to develop additional strike packages against Iranian targets that include “a lot of energy infrastructure” and the potential use of a MOAB, one of the sources told CNN. The same source said the phrasing used was that this attack would come “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” indicating the administration could launch the additional strikes, attempt to declare victory and quickly pull everyone out. A second source told CNN that military plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain, also explicitly call for using the MOAB. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Pickaxe, where the US and Israel believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear program, even after pausing full combat operations earlier this year, and Trump continues to emphasize that his goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. Doubts MOAB would be effective Another US official noted that when the military plans, it develops a menu of options for policymakers that range from the high-end to low-end. Higher-end targets, including those that are located deep underground, require bigger bombs, and the MOAB is the biggest, the official added. But there are questions around whether the MOAB would be an effective munition to use against Iran’s nuclear facilities and other sites that are located deep underground. While the GPS-guided bomb is capable of destroying an area equivalent to nine city blocks, it likely lacks the capability to penetrate deep enough under the surface to destroy the suspected nuclear facilities at Pickaxe, which is believed to be fortified by layers of granite, and other remaining Iranian nuclear sites, sources said. What to know about the MOAB bomb - Called the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB bomb - Nicknamed the “mother of all bombs” - Is America’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb - Weighs 21,600 lbs. “The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” a third source familiar with military planning discussions around Iran told CNN. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.” If used, the MOAB would have devastating effects on the area that it impacts but likely only at the surface level, the sources noted. And the bomb’s massive blast radius would almost certainly raise concerns about the prospect of civilian casualties — particularly if it is used to target Iranian infrastructure targets located near populated areas and in close proximity to non-military sites. Still, Trump could opt to use the MOAB as a psychological weapon at a time when the Iranian regime appears dug in and unwilling to bend to his diplomatic demands. While US officials warn that deploying it is unlikely to force Iran’s capitulation or achieve a strategic military victory — it could provide Trump with an additional option, short of restarting full combat operations, to alter the conflict’s current status quo. “POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something and, without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level … you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped,” the third source familiar with recent planning discussions added. Many within the administration as well as outside analysts agree that the only way to decisively defeat Iran would be through a major operation involving ground troops, a commitment that could potentially cost thousands of American lives. The Pentagon considers all scenarios, so those plans exist, but as of now no one in the administration is arguing for such drastic action. Trump has indicated he has little interest in putting US boots on the ground in Iran but his desire to end the conflict as soon as possible presents a political dilemma for a president who is keenly aware of how unpopular the war has become yet has been unable to secure a diplomatic agreement that would bring it to a close. Top Trump administration officials and military planners have been focused, for weeks, on finding an off-ramp that gives Trump a “symbolic” win — at minimum — he can try to sell to the American people without preventing a potential diplomatic breakthrough, starting with an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported. A fourth source familiar with the Pentagon’s recent planning discussions on Iran told CNN that military officials had developed some options that would amount to a “fireworks show,” with the goal of providing Trump an off-ramp from the conflict even if those strikes fail to accomplish his stated goals for starting the war in the first place. And despite Trump’s recent pledge to hold off on launching additional strikes before the midterms, the US military already appears to be preparing for potential Iranian retaliation should the president give the go-order. The next turnover of US troops deployed to CENTCOM is also expected to take place within the next few weeks, according to a fifth source, a US official who acknowledged it is possible some of the personnel who rotate out of the region, may not be replaced by fresh service members. Asked about the plans, a White House official told CNN that they do not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist, adding “President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” In response to CNN’s request for comment, a Pentagon official said: “The Department of War plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to execute Presidential and Secretary‑level direction and to ensure mission success in any operational environment.” MOAB developed for ‘psychological operations’ Developed during the Iraq War, the MOAB is an air blast-type warhead that explodes before hitting the ground to project a massive explosion from all sides. During the final stages of testing in 2003, military officials told CNN the MOAB was mainly conceived as a weapon employed for “psychological operations.” Military officials said then they hoped such a huge blast would rattle Iraqi troops and pressure them into surrendering or not even fighting. As originally conceived, the MOAB was to be used against large formations of troops and equipment or hardened above-ground bunkers. The target set has been expanded to include targets buried under softer surfaces, such as caves or tunnels. Trump was the first US president to deploy the MOAB, during his first term when he authorized the military to use its most powerful non-nuclear bomb on ISIS positions in Afghanistan in 2017. That strike targeted a network of fortified underground tunnels that ISIS had been using to stage attacks on government forces — killing 36 ISIS fighters, Afghan officials said. The blast destroyed three underground tunnels as well as weapons and ammunition, but no civilians were hurt, Afghan and US officials added at the time. At the time, the bombing marked a dramatic change in attitude for Trump, who advocated an isolationist, “America first” foreign policy during his first election campaign. Following the 2017 strike, US military officials were pressed on whether the 21,600-pound bomb was necessary for that particular target and would likely face similar questions if the munition is deployed against Iran.
