Israel is preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities but is awaiting a green light from the United States, a senior Israeli defense official said on Saturday, adding that any such attacks would likely come within the next week. The comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum, sharpening focus on whether Washington would back further Israeli military action against Iran. (Reporting by Jerusalem Bureau; Writing by Enas Alashray; Editing by Toby Chopra) [Read more]

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command said Iraq would be exempt from any restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported on Saturday, signaling preferential treatment for Baghdad as Tehran tightens control over the strategic waterway. (Reporting by Enas Alashray and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Toby Chopra) [Read more]

Indian refiners have purchased Iranian oil amid the Middle East conflict that has disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the oil ministry said on Saturday. The world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, India has not received a cargo from Tehran since May 2019, following U.S. pressure not to buy Iranian crude, but supply disruptions from the U.S.-Israel war have hit the South Asian nation hard. "Amid Middle East supply disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude [Read more]

Five European Union countries are calling for a windfall tax on energy companies' profits in reaction to rising fuel prices due to the Iran war, according to a letter from finance ministers to the EU Commission seen by Reuters on Saturday. The finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria made the joint call for an EU-wide tax in a letter dated Friday. Such a measure could help fund relief for consumers in the face of high energy prices and be a signal that "we stand united [Read more]

Iran has authorised the passage of vessels carrying essential goods to its ports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a letter cited by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Saturday. The letter indicates that ships heading to Iranian ports, including those currently in the Gulf of Oman, must coordinate with authorities and comply with established protocols to transit the strait, Tasnim said. Iran has effectively shut the ​Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's [Read more]

Iran attacked an Israel-affiliated vessel with a drone in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the ship on fire, Iran's state media said on Saturday, citing the commander of the Revolutionary Guards navy. There was no immediate comment from Israel. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Joe Bavier) [Read more]

Recent U.S. intelligence reports warn that Iran is unlikely to open the Strait of Hormuz any time soon because its grip on the world’s most vital oil artery provides the only real leverage it has over the United States, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The finding suggests that Tehran could continue to throttle the strait to keep energy prices high as a means of pressuring U.S. President Donald Trump to find a quick off-ramp to the nearly five-week-long war that remains [Read more]

Iran's air defence system targeted an "enemy" A-10 aircraft in southern waters near the Hormuz Strait, the nation's state media said on Friday. The New York Times reported earlier in the day that a second U.S. Air Force combat plane had crashed in the Gulf region on Friday and its only pilot was then rescued. (Reporting by Hatem Maher and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Mark Porter) [Read more]

An unnamed source told Iran's semi-official Fars news agency on Friday that Tehran had rejected a U.S. proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire. The source said the proposal was made on Wednesday through another country, which was not named. There was no immediate comment or confirmation from the U.S. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Porter) [Read more]

President Donald Trump on Friday said the U.S. can open the Strait of Hormuz with a little more time, as pressure mounts for his administration to find a quick resolution to a war against Iran. "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL,& MAKE A FORTUNE," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Nearly five weeks after it started ⁠with a joint U.S.-Israeli aerial assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil financial [Read more]