Houthis claim attacks on Yemeni forces as Iran-Oman Hormuz deal nears

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Jeddah on an official visit at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with talks expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and regional developments.

Sharif is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Information Minister Atta Tarar and other senior officials.

As part of the visit, the prime minister will also perform Umrah and travel to Madinah to pay respects at Roza-E-Rasool.

Oil prices barrelled ahead again Thursday, extending their volatile run, while global stock markets were stuck as investors assessed corporate earnings, with tech firms back under pressure.

With traders awaiting developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the main oil contracts rose, Brent crude adding three percent to almost $82, while the main US contract WTI added 2.3 percent to nearly $77.

Wall Street was in cautious mode with the Dow starting off flat then dropping 0.6 percent two hours into the session.

The broader based S&P 500 was off 0.2 percent while the tech-heavy Nasdaq inched just into the green.

European main indices closed mixed with London's FTSE 100 losing 0.2 percent while Frankfurt added 0.1 percent and Paris 0.4 percent though fresh highs proved elusive.

In Asia, tech-heavy indices were weighed down by concerns over the profitability of AI investments after disappointing earnings from US giants SanDisk and Western Digital.

A sharp decline in shares of Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday also soured the mood, after its earnings results raised worries about huge AI spending.

With the Middle East conflict still casting a shadow, Iran said Wednesday it had agreed a route with Oman for ships transiting the waterway and were adding the final touches to arrangements for jointly managing it.

Official sources briefing Iranian media said any reopening would depend on the United States fulfilling what Tehran considers a commitment to end naval blockade of Iran's ports.

The US Mission to Yemen has expressed condolences to the families of Yemeni soldiers killed in attacks in Hadhramawt and Marib.

In a post on X, the embassy condemned the attacks, blaming Iran-backed Houthi rebels and describing them as further acts of violence against the Yemeni people.

The US Mission also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attacks.

Iran has made clear that its emerging maritime agreement with Oman will not, by itself, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal commercial shipping, saying the United States must first meet a series of political and economic conditions before free navigation can resume, according to news reports.

The clarification by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi comes a day after Tehran announced that it had agreed with Oman on the geographical route vessels would follow through the strategic waterway, raising hopes that one of the world’s most important energy corridors could soon reopen.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which the two leaders reviewed progress in the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership.

Modi said the discussions also covered the current situation in West Asia, as regional tensions continue to remain a focus for international leaders.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday said they had attacked government positions in response to an alleged military buildup by neighbouring Saudi Arabia, while medical sources said at least 38 Yemeni troops were killed.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused the kingdom of a "large Saudi military buildup" to prepare for attacks. "Therefore, our armed forces conducted a large-scale and precise military operation targeting Saudi enemy troop concentrations," he added, referring to the Saudi-backed government's forces.

India approved a $2.5 billion biogas programme to sharply expand domestic clean fuel production on Thursday, after Middle East war shortages underscored dependence on energy imports.

The South Asian nation, the world's third-largest importer of oil and the second-largest buyer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), has faced major disruptions due to restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, driven by conflict between the United States and Iran.

India consumes more than 30 million tonnes of LPG annually, importing more than half its needs.

A government statement released on Thursday said the latest National Circular Bioenergy Scheme "marks a defining moment in India's clean energy journey".

It will back waste collection, manure processing and the expansion of existing biogas plants.

"It will transform the country's abundant agricultural residue, cattle dung, press mud (sugar cane waste), municipal organic waste and other biomass resources into clean fuel, organic manure, rural income and national economic value," the statement said.

Houthi rebels launched a missile attack in central Yemen on Thursday that caused dozens of casualties among government forces, a Yemeni military official told AFP, declining to provide a breakdown of the dead and wounded.

The missile hit troops during their morning formation at a camp in Marib province, "killing and wounding at least 45 personnel", said the official, who declined to be named for security reasons.

