Tehran: Strait of Hormuz stays shut as US-Iran diplomacy push continues

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces disabled the steering gear of the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova after the cargo vessel attempted to transit the Gulf of Oman towards an Iranian port in violation of the US blockade against Iran.

CENTCOM said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the vessel’s engine room after its civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from US forces. The vessel was stopped from continuing towards Iran.

Yemen's coastguard on Tuesday said strikes by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a cargo vessel killed at least six people near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off the country's coast.

A Houthi media outlet later reported that the group's armed forces targeted a ship on Tuesday in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait that it said was carrying Saudi military equipment.

The statement came hours after the Yemeni government's transport ministry accused the Houthis of launching multiple strikes that hit the vessel.

The ministry gave a slightly smaller toll, saying four had been killed.

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A senior Iranian security official said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States changes its policies and accepts Tehran's conditions, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks during a meeting with China's ambassador, saying Washington was responsible for instability in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman.

Rezaei accused the United States of waging an "illegal war" that has endangered the region and said Washington must end the conflict, release Iran's blocked funds and help bring an end to fighting in Lebanon and Gaza. He added that any agreement between Iran and Oman concerning a route through the Strait of Hormuz would remain separate from the broader issue of the waterway's closure.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the seven-day average for oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has risen to nearly 9 million barrels per day, citing coordinated efforts by the US military and Gulf allies.

He said an additional 5 million to 7 million barrels per day is leaving the region through upgraded pipelines and export facilities, bringing total regional oil flows to about 15 million barrels per day.

Wright added that more than 20 million barrels left the Arabian Gulf region on Sunday alone, exceeding the pre-conflict average.

The United States will sponsor a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in early September in Rome, a State Department official announced Tuesday.

"The political track will reconvene in Rome in early September, and conversations will continue in Beirut, Jerusalem, and Washington in the interim," the official said on condition of anonymity. "We feel good about the trajectory."

Bahrain's High Criminal Court has sentenced two men to life imprisonment after convicting them of spying for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and acting on its behalf in activities that authorities said targeted the kingdom's security and national interests. 

The Public Prosecution said the defendants were found guilty of communicating with the IRGC and its operatives to assist hostile and terrorist acts aimed at harming Bahrain's national interests. The court also ordered the confiscation of seized items.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran on Tuesday as Islamabad steps up mediation efforts aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.

According to Iran’s official IRNA news agency, the two officials discussed key diplomatic and bilateral issues, but no further details were provided.

An alleged strike by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a cargo vessel killed at least four people near the Bab Al Mandeb Strait off the coast of southern Yemen, the country's internationally recognised government said Tuesday.

The strike marks the latest fatal attack on a ship in the contested Red Sea waterway after the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last month.

The Yemeni government's transport ministry accused the Houthis of launching the salvo that hit a cargo vessel named the "Tihamah" with "three successive ballistic-missile strikes while it was sailing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait".

"The Houthi attack on the vessel which was carrying food supplies sparked a fire on board, killed four crew members - three Pakistanis and one Indonesian - and injured four others, as well as a member of the rescue team," said the ministry.

A source from the Yemeni government forces based in the port city of Mokha said five people had been killed in the incident.

Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik received a telephone call from Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, during which the two leaders discussed recent regional and international developments and issues of mutual concern.

They exchanged views on efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region and highlighted the longstanding fraternal ties between Oman and Bahrain and their peoples.

A strike on a cargo vessel killed at least two people near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off the coast of southern Yemen, British maritime security company Vanguard reported Tuesday, in the latest incident in the contested waterway.

"Two crew members, one Pakistani and one Indonesian national, were killed, while four others, comprising three Pakistani and one Indonesian national, were injured," the agency added.

"The Yemeni Navy subsequently deployed to assist the vessel and came under fire, resulting in one additional casualty."

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says it has been informed of an incident off the coast of Al Mokha, Yemen, where a cargo vessel in the southern Red Sea was reportedly hit by an unknown projectile, resulting in casualties.

Authorities are investigating the incident. Vessels in the area have been advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

An Israeli double-tap strike on southern Lebanon wounded two people on Tuesday and damaged an ambulance, the Lebanese health ministry said, condemning the "continued targeting" of rescuers.

The incident is the latest Israeli strike despite an ongoing truce in the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the strike targeted a vehicle in the southern city of Nabatieh, with the health ministry reported two wounded.

The ministry said the Israeli military struck again when rescuers from the Risala Scouts Association, linked to the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement, came to the scene, damaging the ambulance.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Tuesday it had received a report of an incident involving a container ship and military forces in the Gulf of Oman. In an advisory issued at 0715 UTC, UKMTO placed the incident near Gwadar, Pakistan, and advised vessels transiting the area to stay updated on the latest maritime security information and remain aware of the evolving situation. Authorities are aware of the incident, and relevant investigations are ongoing, the agency added.

