Strait Hormuz

US says attack was response to ⁠Revolutionary Guards preparing rockets to launch sea mines into strait US forces have struck two Iranian launchers on Iran’s Larak island on Sunday, a US official said, marking the ⁠first known American strikes since late July.“I can confirm that earlier today US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak island. Islamic ⁠Revolutionary Guards Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the strait of Hormuz,” the official said. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Treasury Department launched "Operation Economic Outcast" this week, targeting Iranian financial networks to increase economic pressure on Tehran. • As part of the operation, FinCEN proposed a rule to revoke the U.S. correspondent banking access of Banque Misr UAE, an Egyptian bank branch allegedly linked to the Iranian regime. • Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has acknowledged the resulting economic hardships, while Banque Misr UAE stated it is reviewing the accusations with "utmost seriousness."

• The Trump administration's military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, reached its six-month mark this Friday. • Tensions persist in the Strait of Hormuz, where ongoing attacks on commercial shipping continue to disrupt global oil flows. • As part of "Operation Economic Outcast," the U.S. Treasury Department is targeting Banque Misr UAE to sever a critical financial lifeline used by the Iranian regime for sanctions evasion.

• Crude oil prices remained stable near $82 on Thursday, despite a second commercial vessel being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. • Iran and Oman are scheduled to meet next week to negotiate a deal regarding the establishment of fees for ships using the waterway. • The situation is critical as rising energy and pump prices are increasing political pressure on U.S. officials ahead of the November congressional midterm elections.

• Iran has launched a renewed diplomatic push, proposing a plan with Oman to ensure the continued movement of ships through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. • Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is visiting Tehran to facilitate mediation efforts between Iran and the United States. • This diplomatic shift comes as U.S. economic pressure intensifies, with Iranian officials suggesting that the next move toward de-escalation rests with Donald Trump.

Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterwayIs the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as “the pillar of Iran’s new security order”, and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality becoming a fast-diminishing asset, leaving Iran increasingly vulnerable to the new planned US wave of economic sanctions?It is the key debate that is raging inside Iran, with many different conclusions being drawn for Tehran’s negotiating strategy. Those who warn the strait’s value as a chokehold on the world economy will erode, leaving the country without foreign exchange reserves, argue that Iran’s negotiators should seek a deal soon. Continue reading...

• Iran has announced that vessels from "authorised" countries passing through the Strait of Hormuz will now be required to pay transit fees to Tehran for services provided. • The move targets ships utilizing the strategically critical waterway, though the specific list of authorized nations and the fee structure have not been detailed. • This development increases geopolitical tension in a region already volatile due to ongoing friction between the US and Iran, potentially impacting global shipping costs.

President at rally in South Carolina makes comments on key strategic waterway and also jokes about bombing IranDonald Trump called the strait of Hormuz “an American territory” on Friday, as the US continues its military blockade of Iran’s shipping and ports while Trump’s administration struggles to end its war with the country.“We don’t even know if we won, because I view the strait of Hormuz as an American territory right now,” Trump said, addressing a crowd in South Carolina. He was campaigning for senator Darline Graham, who is running to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat. Continue reading...

• An Iranian official asserted that the Strait of Hormuz "will remain Iranian" following suggestions by President Donald Trump that it could become U.S. territory after Operation Epic Fury. • The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) reported that a bulk carrier was hit by an "unknown projectile" near Kumzar, Oman, on Friday evening. • While the crew members are reported safe, the full extent of the ship's hull damage and the resulting environmental impact remain unknown.

• The United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of launching "unprovoked attacks" against two UAE tankers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. • President Trump responded to the escalation by dismissing Iran as "all talk and no action," claiming the nation is no longer the "bully of the Middle East." • The incident heightens regional tensions as the U.S. continues its push to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Seriousness of remark made in New York on Friday, and whether it signaled new policy ​position, not clearDonald Trump has threatened to declare the strait of Hormuz as “a territory of the United States” as his administration struggles to conclude the war with Iran.During a speech at a police academy on Long Island, New York, on Friday, the US president said he would “pretty soon” designate the waterway – a crucial chokepoint for global trade, through which about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supplies typically pass – a US territory. Continue reading...

• The UAE has accused Iran of carrying out attacks on two vessels located in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in a critical global shipping lane. • Simultaneously, JD Vance stated that securing cheap oil and gas is "goal number one" regarding the objectives of the current war. • In a separate diplomatic effort, U.S. and Saudi officials met to discuss defense cooperation and regional security to reduce instability, though specific outcomes were not disclosed.

• Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reshuffled Iran's military leadership, announcing six new senior appointments. • The leadership shake-up occurs as diplomatic talks regarding the Strait of Hormuz appear to have stalled. • This move signals internal strategic shifts during a period of heightened regional tension and diplomatic deadlock.