Iran's Acting Defence Minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn-e-Reza, on Thursday asserted the country's military preparedness to counter external security threats, stating that the Iranian Armed Forces' readiness relies on its domestic defence sector.

"Every day, the signs of the enemy's erosion of power become more evident; however, our Armed Forces, relying on the country's defence industry, are fully equipped to respond to any threat," official state news agency IRNA quoted Ebn-e-Reza as saying in a post on his social media handle.

Ebn-e-Reza warned that nations seeking to purchase security and military superiority from foreign suppliers will soon discover that Iran's indigenous technology surpasses all regional military hardware.

The Acting Minister's remarks follow a fresh surge in tensions between Tehran and Washington, driven by US President Donald Trump's latest warnings of military action against Iran.

A majority of Americans believe the US war with Iran is making the Middle East less stable, with a new Reuters/Ipsos poll showing those expecting greater regional chaos outnumber those anticipating improved stability by three to one.

The six-day survey found that 50% of respondents expect the conflict to destabilize the Middle East over the next year, compared with just 17% who believe it will bring more stability. The poll also highlights growing concerns over the economic impact of the conflict, with 58% of Americans expecting gasoline prices to rise further as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to affect global oil supplies.

Kuwait's Education Ministry has ordered the closure of the Iranian private school in the country, with Education Minister Dr Jalal Al Tabtabaei revoking its operating licence on Thursday.

The decision means the school will not admit new students for the 2026/2027 academic year. The ministry has asked parents to transfer their children to other schools and said it will ensure a smooth transition so students' education is not disrupted.

According to the ministry, the move is based on regulations governing private schools and follows reports submitted by its General Department of Private Education.

Officials said the decision is aimed at enforcing the country's private education law, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and safeguarding the public interest while maintaining order in the education system.

Qatar Airways will resume flights to three regional destinations from August 8, restoring services to Bahrain, Kuwait and Erbil as it continues to rebuild its network.

The airline announced on Wednesday that scheduled flights to Bahrain (BAH), Erbil (EBL), and Kuwait (KWI) will resume on August 8.

The move will reconnect travellers with three key destinations across the Gulf and the wider region, offering more options for passengers travelling for business, leisure and family visits.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt express their strongest condemnation and denunciation of the ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, particularly the targeting of healthcare facilities and medical infrastructure, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and the continued loss of civilian lives, including women and children, in grave violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.

Lebanese state media reported Israeli airstrikes and shelling overnight into Thursday morning, after Israel announced its first military fatalities in more than a month as renewed hostilities flared.

The strikes -- which began Wednesday afternoon and were accompanied by the first evacuation warning in weeks -- came as Israel and Lebanon took part in US-mediated talks in Rome, with Beirut seeking Israel's phased withdrawal from the south.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir will visit Saudi Arabia on August 6-8, the South Asian nation's foreign office said on Thursday. 

"Although taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Gulf, the visit will carry significance beyond the immediate crisis and short term considerations," said foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi, whose government has been mediating to end the US-Iran war that has drawn in Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan hopes an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz will lead to the United States and Iran resuming talks under a memorandum of understanding Islamabad helped mediate, the foreign office said Thursday.

"We hope that the agreement on the Strait will pave the way for continuing dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical level talks between Iran and the United States," foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters. 

The master of a tanker reported hearing two explosions while transiting the Strait of Hormuz about 9 nautical miles southeast of Kumzar, Oman, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a report issued late on Wednesday. The time-late report, designated UKMTO Warning 107-26 and classified as an attack, was received at 1918 UTC on Aug. 5, 2026, from the vessel’s master. The crew and vessel were confirmed safe, with no environmental damage reported. Vessels were advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

UKMTO, the Royal Navy-linked centre that monitors maritime security in the region, posted the warning on its official X account early Thursday.

No further details on the cause of the explosions, the vessel’s identity or flag, or any response by regional authorities were immediately available in the UKMTO product. Investigations by relevant authorities typically follow such reports.Mariners continue to face advice for heightened vigilance in the area.

