US-Iran conflict: Oil prices ease as Trump signals possible path to talks

Day 202: Iran wants to make a deal, Tehran 'not ready': Trump

Day 201: Houthis: Saudi Arabia launched 40 strikes in Yemen

Day 200: Houthi attacks injure Saudi civilians

Day 199: Trump says 'open' to engaging with Iran

Day 198: Saudi pipeline attack, Yemen crisis add to regional tensions

The United States has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, the US State Department announced Thursday, in a significant boost to the kingdom's forces.

Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel -- the only country in the region to operate the jets -- have voiced concern about their sale to Riyadh despite a push for the kingdom to normalize relations.

"The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia's capability to deter current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving interoperability with US forces," the State Department said in a statement.

Russia and China vetoed a United Nations resolution that would have authorised UN experts to keep monitoring sanctions that were reimposed against Iran last year over its nuclear programme.

The UN Security Council sanctions are still in effect, which freeze Iran’s assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalise any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other measures.

Using a provision in the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers France, Germany and the UK triggered the “snapback” mechanism, which reimposed the sanctions on Sept. 27, 2025. It restored the Security Council sanctions committee and authorised a panel of UN experts to monitor implementation.

The US has sanctioned Iranian cryptocurrency exchange BitBank and its alleged network, accusing the platform of moving hundreds of millions of dollars to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and processing payments tied to shipping access through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Treasury Department announced the action under 'Operation Economic Outcast', Washington’s broader campaign to isolate Iran’s financial, commercial and logistical networks. The move targets what US officials describe as Tehran’s growing use of digital assets to bypass sanctions and maintain access to international finance.

US President Donald Trump has said Iran wants to reach a deal with Washington but is not yet prepared to accept the terms he considers necessary, signaling that diplomacy remains possible even as the US-Iran war continues.

“Iran wants to make a deal; they're not ready, in my opinion. We're gonna either make a deal that's good, or we're not gonna make a deal at all,” Trump said in a statement posted by the White House @RapidResponse47 X account.

The comments came as Trump has increasingly portrayed the conflict as approaching a possible diplomatic end while simultaneously warning that the US could resume or intensify military action.

Trump said Thursday that the US was “hopefully toward the end” of the war and claimed that he had communicated directly with Iranian officials. Tehran has not publicly confirmed the details of the contact.

Crude oil prices extended their decline on Friday (September 18, 2026), building on a two-day losing streak as immediate Middle East supply anxieties eased.

As of 9:25 am Tokyo time, international benchmark Brent crude hovered near $103 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) remained near the $101 mark, pulling back from the multi-month highs of nearly $110 hit earlier in the week. Murban crude stood at $121 per barrel, down 1.95%.

The pull-back in global energy markets is driven by strategic logistical workarounds and infrastructural recovery, cushioning a market heavily pressured by the ongoing US–Iran conflict.

Supply panic cooled significantly after reports revealed that Saudi Arabia has begun offering additional crude cargoes to Asian refiners via ship-to-ship transfers outside the Gulf, near Oman’s Sohar port.

Anxiety over a recent drone attack that disabled Saudi Arabia's vital East-West pipeline to the Red Sea terminal of Yanbu has lessened. Traders responded positively to comments from US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who indicated the outage would be "temporary".

Reports of Saudi pipeline repairs gave Wall Street some relief. The decline in crude helped cool soaring US Treasury bond yields, triggering a relief rally on Wall Street that marked its strongest session in six weeks on Thursday.

Despite the relief, energy analysts note that the market remains highly volatile. Both benchmarks continue to trade substantially higher than their early 2026 averages, as the conflict keeps key shipping corridors like the Strait of Hormuz highly contested.

Reuters reported that three pumping stations ​serving the vital East-West Pipeline in Saudi Arabia were damaged ‌in an attack last week, citing satellite imagery and three industry sources.

Saudi Aramco operates the 1,200 km (745-mile) pipeline ​running across the Arabian Peninsula. While the repair timeline remains unclear, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated the outage would be a temporary disruption measured "in days".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they struck an oil tanker sailing under the Togolese flag in the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported.