OpenAI bugging suspect allegedly booked one-way trip to Saudi Arabia
Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan was due to fly to Saudi Arabia on October 12, US prosecutors say in court filing.
UK to allocate $22.5 mln to Ukraine for Chernobyl NPP repairs
The UK Cabinet said that the repairs are necessary to remove corrosion that "risks undermining decades of international investment"
Russian diesel expected to reach US market within two weeks — media
According to a report by the New York Post, Russia agreed to supply "a pretty substantial" amount
Oil Price Today (October 15): Crude oil dips to $105 despite rising Middle East tensions. Here’s why
Listen to this article in summarized format Brent crude futures declined $1.50, or 1.41%, to $104.55 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped $1.02, or 1.07%, to $94.07. Both benchmarks reversed gains made in the previous session. WTI had climbed to a three-week high on Wednesday after the Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters and Iran said it was deploying new tactics to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and keep oil prices elevated. A container ship and a dry bulk carrier sank near the strait in separate incidents within the past 24 hours after being struck by projectiles, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have intensified over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it was stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and stricter sanctions imposed last month. The conflict has disrupted shipping and pushed freight costs to record highs, prompting the Trump administration to consider easing sanctions on so-called shadow fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela. Read more: Stocks in news: Reliance Industries, Jio Financial, Tata Tech, HDB Financial and Wipro Meanwhile, higher output from Russia and the Middle East has helped contain oil prices. Russia's crude oil production increased by 65,000 barrels per day in September to 8.43 million barrels per day, although it remained 870,000 bpd below its year-earlier level, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday. Where are prices headed?Uncertainty over how the conflict will ultimately unfold remains a major concern for markets. JPMorgan analysts said they could not model the war's eventual trajectory. At the start of the conflict, the bank had assumed the US administration would avoid crossing certain economic thresholds. Seven months into the war, many of those thresholds had been crossed, while a clear exit strategy remained absent. The threat of further supply disruptions has also raised the prospect of higher oil prices. Daan Struyven, co-head of global commodities research at Goldman Sachs, said recent attacks highlighted how disruptions to shipping could spread and intensify. Read more: D-St set for a cautious opening as GIFT Nifty signals muted start Goldman Sachs has outlined a scenario in which oil prices could climb to $120 a barrel if attacks on vessels in the Middle East escalate. If exports return to normal, the bank expects prices to fall back towards $80 a barrel. Struyven said shipping risks had become a key driver of oil prices, adding that Goldman Sachs sees significant upside potential for crude. The bank also expects natural gas and refined product prices to rise, with supply shocks affecting gas and fuels larger than those in the crude oil market. Disclaimer: This article has been written by Veer Sharma, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an Investment Adviser. Veer Sharma and his/her ‘relative(s)’ (as defined under Section 2(77) of the Companies Act, 2013) do not hold any financial interest in the companies mentioned in this article as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of The Economic Times Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment. Brokerage disclaimers here. (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
Mohammed bin Salman Is More At Risk Internally Than From Houthi Attacks
