Hezbollah says fighters clashed with Israeli troops in south Lebanon
‘No casualties to date’ after explosion, fire on S. Korean ship in Hormuz
Seoul said on Monday that an “explosion and fire” had struck a South Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial Middle Eastern waterway effectively blocked following US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
The foreign ministry said that, at around 8:40 pm in Seoul (1140 GMT), “an explosion and fire occurred on a vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company… anchored in waters near the United Arab Emirates inside the Strait of Hormuz”.
There had been “no casualties to date” among the 24 crew members on board, who include six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals, the ministry said in a statement.
“The cause of the explosion and fire, as well as the specific extent of the damage, are currently being investigated,” it said.
Hezbollah urges Lebanon to declare US ambassador ‘persona non grata’
Hezbollah urged Lebanese authorities on Monday to declare the US ambassador “persona non grata” after the envoy suggested those who had offended a senior Christian religious leader should leave the country.
The controversy erupted on Saturday after a video published by Lebanese television channel LBCI caricatured Hezbollah leaders and fighters as characters from the “Angry Birds” mobile phone games, triggering sectarian-tinged debate.
Hezbollah supporters condemned the video and what they saw as the ridiculing of their leader Naim Qassem, who is also a Shia cleric. Some reacted by sharing images insulting Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, in a campaign that sparked broad condemnation and expressions of support for the head of Lebanon’s most influential Christian sect.
After meeting Rai on Monday, US ambassador Michel Issa said the visit was to show support for the patriarch and “express my disapproval for what happened over the weekend”.
Hezbollah issued a statement from lawmaker Ali Ammar condemning “the blatant interference of the US ambassador in Beirut in Lebanese affairs and his call to push Lebanese out of their country”.
“The simplest measure that could be taken is to declare him persona non grata,” Ammar added.
Iran Guards deny any commercial ships crossed Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s revolutionary guards have rejected US claims that two commercial ships had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the past few hours as “baseless and complete lies”, Tasnim state media reported.
US claims progress in reopening Hormuz, saying two merchant ships have transited
The US military said Monday that two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz after it launched a new plan to restore traffic.
Iran has effectively closed the critical waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in late February. President Trump’s new initiative to break Iran’s chokehold has escalated the standoff.
The US military denied Iran’s claims that it had struck an American Navy vessel. The United Arab Emirates meanwhile issued its first missile alert since a ceasefire reached in early April and accused Iran of targeting an oil tanker.
US waits to see if China steps up diplomacy with Iran, Bessent says
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Washington will be watching to see whether China steps up diplomacy with Iran to get Tehran to open up the Strait of Hormuz.
Bessent told Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom” he would urge the Chinese to join the U.S. in supporting opening of the Strait.
Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on S. Korean ship in Hormuz strait
Wall St slips at open as US-Iran tensions rattle investors
Wall Street’s main indexes slipped after market open on Monday as heightened investor anxiety over the Middle East conflict tempered the optimism from last week’s earnings.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 82.6 points, or 0.17%, at the open to 49,416.66. The S&P 500 fell 1.7 points, or 0.02%, at the open to 7,228.38, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.3 points, or 0.01%, to 25,112.18.
UAE declares situation safe after issuing first missile threat alert since ceasefire
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates sent a phone alert on Monday telling residents that the situation was safe after an earlier warning of potential missile threats.
The UAE’s interior ministry said people could resume their normal activities “while continuing to remain cautious and take the necessary precautions.”
Less than half an hour earlier, a phone alert had asked residents to immediately seek a safe place and await further instructions.
It was the first such alert issued by the authorities since early April.
South Korea checking whether Korean ship struck in Hormuz, media report says
South Korea said it is verifying intelligence that a South Korean-flagged vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, Yonhap News said on Monday.
Missile alert sounded in United Arab Emirates for the first time since ceasefire
Italy’s Meloni says US troop withdrawal from Italy is ‘decision beyond my control’
No NATO deterrence gap as US plans troop drawdown, Germany’s FM says
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday expressed confidence that there would not be any shortfall in NATO’s conventional deterrence capability in Europe, after Washington announced that it would be drawing down troops in Germany.
“We must understand this as a renewed call to develop and deploy our own capabilities more quickly. There is absolutely no way around it,” said Wadephul at a press conference in Athens.
He added that Germany also needs to seek close dialogue with the United States on which decisions have definitely been taken, and which options Berlin has to influence those decisions.
US to ‘guide’ stranded ships from Hormuz: What we know about ‘Project Freedom’
The United States said Monday it is ready to “guide” commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in a new effort to end the blockade wreaking havoc on the global economy. The US-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security area.”
The US military has said the initiative might involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members but has not specified what kind of assistance or escorts it would provide ships. FRANCE 24’s International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.
Iran’s Fars news agency says US frigate hit in Hormuz missile attack
Iran’s Fars news agency said that Iranian forces struck a US Navy frigate in a missile attack in the Strait of Hormuz, but the US military quickly denied the claim.
The report from Fars came hours after President Donald Trump said US forces would on Monday begin guiding ships through the waterway.
“The frigate, which was sailing in violation of navigation and maritime safety rules near (the port of) Jask, was targeted by a missile attack after ignoring a warning from the Iranian navy,” Fars said, without citing a source.
“The American frigate that was hit was unable to continue its journey and was forced to turn back and flee the area,” the Iranian news agency reported.
Iran’s internet blackout persists, says NGO
The Iranian population still doesn’t have access to Internet, despite the ceasefire. NetBlocks, a non-governmental organisation tracking cyber-security and digital governance, said in a post on X, “Despite the distribution of some international access via pro-regime channels, metrics confirm that there is still no restoration of service to the general public.”
Oil prices jump after Iran’s navy said it halted a US warship
Brent crude oil jumped over 5% on Monday and the dollar strengthened after Iran’s navy said it had prevented a US warship from entering the Strait of Hormuz.
US stock futures, European stocks and bond prices fell.
Iran’s military had earlier warned US forces not to enter the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump said the US would start helping to free ships stranded in the Gulf by the US-Israeli war on Iran. He provided few details of the plan.
Against this backdrop, Brent crude futures surged over $5.00 to $113.65 per barrel, having recovered from an initial decline during Asian trading hours.
Analysts said, however, high prices were not sustainable longer term because of their impact on demand and the economy.
UAE says Iran fired drones at ADNOC oil tanker in Hormuz
The UAE said Iran fired two drones at a tanker affiliated with its state oil company ADNOC in the Strait of Hormuz, condemning the attack.
“Targeting commercial shipping and using the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail represents acts of piracy by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the foreign ministry said, adding there were no injuries.
Iran fired a warning shot against US warship to prevent its entry into Strait of Hormuz, says Iran
A senior Iranian official speaking to Reuters said Iran fired a warning shot against a US warship to prevent its entry into Strait of Hormuz and that it was unclear whether there was any damage.
US military denies one of its ships hit in Strait of Hormuz
The US military denied on Monday that any of its Navy ships had been hit in the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian state media reported that a US frigate was targeted by two missiles.
“No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports,” Central Command, which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said in a post on X.
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