A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while leaving the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday morning, a day after a 60-day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran expired.
The UKMTO said it received a report that the attack damaged the engine room and caused a crew casualty, with the remaining crew being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard.
The attack comes as president Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that Iran would not make the type of deal with his country that he thought was “necessary”.
Meanwhile, Iran said it would shift its policy from defensive to “fully offensive” due to the deadlock in efforts to agree a permanent end to its war with the US.
“Iranian entities must be prepared to escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and wider region, as Iran will be ready to make decisions and take action on difficult decisions”, an Iranian official told Reuters.
Trump has separately threatened to attack Oman – a US ally – if it “gets in the way” of his efforts to force a peace deal with Iran.
Israeli minister calls for killing of ‘30 to 40’ people in Gaza every night
An Israeli politician has publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister of national security in prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, made the comment while speaking on the first episode of the podcast The 8 October.
More here.
Israeli minister calls for killing of ‘30 to 40’ people in Gaza every night
‘There are people there who are not worthy of life … they’re not even people,’ he saidAlisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 05:30
Watch: Trump says US has ‘total control’ of Strait of Hormuz
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 05:15
Syrian military airport attacked
The Abu al-Zuhour military airport in northern Syria has been hit by at least four airstrikes this morning, according to Al Jazeera.
The attack in the Idlib province, allegedly carried out by Israel, hit the airport’s runway, causing material damage, it said.
Syria has so far not issued any official statement on the strikes.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 05:00
Oil crosses $90 a barrel
Oil prices rose this morning as a deal to end the Middle East war seemed further out of sight with Iran saying it will adopt a more offensive stance and the US ruling out extending a ceasefire agreement, heightening worries about energy supply.
Brent crude futures climbed 27 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $91.14, after rising to their highest since 30 July.
US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 42 cents to $85.04 a barrel, after gaining more than 1 per cent earlier in the session to $85.37, their highest since 31 July.
“Oil has jumped to start the week as U.S.-Iran relations look increasingly shaky. A deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz still does not appear to be in sight, and shipping numbers remain at a trickle,” said chief market analyst at KCM, Tim Waterer.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 04:40
One dead as vessel struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz
A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said this morning.
The UKMTO said it received a report that the attack damaged the engine room and caused a crew casualty, with the remaining crew being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 04:20
Trump again threatens to ‘bomb the s*** out of’ ally Oman
Donald Trump has threatened to launch an attack on Oman – a Middle East ally – over control of the Strait of Hormuz, which remains largely blocked amid the ongoing conflict between Washington and Iran.
A 60-day period to negotiate a ceasefire deal expired on Monday with no news of an extension and talks deadlocked in the same position as two months ago.
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s**t out of them,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News, after reports Oman and Iran are working out their own solution to control the strategic waterway.
More here.
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Trump again threatens to ‘bomb the s*** out of’ ally Oman over Strait of Hormuz
President’s threat comes as ceasefire agreement with Iran comes to an end, with little progress on reopening the key international waterwayAlisha Rahaman Sarkar18 August 2026 04:10
ICYMI: JD Vance says keeping gas prices low is ‘goal number one’ of Iran war
Rachel Dobkin18 August 2026 04:00
Fury erupts at Fox host who blasted ‘weak’ sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln
Fox News presenter Joey Jones is under fire following a three-minute on-air outburst targeting service members deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln who recently voiced concerns about deteriorating shipboard conditions.
“How weak are you?” Jones asked while co-hosting Fox News’s The Big Weekend Show, reacting to a segment that originally aired Thursday on CNN.
On social media, critics immediately turned the host’s own framing against him.
“Put him on that ship for the same length of time under similar conditions”, one X user posted.
Read on…
Fury erupts at Fox host who blasted ‘weak’ sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln
The former Marine Corps staff sergeant compared the carrier crew’s living conditions to his own deployment in AfghanistanJasmine Fernández18 August 2026 03:30
Watch: Kim-praising Trump asks South Korea, ‘Why are we helping you?’ in tiff over Iran aid
Dan Haygarth18 August 2026 03:00
Full story: Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
Fallout from war in Iran is leaving millions vulnerable to hunger
In Yemen, disruption of supplies through the Strait of Hormuz is compounding one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisesDan Haygarth18 August 2026 02:00NewerOlder