Mohammed bin Salman Is More At Risk Internally Than From Houthi Attacks Authored by Alastair Crooke As part of its “blockade-for-blockade,” “airport-for-airport” strategy, Ansarallah carried out a third attack on Riyadh International Airport on Saturday — 12 people (mostly civilians) were killed and more than 300 injured. This, in tandem with Iran’s escalating attacks on tankers, and expanding its maritime operations, immediately increases the pressures on President Trump to respond — at the precise moment when midterm elections loom. As the military conflict between Yemen and Saudi Arabia continues, the latter has become increasingly dependent on attacks against Yemeni civilian targets — by Sept 2025, reports confirm that “nearly 15,000 civilians have been killed by direct military action, most of them in air strikes by the Saudi-led Coalition.” Yet the Yemeni armed resistance, taking its cue from Iran’s experience, sees that Saudi is infinitely more vulnerable via its energy infrastructure sitting out in the open. If Yemen continues to strike at key Saudi economic and energy assets with precision, the consequences for Riyadh will multiply — the battlefield will increasingly become that of Saudi infrastructure destruction and pain for the West versus Yemeni civilian casualties. This scenario could lead to major capital destruction, a sovereign debt crisis, and Riyadh forced to abandon yet more of its Vision 2030 projects on which MbS has staked the kingdom’s future. Saudi Arabia continues to behave as though the old formulas of sectarianism, anti-Iran propaganda and an anti-Shia narrative can once again be used to maintain their pro-Western positioning. But those tired mantra have lost their effectiveness — even among large parts of the region’s Sunnis. The situation today is fundamentally different. AnsarAllah does not represent the Twelver Shia framework that Saudi propaganda could easily portray as an “Iranian project.” AnsarAllah-governed Yemen has its own ideological framework, theological traditions, political history, and system of governance. Neither AnsarAllah nor the broader pro-Sana’a camp can simply be reduced to one sect or social class. The AnsarAllah Yemeni landscape includes Hanafi Sunnis, Zaidis, Jaroodiya, Ismailis, and other Islamic schools, with even elements of Salafi groups existing within the broader Yemeni social structure. In short, unless MbS capitulates to AnsarAllah demands — which it seems he is incapable of so doing — the consequences could develop into a devastating macro-economic cascade occurring within the key pivot situated at the center of the Gulf economic model; a cascade, furthermore, which, as its momentum grows, and foreign capital flees the kingdom, will bring a systemic collapse to the entire western colonial enterprise in the Gulf. The more paradoxical element to this drama is that it is not from AnsarAllah’s attacks that MbS’ is most at risk — or from which his downfall might be precipitated. It will not come from the battlefield either. Regime change inside Saudi Arabia will come about as a result of his own hand — his compulsive quest to centralize control. Even Edward Luttwak, known for his links to the western security state, observes that — …the reason for [the impotence] of Saudi Arabia, in the face of the Houthi offensive, is that, for the Kingdom’s ruling family, the most deadly danger has long been a military coup d’état — such as the one which ended Iraq’s monarchy and killed every single member of its Husseini ruling family on 14 July 1958. Against that danger, the successive heads of the Saudi ruling family have implemented the most effective remedy possible: divide and rule, not against foreign enemies, but within their own armed forces. For that reason, the different combat elements of the armed forces are geographically separated in the country’s vast territory, and commanded by different princes in charge of various parts of the ministry of defence, all of which are subordinate to the minister himself, Prince Khalid (a younger brother of Mohammed bin Salman). MbS’ fear is that one F15 pilot, outside of the privileged Royal family Stipendiary circle, might choose to attack one of the Kingdom’s princely palaces (instead of striking at an AnsarAllah target) as a prelude to an all-out military revolt. This is no fanciful threat — an old “Saudi hand” recalled recently hearing one young Saudi officer threatening to do exactly that. By cutting off traditional tribal patronage by which tribal leaders had expected to receive their share of the kingdom’s oil wealth; by seizing tribal lands earmarked for MbS “vanity projects”; and by actively working to reshape Saudi Arabia’s core legitimacy away from traditional tribal-religious alliances towards a nationalist, youth-driven identity centred around Vision 2030, MbS has cut away the political leverage that traditional tribal elders historically held within the Royal Court. MBS has made many enemies through the transformation of the Kingdom not towards a nation-state, but rather toward being the property of a single family. He has concentrated immense political, economic, and security powers within his immediate branch of the family, acting as an absolute authority. As one commentator writes — For traditional tribal groups like the ‘Anizah, this means that policy decisions are made strictly from the top down, leaving little room for