Strait Hormuz

• 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...

• 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.

• 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.

• 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...

• President Donald Trump announced on Monday that a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the country's denuclearization is "imminent." • Iran has confirmed it is currently engaged in discussions with mediators to resolve these tensions. • Separately, Iranian President Pezeshkian congratulated Khalil al-Hayya on becoming head of Hamas' political bureau, reaffirming Iran's support for the Palestinian cause.

• President Donald Trump announced that Iran has agreed to a "total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following the U.S. decision to cancel planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure. • The agreement follows diplomatic efforts to reduce escalation, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urging the U.S. to uphold a memorandum of understanding as the basis for future foreign policy. • Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, reviewed these developments and reaffirmed the kingdom's commitment to promoting regional security and stability.

• Iran has claimed responsibility for launching a drone attack on U.S. facilities in Kuwait and striking two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. • The targeted tankers were reportedly under "aerial escort" from the United States at the time of the strikes. • Separately, an Israeli political source told CBS News that the IDF will not withdraw from the current "yellow line" unless Hamas is completely disarmed.

Energy prices have soared again since fighting between US and Iran resumed two weeks ago as conflict spreads across Middle EastMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIran said it struck two tankers trying to pass through the strait of Hormuz under the escort of the US military, as Donald Trump gathered his cabinet at to discuss the stalling war and rising prices as midterm election in the US loom.Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they had hit two tankers trying to pass through the strait on Friday. Continue reading...

• On July 29, 2026, Iran proposed a temporary agreement with Oman regarding the management and accessibility of the Strait of Hormuz. • The proposal serves as a diplomatic effort to resolve tensions, though Iran warned that the critical waterway will remain shut if the deal is rejected. • This development is significant because the Strait of Hormuz is a primary global chokepoint for oil shipments, and any prolonged closure could trigger a global energy crisis.

• Crude oil prices have surged as the Red Sea joins the Strait of Hormuz as a critical maritime choke point amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. • The U.S. military has conducted 13 consecutive nights of attacks on Iran in response to Houthi rocket strikes targeting Saudi Arabian vessels in the Red Sea. • These hostilities follow reports that Iranian hardliners provided weapons and training to Yemeni Houthi forces to destabilize regional shipping lanes.

• Donald Trump has vowed to retaliate against Iran by targeting a bridge or power plant every time Tehran strikes ships in the Strait of Hormuz. • Iran has accused the U.S. of using the suspected underground nuclear site at Pickaxe Mountain as a pretext for further military aggression. • Separately, a potential 30-year deal involving U.S. technology and expertise to develop Saudi Arabia's nuclear program may be announced as early as Wednesday.

Revolutionary Guard claims attack on oil tanker and two other ships; Houthis in Yemen say they are imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red SeaFull report: Almost 100 troops injured in recent weeks, Pentagon admits, as Iran launches reprisals on US alliesWelcome 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.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. Continue reading...

After the US military confirmed that a service member had been killed in Iraq – the third in recent days – Donald Trump said the new attacks were ‘in honour’ of the deadMiddle East crisis live: follow latest updatesThe US launched a ninth night of strikes targeting Iran early Monday, after announcing the death of another American service member, as the price of Brent crude oil climbed above $90 a barrel, the highest level since June.The US military said the service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq, where the US has military bases, during a controlled detonation of what was called unexploded ordnance on a downed Iranian attack drone. Continue reading...

• U.S. forces have launched new strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, specifically hitting bridges and a railway junction according to Iranian state media. • Iranian official Mohammad Ghalibaf has emphasized that Iran will maintain its claim to the Strait of Hormuz by force if necessary. • The situation highlights a strategic tension where Iran is simultaneously endorsing military resistance and leaving the door open for diplomatic negotiations.

• Renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz are threatening to disrupt one of the world's most critical maritime supply chain arteries. • The instability risks increasing costs for fuel, transportation, and agricultural inputs, which could trigger a broader global inflationary shock. • Energy- and food-importing economies, particularly developing nations that spend large portions of national income on essentials, are expected to be most severely impacted.

• An Iranian army spokesperson announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States agrees to accept the Iranian legal system. • The statement, reported by the Iranian Students' News Agency, establishes a direct link between the reopening of the critical waterway and U.S. diplomatic concessions. • This escalation is significant because the Strait of Hormuz is a vital global chokepoint for oil shipments, meaning a prolonged closure could trigger severe global economic instability.

• Economic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are expected to have a delayed impact, with the full effects potentially not manifesting until the second half of 2026. • The situation involves critical intersections of energy, trade, and food security within the Middle East and North Africa region. • This delay is significant as it suggests a prolonged period of instability that could eventually destabilize global markets and supply chains.

• The U.S. has expanded military strikes deep into Iran, while Tehran has responded with attacks on neighboring Gulf states. • In Khuzestan Province, official Valiollah Hayati reported that strikes caused structural damage to homes and shattered windows in the vicinity of Ahvaz. • Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz an "unbreakable red line," signaling a high risk of further escalation in a critical global shipping lane.