President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US has “massive amounts” of military weapons and munitions and warned that people who disclose information about US weapons supplies could face legal consequences, as questions persist over the strain that months of fighting with Iran has placed on American stockpiles.

Trump said the US was continuing to expand weapons production and rejected suggestions that American forces were running short of critical munitions. He also lashed out at people he accused of making “treasonous statements” about US military capabilities.

Trump said those responsible for leaking or disclosing sensitive information would be pursued, saying: “We’re going to hunt them down.”

The remarks come as the Trump administration continues to balance military pressure on Iran with diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict and stabilising the region.

His comments come amid an increasingly contentious debate in Washington over whether the U.S. has sufficient munitions for a prolonged conflict.

The US has used large quantities of precision weapons, air-defense interceptors and other military equipment during the Iran war. By the time an April ceasefire took effect, US forces had struck more than 13,000 targets across Iran and American air defenses had intercepted more than 1,700 Iranian drones and ballistic missiles, according to figures cited by the White House.

Most Asian markets sank on Thursday with tech firms back under pressure after a four-day rebound amid lingering AI worries, while oil rose even as Iran said it was finalising a deal with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.

Investors have enjoyed a much-needed rally since Friday, following a month-long tech rout that slashed billions of dollars off valuations owing to concerns about the vast sums companies had pumped into artificial intelligence.

The recovery started with Seoul -- the poster child of the sell-off since June -- soaring almost 18 percent at the end of last week and recently battered chipmakers SK hynix and Samsung powering more than 25 percent higher.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said communication with Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is very "difficult at the moment," but his presence is a "great strength" for the country to continue its path.

The United States and Israel killed Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28 out of "desperation," expecting Iran to collapse after the "brutal" action, Pezeshkian said in an interview published on the website of his office on Wednesday (local time).

Oil prices were little changed early on Thursday (August 6) as markets weighed growing hopes for a US-Iran diplomatic breakthrough against continued uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil shipping chokepoint.

At about 9:54 am Thursday in Tokyo, Aug. 6, the market snapshot showed Brent crude at $79.38 a barrel, down 7 cents, or 0.09%, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was at $75.01, down 21 cents, or 0.28%.

The muted trading followed a sharp sell-off earlier in the week after Qatar said draft proposals for a potential US-Iran agreement were being circulated. Brent plunged 5.3% on Tuesday to settle at $79.36, while WTI fell 5.7% to $75.77 — both three-week lows.

The latest price action suggests traders are pricing in a greater probability of a diplomatic solution, but not yet assuming that the crisis is over.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani on the latest diplomatic developments between Iran and Oman during a phone call on Wednesday, according to Iran's official news agency IRNA.

Both ministers stressed the importance of continuing political and diplomatic consultations and regional cooperation to help reduce tensions, IRNA reported.

Iran tightened its control over the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28 following their joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.

Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting US military bases and facilities in the region and targets in Israel.

The US military has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and aimed at "degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping."

Israeli forces shelled the southern Lebanese town of Majdel Zoun, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

The report did not provide details on any casualties or damage from the artillery fire.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said Wednesday they had attacked another Saudi oil tanker, the second in a day as the rebels pressed on with their declared maritime blockade of the kingdom.

In a statement, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels targeted the "Saudi oil tanker Daisy in the Gulf of Aden with a ballistic missile".

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

Day 153: Trump pauses strikes as Iran demands US honour deal

Day 152: Trump announces Hamas disarmament deal

Day 151: GCC condemns renewed Iranian attacks on Kuwait, Jordan

Day 150: US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq

Day 149: Trump holds 'positive' talks with Zelenskyy, Netanyahu

Day 148: Saudi air defences foil drone attack on oil facilities

Day 147: Iran says military ready as Netanyahu heads to US

Day 146: Iran says it earned $11.5b in oil sales during the war

Day 145: US-Iran war escalates as Tehran targets US bases in Gulf