the traditional consensus-building or special autonomy that tribes historically enjoyed. The erosion of the historic social contract has left a deep sense of economic anxiety and loss of prestige among traditional tribal structures — and among the Wahhabi religious establishment. The result is that — …a tribal realignment is under way. In the north and central areas, the Shammar and Anizzah desert tribes have reportedly sealed the borders to Jordan and Iraq. In the south, mountain tribes with historical kinship ties to AnsarAllah are more likely to ignore the border with Yemen than defend the crown. And we’ll know, soon enough, whether there is any foundation to the [multiple] rumors that representatives of more than a dozen Saudi tribes have sat with IRGC representatives and floated a new political compact — a federal state with tribes receiving a share of oil and gas revenues. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are not other tribes and clans throughout the Region (Syria, Iraq …) who have a similar smoldering resentment to that of the Saudi tribes, festering secretly away, and similarly derived from their own experience of top-down colonial exploitation. Might the Saudi Kingdom experience a revolt against MbS? Such a possibility is not without precedent: When King Saud’s reckless governance threatened the monarchy’s survival in 1964, the family, senior princes, and the religious leadership stepped in to strip him of power and enforce his abdication. In the event of the collapse of MbS-led al-Saud family rule, this would not only topple the Gulf colonial project, but would then initiate a scramble for a fundamental geopolitical re-alignment of the region. The colonial “current shape” imposed upon West Asia for more than a century is at an inflection point. Everything is “up in the air.” How will President Trump react to AnsarAllah’s accelerated attacks on Saudi Arabia? Will he launch a wider war across the region by attacking Iran, Yemen or Iraq? Or will a major attack on north Yemen against Ansarallah, with Pakistani and Israeli participation, be authorised? Or might the Sistan-Baluchistan region of Iran erupt as a result of a Pakistani-CIA insertion of cross-border Balochi insurgents into Iran, potentially leading to Iranian exchanges of fire with Pakistan? We don’t know. But it is widely understood that the region’s current shape was drawn up for other, earlier purposes — Bahrain was Persian for two centuries before 1783; Kuwait was a district of Basra until Britain drew a line of separation in 1899; the United Arab Emirates were Trucial Oman (coastal sheikhdoms under British protection, until December 1971). Qatar was a Bahraini suzerainty, then Ottoman, then British, before it became a state in 1971. Lebanon and Syria were carved out of the Ottoman ruin by France in 1920. Jordan was proclaimed a “state” by a British High Commissioner in 1921. Luttwak forewarns that — “Ultimately… the [al-Saud] inheritors must learn to share Saudi Arabia’s vast flow of oil revenues with everybody else, or else risk losing more than just their wealth.” Iran has just launched large-scale military exercises amid indications of a possible imminent Israeli-American escalation to come very soon. Change seems inevitable. Tyler Durden Wed, 10/14/2026 - 21:45
Houthis' Missile Push: Can Chinese Components Help Replicate Iran's Kheibar Shekan? What Report Says
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis are working to build advanced ballistic missiles using components shipped from China, according to a Wall Street Journal report that cites an investigation by Conflict Armament Research (CAR). The weapons could put both Saudi Arabia and Israel within range. CAR, a group that tracks weapons and their supply chains in conflict zones, said the missiles appear to be modelled on Iran's Kheibar Shekan. Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay The precision-guided ballistic missile can change course in flight, which makes it harder for air defence systems to intercept. A missile of this design could travel up to 1,200 miles. The findings come as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified in recent weeks, deepening tensions over a Riyadh-led blockade. Together with Iran's continued disruption of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the attacks have pushed oil prices higher. US President Donald Trump has accused the Houthis of behaving "very badly" in a post on Truth Social. CAR based its report on information from Yemeni authorities, who intercepted two shipments last year and shared details with investigators in July. Missile-related equipment had been hidden among other goods. The seized items included custom-made