Iran & Middle East
Reporting on Iran, the Iranian regime, IRGC operations, Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah dynamics, the Houthi corridor, GCC alignments, and the wider Middle East security picture.
US Forces Strike Iranian Rocket Launchers at Strait of Hormuz
US military struck two Iranian rocket launchers spotted preparing to fire at the Strait of Hormuz, AP confirms. First American strike on Iranian assets in weeks.
Israel Would Strike Iran Even Under a US Deal, Minister Says
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Saturday Israel would attack Iran again if Tehran attempts to rebuild its nuclear or missile programs, regardless of any US-Iran agreement.
Egypt's Banque Misr, UAE Central Bank Open Urgent Iran Sanctions Reviews
Egypt's state-owned Banque Misr is reviewing a formal US Iran sanctions notice while the UAE central bank launches its own urgent compliance examination, Reuters reports.
Iran's Pezeshkian Urges Trump to Avoid Turmoil, Backs Dialogue
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Trump to refrain from creating turmoil Saturday, saying dialogue and a memorandum of understanding can resolve outstanding disputes.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Calls U.S. Hormuz Claims 'Lies'
Iran's IRGC Navy says U.S. assurances that the Strait of Hormuz is open are lies aimed at manipulating oil prices and hiding American failures in the conflict.
Israel Kills Hamas Jenin Chief in Rare West Bank Drone Strike
Israeli drone strike killed three Palestinians in Jenin Friday, including the city's top Hamas commander. Shin Bet confirmed it as the first West Bank airstrike since February 2025.
Israel Kills Hamas Jenin Commander in First West Bank Airstrike Since 2025
Israel killed Hamas's Jenin commander Qais Bitawi and two others in a West Bank drone strike Friday, confirmed by the IDF and Shin Bet, the first such attack since February 2025.
IDF Kills Hamas Jenin Commander in Rare West Bank Airstrike
Israeli forces killed Qais Bitawi, identified by Shin Bet as Hamas's top operative in Jenin, along with two accomplices in a targeted vehicle strike Friday in the occupied West Bank.
IDF Strikes Southern Lebanon After Hezbollah Launches Explosive Drones
Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired explosive drones at IDF soldiers, killing at least one civilian in the town of Arab Salim.
IDF Strikes Southern Lebanon After Hezbollah Drone Attacks on Soldiers
Israeli forces struck Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon Thursday after explosive drone attacks on IDF troops; Lebanon's NNA confirmed a civilian killed in Arab Salim.
IDF Launches Strikes on Southern Lebanon After Hezbollah Drone Attacks
Israel carried out two waves of airstrikes on southern Lebanon's Upper Nabatieh Thursday after Hezbollah deployed explosive drones against IDF soldiers, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.
Tanker Struck by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO Confirms
UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a projectile struck a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, the latest attack in an escalating shipping crisis at the world's most critical oil chokepoint.
Another Tanker Struck in Strait of Hormuz as Attacks Escalate
UKMTO confirms a second vessel was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, deepening what maritime officials describe as an ongoing shipping crisis.
Tanker Struck by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO Confirms
UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, the latest in a series of attacks on commercial shipping.
OPEC+ Loses Oil Market Grip as China Gains Leverage in Iran War
The Iran war is fracturing OPEC+'s decades-long grip on oil pricing, with China emerging as the new power broker over crude supply, Reuters reports.
Tanker Hit by Unknown Projectile in Hormuz Strait, UKMTO Says
UKMTO reports a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday, hours after Iran and Oman announced a temporary Hormuz diplomatic framework.
Iran and Oman Agree to Temporary Strait of Hormuz Deal
Iran and Oman have agreed to a temporary Strait of Hormuz framework, but Tehran has vowed to keep the waterway closed unless Washington accepts its terms.
Iran Says Attacked Nuclear Sites Not Secure for IAEA Inspections
Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami says sites damaged in recent strikes remain unsafe for IAEA inspectors, as Tehran cites ongoing wartime conditions.
Iran Warns of Military Ship Ban in Hormuz Under Potential Oman Deal
Iran demands foreign military ships be barred from the Strait of Hormuz in Oman-mediated talks, as the regime's nuclear chief blocks IAEA access to strike-damaged sites.
Oil Prices Fall as Iran and Oman Weigh Temporary Hormuz Deal
WTI and Brent crude drop nearly 7% and 9% in five days as Iran and Oman explore a temporary Hormuz deal while Washington pivots from airstrikes to economic sanctions.
Trump Declares All Mines Cleared From Strait of Hormuz
President Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. forces have removed or detonated all mines from Hormuz international waters, warning Iran that re-mining will trigger immediate military strikes.
Ship Disabled by Attack in Strait of Hormuz
A vessel has been disabled by an attack in the Strait of Hormuz, AP News reports, as tanker traffic through the critical waterway hits its lowest daily count since May.
U.S. Sanctions Iran Oil Trader Wellbred as China and Tehran Push Back
Washington blacklisted oil trader Wellbred over alleged Iran ties, escalating pressure that drew sharp retaliatory warnings from Beijing and Tehran's security chief.
China Buys Most of Iran's Oil. Can US Sanctions Change That?
The US expanded its Iran sanctions this week, putting global buyers on notice. Experts say Washington is wary of pushing China too hard—leaving the biggest loophole open.
Ship Struck in Strait of Hormuz Hours After Trump's Iran Economic Push
A vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, hours after Trump unveiled an 'Economic D-Day' pressure campaign against Iran, per The War Zone.
Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Tanker Amzan With Missile and Drones in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis hit Saudi oil tanker Amzan off Yanbu with a ballistic missile and drones Monday; Saudi Arabia and shipping company Bahri confirmed the strike, crew safe.
Houthis Strike Saudi Oil Tanker Amzan With Ballistic Missile in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis hit the Saudi oil tanker Amzan with a ballistic missile and drones off Yanbu in the Red Sea on Monday. Saudi Arabia confirmed the attack.
IRGC Spokesman Warns U.S.: Strikes on Iran Infrastructure Will Draw Hits on American Vital Interests
Iran's Revolutionary Guard spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi says any U.S. attack on Iran's critical infrastructure will trigger heavy retaliatory strikes on American vital interests.
Houthis Claim Red Sea Strike on Saudi Tanker Near Yanbu, Hit Saudi Troops
Yemen's Houthi movement claimed Monday it struck a Saudi oil tanker near the Red Sea port of Yanbu and attacked Saudi troop concentrations in eastern Yemen, Anadolu Agency reports.
US-Israeli Strikes Hit Iran Nuclear and Medical Sites, Tehran Reports
Iran's state media reports US-Israeli strikes struck nuclear facilities and medical sites inside Iran as Hormuz tanker traffic collapses 90% below pre-conflict baselines.