West Asia conflict

September 9, 2026 9:23 PM

Sharp escalation in US-Iran Conflict, Oil Markets and Shipping under pressure

The US-Iran conflict has seen sharp escalation since yesterday, with both sides reporting attacks on military infrastructure and commercial shipping vessels. The recent attacks are perhaps the biggest on shipping vessels since the beginning of the conflict. US CENTCOM had said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, after Iranian forces attempted to strike a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. The US identified the 5 Iranian vessels as Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco and Dery...

September 9, 2026 12:54 AM

Iran-backed Houthis attack four Saudi cities in expansion of Middle East war

Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthis attacked four cities in the south of U.S. ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, wounding more than 70 people and setting oil installations ablaze in what appeared to be a major expansion of the six-month-old Middle East war. The Houthis, who control most of Yemen's populated areas including the capital, said they had launched a broad operation deep into Saudi territory. They used drones and missiles to strike a Saudi airbase in the southern city of Khamis Mushait as well a...

September 7, 2026 10:39 PM

Iran warns US energy assets in Gulf are vulnerable after latest clashes

Iran threatened on Monday to retaliate against any new U.S. attacks on its assets, warning that energy infrastructure across the Gulf, including U.S. oil and gas interests, was vulnerable. "Strike our assets and you get struck," Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said after U.S. and Iranian strikes on shipping at the weekend that pushed oil prices up near six-week highs on Monday. The latest threat underscores the risks of further escalation after the sides traded blows again at...

September 6, 2026 9:36 AM

US Strikes three Iranian Oil Tankers, including one near Kharg Island

US forces have said that they struck three Iranian crude oil tankers after IRGC launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships in regional waters. A statement by US CENTCOM said they disabled tanker Downy near Kharg Island, tanker Stark 1 near Jask and destroyed unladen tanker Kylo (also known as the Noxen), in the Gulf of Oman after directing its crew to abandon ship. The CENTCOM called the three Iranian crude oil tankers a part of a shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional prox...

September 2, 2026 12:13 AM

‘Double standards’ in fight against terrorism ‘unacceptable’: SCO declaration

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on Tuesday termed the “double standards” in the fight against terrorism as “unacceptable” and called on the international community to combat the menace, including the cross-border movement of terrorists. In a joint statement, called the ‘Bishkek Declaration’, issued after the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in the Kyrgyz capital, the member states expressed deep concern over developments in West Asia. Th...

August 31, 2026 9:23 PM

PM Modi, Putin review India-Russia ties, discuss regional conflicts on sidelines of SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on the margins of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, in their first meeting this year. The two leaders had earlier met in New Delhi for the 23rd Annual Summit in December 2025. The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across a range of fields, including political, economic, defence, energy, space, mobility and people-to-people ties, stated a press release from the MEA. ...

August 31, 2026 7:10 PM

In meeting with Iran president, PM Modi calls for resolution of West Asia conflict through dialogue and diplomacy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday that India wants to “expand and diversify” the trade basket with Iran in the “times to come” and called for resolution of the West Asia conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. PM Modi held talks with President Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. “Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long-standing friendsh...

August 26, 2026 12:17 PM

Gulf ship traffic via Strait of Hormuz hovers below 10-day average, data shows

Five commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, little changed from a day earlier but well below the 10-day average of 15, preliminary shipping data showed on Wednesday. Two tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas and one tanker carrying bitumen exited the Gulf via the strait, while two empty product tankers entered the waterway from the Gulf of Oman, initial data from shiptracker Kpler showed at 0408 GMT. On Monday, four commodity vessels transited the waterway, the data sho...

August 26, 2026 10:43 AM

Trump sends Saudi nuclear deal to US Congress but says Riyadh must recognize Israel

President Donald Trump has sent Congress a proposed agreement with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear energy while insisting the pact will only go into effect if the kingdom normalizes relations with Israel, a U.S. administration official told Reuters on Tuesday. The agreement, which was reached in July and would allow U.S. companies to export civilian nuclear technology to the kingdom, was sent to Congress on Monday, according to the U.S. official, who declined to be identified. The Saudi embassy ...

August 26, 2026 5:16 PM

Iran and Oman plan for temporary Hormuz corridor as impasse with US persists

Iran has held new talks with neighbouring Oman on management of the Strait of Hormuz, blockaded over nearly six months of conflict, with Oman's foreign minister saying he was hopeful a temporary corridor through the waterway could be announced soon. Iran and Oman have held on-and-off talks for weeks about controlling traffic through the strait, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February. Most shipping has since been shut down, as ...