"The Togo-flagged oil tanker 'Trend' had been targeted and detained after a fire broke out on board," the statement said, referring to an attempted "illegal passage" through the vital waterway.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced Thursday a "security incident in the Strait of Hormuz, 16 nautical miles (29.6 km) northeast of Khasab, Oman".

UKMTO did not provide details about the vessel involved, and it is unclear whether it is the same mentioned by the Revolutionary Guards.

South Korea will not deploy troops to intervene militarily in the Iran war, President Lee Jae Myung said Friday, following reports that Seoul was weighing a possible deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.

"There will be no involvement or intervention in the war. We will not deploy troops or military assets in that manner," Lee told reporters at a press conference at the presidential Blue House.

Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister of Oman, and his British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband discussed on Thursday the latest regional developments and diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and creating conditions for addressing outstanding issues through dialogue and negotiations.

According to the Oman News Agency (ONA), the two ministers exchanged views during a phone call on ways to overcome obstacles facing political efforts. They stressed the importance of building on opportunities for understanding and translating them into practical steps toward consolidating de-escalation, while taking into account the security of the countries in the region and their legitimate interests.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Thursday (local time) warned Iranian officials against using their visit to New York for the UN General Assembly to go on luxury shopping sprees, saying, "not on our watch", even as the US has approved visas for Iran's delegation to attend the UNGA High-Level Week.

Pigott tried to compare the claimed plight of an average Iranian against the officials who will be visiting New York for the 81st UNGA High-Level Week and, according to him, will use the opportunity to go on "shopping sprees". He also claimed that the "shopping sprees" will be done on money that is paid for by the "Iranian people's suffering."

In a post on X, Pigott said, "While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime's officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch. We will not let the Iranian regime’s elites exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people's suffering, all while the regime funnels Iran’s wealth to support its terrorist proxies."

He added, "The US will continue to ban Iranian UN Mission officials, visiting officials, and their dependents from buying wholesale club memberships or luxury goods here.  New York-area retailers: be on guard, don’t become complicit in these violations."

The remarks came as the US State Department issued visas to Iran's delegation to attend next week's UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York, according to Anadolu news agency.

“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

“The delegation will be under travel restrictions and will face prohibitions on the purchase of luxury and other goods per our policy. The delegation is smaller than last year,” the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity. 

Iran's delegation reportedly includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

A tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire on board that has since been extinguished, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Friday.

The incident was reported to UKMTO by the vessel's company security officer at 0040 UTC on September 18.

All crew members are reported safe, while the environmental impact of the incident remains unconfirmed.

UKMTO advised vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities investigate the incident.

The latest warning comes amid heightened security concerns in the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world's oil and gas shipments passes.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA, as a British maritime agency also reported an attack.

"The Togo-flagged oil tanker 'Trend' had been targeted and detained after a fire broke out on board" late on Thursday, the statement said, calling it an attempted "illegal passage".

Early on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a ship was hit by an "unknown projectile", causing a fire that was extinguished.

The monitoring agency had also reported a "security incident" in Hormuz late on Thursday, without giving details.

It was unclear if the IRGC and UKMTO reports referred to the same incident.

Pakistan's military spokesman said his country will "go to any extent" to defend ally Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom comes under increased attack from Yemen's Houthi forces.

Houthi forces this week reported fresh Saudi airstrikes, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, prompting a wave of outrage from around the Muslim world.

In an interview Thursday with Arab News, Pakistan's military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said his country would back Saudi Arabia "both diplomatically and physically".

"We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he said.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey last month signed the so-called Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, committing the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked.

"Pakistan fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically," Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told Arab News in an interview on Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied Friday in a government-organised show of defiance after months of war, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.

Iran's government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and new US sanctions meant to increase Tehran's economic pain.

Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as "Janfaday-e Iran," or the "ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran." They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.

For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with assault rifles would begin soon. The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the powerful Revolutionary Guard paramilitary and its all-volunteer arm, the Basij.

Tehran's Guard chief, Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 600,000 people had registered to participate, with over 1 million expected to take part in the training. On Friday morning, the broadcaster estimated over 300,000 people were on the streets.

Israel's military moved forward on Friday in a south Lebanon village, facing off against a Lebanese army position after deploying tanks and detonating stun grenades, according to an AFP photographer and other media in the area.

