An independent Scotland would ban the militaries of countries involved in “illegal conflicts” from the country, John Swinney has said. In a swipe at the US and Israeli governments over their attacks on Iran, the First Minister said a newly-independent Scotland would enshrine in its constitution a ban on foreign militaries involved in illegal conflicts abroad. The US military regularly uses Prestwick Airport – which is owned by the Scottish Government and operated by an arms-length company – which has drawn criticism for Mr Swinney and his ministers. Speaking at his party’s conference in Edinburgh on Saturday, the First Minister said: “We will always speak up for the protection of innocent civilians and international law. “But as an independent country we could do more. “We will demonstrate not just with words but with actions how Scotland can be a voice for peace. “We will use the powers of independence to enshrine into our constitution a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons on our soil and in our seas. “And we will go further – with independence, we will ban any foreign military power engaged in illegal conflicts from our shores. “Two statements will be written directly into the very foundational document of our new nation – not in our name, not in our country.” The First Minister told delegates the action in Iran has “no basis in international law”, saying: “Right now, once again, the world is watching as war rages in the Middle East. “We all know the Iranian regime is brutal and illegitimate. “It has brought untold suffering on its own citizens, and on people across the region. “But that does not justify what we are seeing on our television screens every night. “Tehran in flames, whole streets on fire, schools bombed, thousands killed. “The Iranian regime have terrorised their own population. Now, those self-same civilians are dying at the hands of American and Israeli bombs. So let me be clear – the unjustifiable actions of the United States and Israel have no basis under international law. Read More “They must stop. “For the sake of the innocent children of Iran, for the sake of peace, our call is for diplomacy, for de-escalation, and an end to this war.”
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.