US-Iran war news LIVE: Under a proposed Iran-Oman arrangement, Tehran intends to block Israeli ships from using the Strait of Hormuz and seek compensation from countries it considers hostile for access to the strategic waterway.
Saudi says 11 injured, including a four-year-old, in Houthi attacks
Saudi military on Thursday said that more than 10 civilians, including a four-year-old, were left injured in the country following a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The attacks took place in the southern region of Najran near the Yemeni border and came hours after the Iran-backed rebel group claimed responsibility for another series of strikes in central and eastern Yemen that killed at least 30 government troops and wounded at least 50 others. The back-to-back attacks mark the latest major escalation since a truce in Yemen in April 2022 halted major fighting between Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition, which backs the internationally recognized government.
Oil extends gains after Iran attacks ‘hostile targets’ in Hormuz
Oil prices extended gains on reports that Iran attacked “hostile targets” in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran seeking to bar US ships from the critical waterway in a deal with Oman. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose above $78 a barrel after surging almost three per cent in the previous session, while Brent settled around $82. The attacks on “hostile targets” took place on Thursday night (local time) after explosions were reported near Qeshm Island in Hormuz, Fars news agency reported. Crude has erased most of the declines from earlier in the week as optimism over a full resumption of the Strait of Hormuz evaporated.
Iranian President says ‘people didn’t feel the war at all’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday (local time) said coordinated governance, effective crisis management, and cooperation from neighbouring countries helped the Islamic Republic withstand the ongoing West Asia conflict, asserting that ordinary citizens “didn’t feel the war” despite attacks on key infrastructure. In a televised address, he credited government agencies, provincial administrations, and cabinet coordination for maintaining normalcy during the conflict. He said, “The people didn’t feel the war at all; they only realised something had happened when they were struck somewhere or saw the images on television. This situation was shaped thanks to our managers, governors, county governors, and the coordination of our ministers.”
Trump says ‘war’s got to end pretty soon’
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) expressed confidence that the US-Iran conflict would end “pretty soon” and said that he believes Tehran “can’t go much longer.” He also voiced optimism over ongoing negotiations related to the Strait of Hormuz while reaffirming the commitment to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump said, “When I started the very important excursion into the Islamic Republic of Iran, it was a very important excursion because they can’t have a nuclear weapon; otherwise the whole world would get blown up. We’re not gonna let that happen. Not only us, not only the Middle East, but the whole world would have been… It would have been catastrophic. We had no choice… We will see those days pretty soon again, based on everything I see, as soon as the war ends. And I think the war’s got to end pretty soon. I don’t think they can go much longer.”