• Oil prices have climbed following Iran's signal that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed despite a potential management agreement with Oman. • Iran stated that reopening the vital waterway is contingent upon the United States meeting a specific list of conditions. • The situation is critical as the Strait of Hormuz is a primary global transit point for oil, and continued closure threatens global energy stability.

• Iran has demanded compensation from the United States and set six crucial conditions that must be met before it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The closure follows more than four months of conflict between the two nations, which has triggered renewed escalations in Yemen. • This maritime blockade has caused significant economic fallout, leading to a sharp increase in global food and fuel prices.

• A conflict known as the Strait of Hormuz War erupted in February 2026, centering on one of the world's most critical oil transit chokepoints. • The war has fundamentally reshaped global geopolitics, with expert analysis identifying 10 countries most severely impacted by the fighting. • The crisis has triggered significant economic, strategic, and diplomatic disruptions across the Middle East due to the interruption of energy flows.

Tehran urges US to ‘correct its behaviour’ as UAE says one of its ships targeted by Iranian missileIran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, with its state broadcaster publishing a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC. Continue reading...

• Iran reports it is nearing a deal with Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz, though it demands concessions from the US before reopening the waterway. • UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg warned Friday that Yemen faces its highest risk of renewed conflict since the April 2022 truce. • This instability is driven by Houthi attacks on Saudi and Yemeni government forces, alongside strikes on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

• The Sensex dropped over 200 points and the Nifty tested the 23,600 level on Friday as Indian stock markets opened lower. • Market volatility was driven by rising oil prices and investor concerns regarding Iran potentially closing the Strait of Hormuz. • Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv led the declines, while IT stocks such as TCS and Tech Mahindra bucked the trend with gains of 1-2%.

• Iran and Oman are reportedly nearing a proposed framework agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz, though Tehran insists the waterway will not reopen automatically. • Iranian officials stated that the United States must first meet its specific commitments before the strategic shipping lane is fully reopened. • Simultaneously, diplomatic sources indicate that ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions are being hindered by "significant developments on the ground" affecting technical negotiations.

Under the proposed agreement Tehran would control inbound traffic according to reportsUnderstanding reached on coordinates for shipping route through Hormuz, Iran saysAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes. Continue reading...

• The UKMTO reported two explosions near a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, though no damage was reported. • Diplomatic talks mediated by Oman are progressing "positively" to reopen the strait, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicating a deal could be reached imminently. • The proposed agreement would establish a transit system where ships enter the Persian Gulf via an Iranian-controlled route and exit through an Omani-controlled route.

• President Donald Trump reported holding productive all-day negotiations with Iran on Tuesday to secure a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The proposed agreement aims to stabilize global oil markets and lower gas prices, which have remained high due to tensions in the region. • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that Israel will take all necessary actions to ensure its own security, regardless of any U.S.-Iran deal.

• International diplomatic talks have intensified to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran and secure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is critical because the strait serves as a primary global artery for energy supplies, making any disruption a threat to international oil markets. • These negotiations aim to prevent military escalation and ensure the stability of global trade routes.

• US stock markets reached a record high following optimism that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for commercial shipping. • US Central Command announced on Tuesday that the waterway is "free and open," noting that US forces have assisted over 1,000 vessels in transiting the area over the last three months. • The news led to a drop in oil prices as investors reacted to progress in talks and the mitigation of risks associated with Iranian aggression.

• President Trump warned that Iran will be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened soon to allow oil shipments to resume. • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reported that talks are currently progressing to resolve the blockade. • The situation is critical as the US has reportedly exhausted nearly all of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles due to the ongoing conflict.

Masoud Pezeshkian dismisses talk of internal rift as hardline Assembly of Experts call US negotiations ‘futile’Middle East crisis live – latest updatesMasoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, has been forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz.The US and Europe hope a deal is imminent to reopen the strait and they are putting pressure on Oman to accept a temporary agreement that officials in Muscat fear will leave Iran retaining near permanent dominance of the vital oil shipping channel. Ships would enter the strait in a route close to Iran, but leave on a route that passes through Iranian and Omani waters. Continue reading...

Optimism echoes Trump’s claims on Monday that deal is close as mediators say they are exchanging proposals Middle East crisis live – latest updatesUS and Qatari officials have said progress is being made in restoring a ceasefire in the US-Iran war and reopening the strait of Hormuz.The optimistic speculation on Tuesday brought oil prices down 2%, but the strait remained closed to shipping and a cargo vessel was reportedly struck by an unidentified projectile off Oman’s coast close to the strait. Continue reading...