metal parts for a missile's motor and airframe, and fins used to keep it stable in flight. ALSO READ | Riyadh Airport Under Attack: Why Saudi Arabia Is Struggling To Defeat The Houthis Investigators also found parts linked to a solid-propellant rocket motor from the Kheibar Shekan family, along with testing equipment, tools, raw materials and heat-resistant ablative material used to shield missiles during flight. Shipping documents seen by CAR pointed to a Chinese precision-metal manufacturer that markets itself as a specialist in custom aerospace parts. The report did not name the firm. Some of the components could have civilian uses, but others appeared to be built specifically for missiles. Henry Thompson, a former member of the UN's Yemen sanctions panel, told the WSJ that evidence suggests the Houthis have been importing parts for solid-fuel ballistic missiles from China for at least two years. He said such missiles can carry bigger payloads deeper into Saudi territory than the group's cruise missiles and drones, making them a more serious threat. ALSO READ | 'Unacceptable': India Condemns 'Dastardly' Riyadh Airport Missile Strike That Killed 12 Moreover, UN reports and data gathered by arms experts show Chinese companies are the largest source of seized goods bound for the Houthis, and most suppliers of drone parts sanctioned by the US for links to the group are based in China. The Houthis are under a UN arms embargo and are designated a terrorist organisation by the US. Washington accused a Chinese company last year of helping the group attack US vessels in the Red Sea. Beijing says it respects the UN ban on arms sales to the Yemeni faction. In late 2024, CAR documented imports of similar custom-machined parts linked to the shorter-range Sadr missile, though the supplier was never identified. Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
Oil prices ease as investors weigh supply outlook, Middle East tensions
Oct 15 : Oil prices fell more than 1 per cent on Thursday as investors weighed risks to supply from attacks on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against US efforts to cut petroleum shipping costs by easing sanctions on vessels. Brent crude futures fell $1.76, or 1.7 per cent, to $104.3 a barrel by 0625 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $1.06, or 1.1 per cent, to $94.03, reversing gains from the previous session. WTI rose to a three-week high in the prior session after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters and Tehran said it was deploying new tactics to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and keep oil prices high. A container ship and a dry bulk carrier both sank near the strait in the past 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. With the Iran war having disrupted shipping and driven up freight costs to record highs, the Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow-fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela to help ease prices, a US official said on Wednesday. The new talks centre on the United States potentially allowing "legal oil" to flow on previously sanctioned vessels, the US official said. Increased output from Russia and the Middle East has kept a lid on prices. Russia's crude oil production rose by 65,000 barrels per day in September to 8.43 million bpd but remained down 870,000 bpd year on year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The IEA also said crude oil exports from Middle East Gulf producers rose by 4.4 million bpd in September to around 75 per cent of prewar levels. "While there is little concrete evidence of a near-term peace deal, oil continues to find its way to buyers through alternative routes and logistical arrangements," said Phillip Nova's head of market insights, Priyanka Sachdeva, in a client note. "These workarounds have helped prevent a more severe supply shock, although they come at a higher cost and leave global flows vulnerable to further disruption." In the US, crude oil and distillate inventories fell, while gasoline stocks rose last week, market sources said on Wednesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Crude stocks fell by 11.1 million barrels in the week ended October 9, sources said. That was a much bigger draw than analysts polled by Reuters expected. "Despite the sharp inventory draw, oil prices barely reacted. The failure to rise on bullish news suggests investors are cautious about chasing prices higher at current levels," said Haitong Futures in a note on Thursday. Official numbers from the US Energy Information Administration are due at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT), delayed by a day following the Columbus Day holiday on Monday.
