Current Report

US central command says 2 US-flagged merchant ships have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz. This makes it the start of efforts to break the Iranian blockade.

JUST IN: US has ordered its military to strike any IRGC naval vessels and missile positions that pose an immediate threat to ships passing through the strait – Axios This could prompt the IRGC to take military action against the US naval blockade of its ports.

JUST IN: IRGC launched 2 missiles at the US navy vessel as it tried to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. It remains unclear if the ship was struck.

JUST IN: IRGC warned all foreign military, especially US that any attempt to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an attack Civilian and commercial ships can pass safely if they comply with its navy rules, follow approved routes and coordinate their movement

BREAKING: 3 people have died and several others are sick on a Netherlands-based cruise ship after a suspected hantavirus outbreak. The virus spreads through rodents and can cause serious lung illness. The first known case dates back to the 1950s.

BREAKING: Trump said the US will start escorting ships stuck in the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday. He warned that any interference will be responded to forcefully.

Russia says it will receive about $2,700,000,000 in extra revenue from higher oil prices.

JUST IN: Hezbollah is increasingly using FPV drones against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, and Israel currently has no effective solution. In response, Netanyahu is holding a security meeting to address the threat and find ways to counter it.

JUST IN: Israel has approved buying 2 new squadrons of F-35 and F-15 fighter jets worth tens of billions of shekels. This will significantly strengthen Israel's airpower in the Middle East.

JUST IN: A large Iranian oil tanker carrying 1.9 million barrels of oil worth nearly $220 million has evaded the US naval blockade and is now near Indonesia..

JUST IN: Iran has set a 1 month deadline for the US to lift the naval blockade and end the war in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz under controlled conditions Nuclear talks would only begin after the blockade is lifted and a permanent ceasefire is secured – Axios

Channel 12 reports that large shipments of ammunition and military equipment have arrived in Israel in recent days. Preparations are underway in Israel for the possibility of a US attack on Iran. Israel is preparing for the risk that Iran could launch a preemptive strike if it believes an attack against it is imminent.

China says it does not recognize US sanctions on Iranian oil purchases and will not comply with them.

JUST IN: US has warned shipping companies they may face sanctions if they pay Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz – Reuters

US naval blockade against Iran appears to be working. Pentagon says the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman has cut off about $4.8 billion in Iranian oil revenue – Axios

BREAKING: United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US war with Iran.

BREAKING: US president Trump said he will raise tariffs on cars and trucks imported from the European Union to 25% next week, adding that vehicles produced at US plants will not face any tariffs.

Doctors in the United States have developed an AI system that can detect pancreatic cancer up to 3 years earlier than doctors usually can. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the hardest cancers to find early and one of the most deadly types.

JUST IN: China has begun a zero-tariff policy on imports from all 53 African countries, granting duty-free access to goods, while Eswatini is excluded because it recognizes Taiwan.

JUST IN: A Chinese court ruled that companies cannot legally fire employees solely to replace them with cost-saving AI. Businesses must follow labor laws, including fair reassignment or compensation, rather than dismiss workers simply because automation reduces costs.