Israel has been occupying a swathe of south Lebanon since war broke out in March against Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but the Lebanese army is supposed to gradually take control of the area under a framework agreement between the two countries.

Under the deal, Iran-backed Hezbollah is meant to disarm and Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, but progress has been slow, with Israel warning it will stay put as long as its foe remains a threat.

The European Union said Friday that its naval mission escorting ships through the Red Sea has raised its alert level, as the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen threaten the key waterway. 

Last week, the Houthis seized control of the entirety of Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports from Saudi Arabia.

"Europe is helping protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote online after talking with her Saudi counterpart.  

"Given the worsening security situation, EU Operation Aspides has raised the alert level of its vessels as it continues its escort duties."

The territorial gains by the Houthis have increased fears that global oil supplies will be further diminished, as the wider Middle East war is already choking off the Strait of Hormuz. 

In this Friday's sermon at the Prophet's Mosque, Imam Sheikh Abdulmohsen Al-Qasim explained that the differences among people in intellect, livelihood, and social standing are rooted in divine wisdom and mercy, fostering mutual interdependence, societal stability, and diverse paths to worship. He clarified that wealth or poverty are tests of faith rather than signs of God's favor or displeasure, stressing that genuine distinction comes only through piety and righteous conduct, with a believer's life moving between patience in hardship and gratitude in ease. He also reaffirmed the deep sanctity of Makkah and Madinah, condemning the Houthi militia's attacks targeting the security of the holy cities and terrorizing their residents, and recalled the Prophet's stern warning against anyone who unjustly intimidates the people of Madinah.

Saudi exports through the Bab al-Mandab Strait are continuing to suffer, with weekly traffic since the start of August at under a third of this year's seven-day average, data shows.

Traffic through Bab al-Mandab has been disrupted following recent Houthi gains on the Red Sea coast, hitting Saudi exports particularly hard.

The Iran-backed group now controls the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital artery for Saudi oil exports, as the wider Middle East war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.

Maritime tracking firm Kpler data shows that in the past seven days just five laden vessels carrying Saudi products have left the Red Sea via the vital route.

European and US stock markets retreated while oil prices wobbled on Friday at the end of a week dominated by central bank moves to tame inflation driven by the Middle East war.

After opening mixed, Wall Street's main indices were modestly lower in late morning trading. Losses were sharper in Europe, where Frankfurt, London and Paris all lost around 1.5 percent. Earlier, Asian markets had been lifted by renewed AI optimism.

"There isn't much conviction in key corners of the capital markets," said Patrick O'Hare at Briefing.com.

The Bank of Japan raised interest rates to a three-decade high on Friday, but the yen sank against the dollar on fears the pace of hikes might be slower than expected.

That came after the US Federal Reserve lifted borrowing costs, providing relief to traders concerned that policymakers were not moving quickly enough to address a spike in inflation that could deal a blow to the world's biggest economy.

US Central Command said the USS Boxer (LHD 4) conducted flight operations in the Arabian Sea, with the ship and its embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit continuing to enforce the US blockade against Iran. According to CENTCOM, as of September 18, US forces have redirected 105 commercial vessels to ensure strict compliance.

Life has ground to a halt for locals in Yemen's Mocha since Houthi fighters seized the strategic Red Sea port city last week, with shops closed, schools deserted and families confined to their homes.

"I haven't gone out to work for a week. If I do go out, it's only to go to the grocery shop out of necessity," resident Mahmoud, 34, told AFP by phone.

The bus driver spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals by the Houthis, who took control of the southwestern city in a lightning offensive this month against the internationally recognised government's forces.

Large numbers of civilians have fled the city, which once played a key role in the coffee trade and gives its name to the eponymous drink. 

Shops which used to stay open in the evenings now close much earlier, said Mahmoud.

The actual number of American service members killed in the conflict with Iran is higher than what the Pentagon has made public, according to Washington Post reporting relayed by Reuters. The Post's account draws on six US officials with knowledge of the Defense Department's internal records on casualties. Per five of those sources, the true fatality figure stands at 22 or more — four higher than what currently appears in the Pentagon's public tracking database.

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