Oil prices fall as investors weigh supply outlook, Middle East tensions
BEIJING, Oct 15 : Oil prices fell more than $1 in early trade on Thursday as investors weighed risks to supply from attacks on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against US efforts to cut petroleum shipping costs by easing sanctions on vessels. Brent crude futures fell $1.39, or 1.31 per cent, to $104.67 a barrel by 0116 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $1.02, or 1.07 per cent, to $94.07, reversing gains from the previous session. WTI rose to a three-week high in the prior session after the Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters and Iran said it was deploying new tactics to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and keep oil prices high. A container ship and a dry bulk carrier both sank near the strait in the past 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. With the Iran war having disrupted shipping and driven up freight costs to record highs, the Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela to help ease prices, a US official said on Wednesday. The new talks centre on the United States potentially allowing "legal oil" to flow on previously sanctioned vessels, the US official said. Increased output from Russia and the Middle East has kept a lid on prices. Russia's crude oil production rose by 65,000 barrels per day in September to 8.43 million bpd but remained down 870,000 bpd year over year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The IEA also said crude oil exports from Middle East Gulf producers rose by 4.4 million bpd in September to around 75 per cent of prewar levels. In the US, crude oil and distillate inventories fell, while gasoline stocks rose last week, market sources said on Wednesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Crude stocks fell by 11.1 million barrels in the week ended October 9, sources said. That was a much bigger draw than analysts polled by Reuters expected. "Despite the sharp inventory draw, oil prices barely reacted. The failure to rise on bullish news suggests investors are cautious about chasing prices higher at current levels," said Haitong Futures in a note on Thursday. Official numbers from the US Energy Information Administration are due at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT), delayed by a day following the Columbus Day holiday on Monday.
Oil prices retreat as investors weigh supply outlook, Middle East tensions
Oct 15 : Oil prices fell more than 1 per cent on Thursday as investors weighed risks to supply from attacks on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against US efforts to cut petroleum shipping costs by easing sanctions on vessels. Brent crude futures fell $1.64, or 1.6 per cent, to $104.42 a barrel by 0337 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 98 cents, or 1 per cent, to $94.11, reversing gains from the previous session. WTI rose to a three-week high in the prior session after the Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters and Iran said it was deploying new tactics to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and keep oil prices high. A container ship and a dry bulk carrier both sank near the strait in the past 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. With the Iran war having disrupted shipping and driven up freight costs to record highs, the Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow-fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela to help ease prices, a US official said on Wednesday. The new talks centre on the United States potentially allowing "legal oil" to flow on previously sanctioned vessels, the US official said. Increased output from Russia and the Middle East has kept a lid on prices. Russia's crude oil production rose by 65,000 barrels per day in September to 8.43 million bpd but remained down 870,000 bpd year over year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The IEA also said crude oil exports from Middle East Gulf producers rose by 4.4 million bpd in September to around 75 per cent of prewar levels. "While there is little concrete evidence of a near-term peace deal, oil continues to find its way to buyers through alternative routes and logistical arrangements," said Phillip Nova's head of market insights, Priyanka Sachdeva, in a client note. "These workarounds have helped prevent a more severe supply shock, although they come at a higher cost and leave global flows vulnerable to further disruption." In the US, crude oil and distillate inventories fell, while gasoline stocks rose last week, market sources said on Wednesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Crude stocks fell by 11.1 million barrels in the week ended October 9, sources said. That was a much bigger draw than analysts polled by Reuters expected. "Despite the sharp inventory draw, oil prices barely reacted. The failure to rise on bullish news suggests investors are cautious about chasing prices higher at current levels," said Haitong Futures in a note on Thursday. Official numbers from the US Energy Information Administration are due at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT), delayed by a day following the Columbus Day holiday on Monday.
Ukrainian grouping in Orekhov practically eliminated — expert
According to Andrey Marochko, new units sent by Kiev "are no longer capable of changing the situation on the battlefield"
Zelensky wants guarantees of London’s support if he continues ignoring US proposals
Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador at Large Rodion Miroshnik says that Vladimir Zelensky is seeking compensation for intelligence sharing, air defense systems, and other types of weapons
Iran war live: Tehran vows to fight until US yields as ships sink in Hormuz
Iran says it does not seek an endless war, but vows to fight until the US accepts its demands as ships sink in Hormuz.
US destroys dhow suspected of Iranian command and control
The US says it destroyed an Iran-affiliated boat in the Gulf of Oman, accusing it of conducting surveillance.
Trump says Iran made him promise not to kill its leaders anymore
The US president said that, at the moment, nobody wants to be the president of the Islamic Republic