Devirupa Mitra

WSJ: The base case, several oil officials in Saudi Arabia’s said, is that oil prices could soar past $180 a barrel if the disruptions persist until late April.

Sri Lanka denied US permission to land two fighter jets in Mattala, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament. dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/…

Strait of Hormuz traffic near standstill Transit activity through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained, with only four vessel movements recorded over the past two days — 3 crude oil tankers and one LPG carrier — according to #MarineTraffic data. All vessels are sanctioned and were sailing in ballast, with movements recorded only in the east-to-west direction, underscoring the ongoing disruption to normal maritime flows through this critical chokepoint. Watch the latest playback of vessel activity in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two days.

What US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told @FoxBusiness about unsanctioning Iranian barrels -- and a potential 2nd SPR release. (I look forward to see how KSA, UAE, Iraq, Qatar, and Kuwait feel about unsanctioning Iranian oil barrels)

Saudi Arabia confirms drone hit the Aramco/Exxon Samref refinery in Yanbu. That's 1,500km away from Iran and right next to Saudi Arabia's vitally important Yanbu oil export terminal through which it is able to bypass the Strait of Hormuz #OOTT

تنويه بشأن أهمية توجيه الأبناء إلى البقاء ضمن النطاق العائلي، خلال أيام عيد الفطر المبارك. #الداخلية_قطر

#BREAKING: A drone attempting to approach a gas facility in the Eastern Province was intercepted and destroyed, with no damage reported — Saudi Defense Ministry spokesperson

Update on UK operations in the Middle East, 18 March 2026.

QatarEnergy Statement on Missile Attacks on Ras Laffan Industrial City QatarEnergy confirms that Ras Laffan Industrial City this evening has been the subject of missile attacks. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time. QatarEnergy will continue to communicate the latest available information. #Qatar

"QatarEnergy confirms that Ras Laffan Industrial City this evening has been the subject of missile attacks." Says that "extensive damage has been caused...All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time." #oott

Civil Defence is responding to a fire in the Ras Laffan area following an Iranian targeting. #MOIQatar

BREAKING: Qatar's Ministry of Interior is reporting a fire in the Ras Laffan area - home to the world's largest LNG production facility - following an "Iranian targeting". 🔴 LIVE updates: aje.news/b8762y?update=…

This decision has also been made in response to requests from brotherly intermediary Islamic countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Türkiye, and the State of Qatar. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expresses its appreciation for the goodwill.. 2/4

Temporary Suspension of Defensive Operations (Rad-ul Zulm) The security and defense forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan hereby announce a temporary suspension of the “Defensive Operations (Rad-ul Zulm)” on the arrival of the blessed Eid-ul Fitr. 1/4

The journey of Russian oil to India India has become one of the largest destinations for Russian seaborne crude, accounting for more than one third of the country’s imports, with most cargoes originating from ports in the Baltic and Black Seas. Key loading ports include Primorsk and Ust-Luga in the Baltic, as well as Novorossiysk in the Black Sea. These terminals primarily export Urals crude, which is widely imported by Indian refiners. Most cargoes bound for India are carried on Aframax and Suezmax tankers, vessel classes well suited to the loading volumes and port infrastructure at these hubs. 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 After entering the Mediterranean, vessels typically transit the Suez Canal and continue through the Red Sea and Arabian Sea via Bab El Mandeb toward major Indian ports. A standard voyage from the Baltic to India generally takes around 30–40 days depending on vessel size and routing. This corridor—from Russian Baltic and Black Sea ports through the Suez Canal to India—remains the backbone of Russia’s crude exports to the Indian market, although periods of heightened tension in the Red Sea have occasionally pushed ships to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, extending voyage times and tightening tanker availability. 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 Ultimately, the trade is largely driven by price. Indian refiners have proven highly pragmatic over the past few years and, when the discount on Urals versus other medium sour grades is sufficiently wide, they are willing to absorb the longer voyage from the Baltic or Black Sea compared with Middle Eastern supply. The trade has also increasingly relied on ship-to-ship transfers and vessels operating in the so-called “shadow fleet,” which has helped maintain flows despite sanctions and insurance restrictions. In short, as long as the economics remain attractive, India is likely to continue serving as one of the key outlets for Russian crude exports.  🖊️ Yui Torikata, Ying Kong L, Matt Stanley

On behalf of @POTUS, @USTradeRep and I have held a very productive two days of talks in Paris, France with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng to discuss trade and economic relations between our countries. We will be issuing a statement in the next few days reaffirming the stability in the relationship between the first and second largest economies in the world.

"In today's environnment, France will never be involved in any operation to secure or free the Strait of Hormuz"

China, Vietnam agree to live-fire drills in naval exercise boost #Echobox=1773746893" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">scmp.com/news/china/mil…

Kharg Island today (2026-03-17). As you can see, it's still there, still intact and still loading tankers with crude oil. Satellite imagery by ESA. #OOTT #Iran #Tankers

Strait of Hormuz activity remains limited According to #MarineTraffic data, a total of 15 vessels transited the strait over the past three days, including 8 dry bulk vessels, 5 tankers, and 2 LPG carriers. Around 87% were outbound transits, with many vessels taking unusual routes through Iranian territorial waters. Only 13% entered the Gulf, highlighting the continued imbalance in traffic flows. Watch the playback of vessel activity in the Strait of Hormuz over the past three days.