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Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 9, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Daily tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz appeared to have slowed yesterday, after the US and Iran exchanged hostilities this week and renewed their arguments over who was in control of passage through the critical waterway.The attacks renewed concerns about the recovery of global oil supplies and shipping, and highlighted the fragility of an interim truce while the US and Iran hammer out a lasting agreement.Oil prices eased on yesterday but remained on track for weekly gains of 4-5% after the flare-up.The International Energy Agency said global oil supply rose by 4.1 mn bpd in June as shipping through the strait resumed, but remained 9.4 mn bpd below pre-war levels.It warned of tight diesel and gasoline supplies, and said refineries were slower to react to the reopening of the strait than crude prices.The Strait of Hormuz handled about a fifth of global oil supplies before the war. Tehran has since largely taken control of the waterway, forcing a stalemate in its confrontation with the world’s most powerful military.Under the interim deal, the US ended its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran agreed to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels.However, this week Washington accused Iranian forces of attacking three tankers in the area and struck military sites on Iran’s southern coast and eastern provinces in response. While Iran has not claimed responsibility for those attacks, analysts say Tehran uses such actions to gain leverage in negotiations.Iran then attacked US military sites in Gulf states on Thursday.The US said its action aimed to keep the strait open and that Iran did not control the waterway. Tehran warned however that the strait would only be reopened on its terms, and any US intervention would draw a “crushing response”.The attacks on the three Qatari and Saudi shipping vessels prompted US President Donald Trump to declare the truce “over,” but a US official later said Washington was still committed to finding a resolution with Iran and “technical talks continue”.The New York Times reported that Qatar had been in talks with Washington and Tehran to deescalate the crisis.Prior to this week’s attacks, daily tanker traffic had risen to its highest since the war began, averaging 40 ships transiting the strait. That was still far off the pre-conflict average of 125 to 140 daily sailings.Trump’s inability to end the war has frustrated the president, whose Republican Party faces midterm elections later this year amid high gas prices and voter discontent.US Central Command said on Wednesday its forces had struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets. Iranian state media said those attacks killed 14 people and injured 78.Iran’s army said it had launched attacks on US Patriot systems in Kuwait, an early-warning site in Qatar and a US Army fuel depot in Bahrain. The Revolutionary Guards later said Iran had fired 10 ballistic missiles at Jordan’s Azraq military base, used by US forces. Source link
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran had “kept its word” on a ceasefire with the United States, after Donald Trump insisted the truce was over but that he had agreed to further negotiations with the Islamic republic.”Iran has so far kept its word, unlike the so-called US Treasury Secretary who is violating Para 9 of the MoU,” Araghchi posted on X, referring to part of the memorandum of understanding about the United States not deploying additional forces in the region. Related Story Source link
A Qatari delegation visited Iran on Friday in what is believed to be an effort by Doha to consolidate its role as a mediator after a recent escalation in hostilities in the Gulf, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.Tasnim said the visit followed what it described as Qatari accusations against Iran over an alleged incident in the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent U.S. attacks on Iranian military and civilian targets. A source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Friday that Qatari negotiators were meeting Iranian officials in an effort to de-escalate tensions and create conditions for broader negotiations, adding that the talks were being conducted in coordination with the United States. Related Story Source link
The General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers condemned on Thursday the targeting of the Qatari LNG tanker ‘Al Rekayyat’ and Saudi crude carrier ‘Wadiyan’ as they transited the Strait of Hormuz. It also denounced the attacks targeting the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain.In a statement, the General Secretariat said these acts constitute a violation of international laws and conventions and the principles of good neighborliness, and represent a dangerous escalation that jeopardizes regional and global economic interests and threatens international peace and security.Reiterating its condemnation of these attacks, it affirmed its solidarity with and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the Kingdom of Bahrain in the measures they take to protect their security, sovereignty, territorial integrity, facilities, citizens, and residents. Related Story Source link
Egypt strongly condemned the renewed Iranian attacks targeting Kuwait and Bahrain, describing them as a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable violation of the two countries’ sovereignty that threatens security and stability in the Gulf region and heightens regional tensions.In a statement issued Thursday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Cairo stands in full solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain and supports all measures taken by the two countries to safeguard their security and sovereignty.The ministry also stressed that the security of the Gulf states is an integral part of Egyptian and Arab national security, reiterating Egypt’s rejection of any actions that threaten the security of Arab countries or undermine regional stability. Related Story Source link
Bahrain announced Thursday that its air defense systems intercepted several Iranian air attacks.The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force said that Iran continues its systematic aggression through its criminal attacks using missiles and drones targeting civilians in Bahrain.It urged everyone to exercise caution and avoid approaching or touching any unfamiliar or suspicious objects resulting from the remnants of the Iranian attack, and to report them immediately.It also affirmed that all its weapons and units are at the highest levels of readiness and are fully prepared to defend Bahrain. Furthermore, it confirmed its readiness to handle these debris safely, ensuring the safety of all citizens and residents.The General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force emphasized that the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. Related Story Source link
The Kingdom of Bahrain has strongly denounced the Iranian attack on the Saudi tanker “Wedyan” and the Qatari tanker “Al Rekayyat” while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.It stressed that this act is unacceptable, as it jeopardizes the security of international navigation and global energy supplies and amounts to a grave breach of the provisions of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, in addition to vitiating de-escalation efforts and the entrenchment of regional security and stability.In a statement, the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs reemphasized that the Kingdom of Bahrain stands in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar in all measures they pursue to safeguard their security and critical interests.The Ministry reiterated its call on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to assume its responsibility and take a resolute position to prevent the recurrence of Iranian sinful assaults and ensure the unrestricted freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz without imposing any illegal tolls.It further stressed that weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz for economic pressure, extortion, and disrupting safe transit through international waterways must be rejected under the provisions of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).The statement indicated that these instruments are fundamental pillars of energy security, food and medical supplies, and the flow of international commerce, which ultimately help consolidate security, stability, and prosperity in the region and around the world. Related Story Source link
The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army announced on Wednesday that Kuwait’s air defence systems are engaging with hostile drones and missiles.The blasts heard in some parts of the country are the result of mid-air interceptions, said the General Staff in a press statement, advising everyone to abide by the safety instructions outlined by the relevant bodies. Source link
Syria condemned the attack targeting two tankers belonging to Qatar and Saudi Arabia while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as an unacceptable act and a violation of international law and freedom of maritime navigation.In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Syria’s full solidarity with Qatar and Saudi Arabia, calling on the international community to take serious action to protect international waterways and safeguard regional security and stability. Related Story Source link
Oman condemned the military attacks targeting the territories of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait, as well as the attacks on two commercial vessels from Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Strait of Hormuz, expressing its solidarity with the two sisterly countries in safeguarding their security, stability, territorial integrity, sovereignty and national interests.In a statement issued Wednesday, Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the escalating military tensions in the region pose a threat to regional security, maritime safety, the free flow of international trade and global energy supplies. It reiterated its categorical rejection of any actions that undermine the security of states or endanger civilian and commercial vessels.Oman called on all parties to exercise restraint, halt the escalation, prioritize dialogue and diplomatic solutions, and fully implement the signed understandings in support of efforts to strengthen security and peace. Source link