Oil prices extended a strong rally Tuesday as hopes for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz fade, fanning fresh inflation fears and ramping up bets on at least one US interest rate hike this year.

Crude has surged around 10 percent over the past week, with the United States and Iran appearing no closer to a deal on the crucial waterway despite upbeat comments from the White House earlier in the month.

In the latest blow, Donald Trump said Monday he would seek conflict compensation from Iran as part of any peace negotiations, citing attacks and killings stretching back decades allegedly backed or perpetrated by Tehran.

The US president's announcement was a direct response to Tehran's demand for US war reparations as a precondition to any resolution of the crisis.

The region must move beyond its prolonged state of “no war, no peace”, towards sustainable stability founded on international law, peaceful coexistence and respect for sovereignty, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, said.

In a post on X, Gargash said clarity over the region’s future direction was essential for its stability and the future of its people. “The region cannot remain indefinitely in a state of neither war nor peace; its stability and the future of its people require clarity of vision and direction,” Gargash said.

“At the same time, the next phase cannot be built on fragile foundations or arrangements detached from international law, the principles of peaceful coexistence, respect for sovereignty and the logic of peace. The goal is to move towards sustainable stability governed by clear and shared rules," the Diplomatic Adviser added.

Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani discussed efforts to maintain regional security and stability during a telephone call on Monday with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty.

According to the Bahrain News Agency, the two ministers reviewed regional developments, the protection of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, and current challenges facing the region.

They emphasised advancing de-escalation efforts, promoting regional peace, and strengthening joint Arab cooperation.

The discussion also touched on continuing bilateral consultation and coordination within international forums alongside other issues of mutual concern.

Oil prices extended hefty gains Tuesday as hopes for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz fade, fanning fresh inflation fears and ramping up bets on at least one US interest rate hike this year.

Crude has surged around 10 per cent over the past week, with the United States and Iran appearing no closer to a deal on the crucial waterway despite upbeat comments from the White House earlier in the month.

In the latest blow, US President Donald Trump said on Monday he would seek conflict compensation from Iran as part of any peace negotiations, citing attacks and killings stretching back decades allegedly backed or perpetrated by Tehran.

The announcement was a direct response to Tehran's demand for US war reparations as a precondition to any resolution of the crisis.

Trump's remarks came a day after he said he was "low-keying" his approach to the conflict, suggesting he was prepared to let economic pressure mount in place of further military strikes.

Oman said it was working to contain an oil spill off its southern coast after a tanker ran aground in June inside a protected marine area, triggering calls for action by environmentalists. The ship had been stranded for weeks near al-Qibliyyah island after it was rocked by explosions. The Oman Environment Authority on Monday said the ongoing spill had affected roughly 390 square kilometres, according to its most recent analysis.

The slick was concentrated around Oman's Hallaniyat archipelago off the country's southern coast, where a marine reserve was established last year to protect sensitive ecosystems home to diverse marine life, including rare sea turtles. The country's environment authority said rapid action was needed to protect the area's biodiversity, including "coral reefs, turtle nesting areas, marine habitats and coastal areas of ecological importance”. 

Diesel prices in the US and Europe surged Monday as a series of refinery disruptions tightened supplies of the fuel used by trucks, farmers, manufacturers and other major industries.

US ultra-low-sulfur diesel futures jumped 7.4% to $4.19 a gallon, the biggest one-day increase since July, while European diesel refining margins rose nearly 10%, Reuters reported. Diesel prices have been rising faster than crude oil benchmarks as traders focus increasingly on shortages of refined products rather than crude itself.

The latest pressure followed a Ukrainian attack on a refinery in Russia's Tatarstan region and renewed attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi Arabia's Jazan refinery, which has been offline since July 27. The Saudi facility is now expected to resume operations around Aug. 30.

The US Navy is the only force with control over the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump claimed late on Monday. Speaking during a White House event, he said: “The only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy. We have a blockade that’s been infallible—it’s a steel wall… We control the Strait, 100%.”

Trump added that the strait is “open now” for non-Iranian traffic and that US forces have "mine-swept" the entire waterway.

Trump called for Iran to compensate families of those killed by Iranian roadside bombs, conflicts led by General Soleimani, USS Cole victims, and hundreds of thousands of protesters over 50 years, including 52,000 in the last five months.

This responds to Iran's request for $300 billion, plus other demands like releasing frozen assets and lifting sanctions, amid threats to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Day 160: Tehran reshuffles military

Day 159: Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan

Day 158: Trump says Iran can’t ‘go on much longer’

Day 157: Iran says Oman deal alone won’t reopen Hormuz

Day 156: Iran says new Strait of Hormuz shipping route agreed with Oman

DAY 155: Resolving US-Iran conflict in 'progressive stages'

Day 154: Trump says Iran talks ongoing as IRGC warns of readiness