War, latest news. Pasdaran: ‘The Strait of Hormuz will reopen as soon as the US accepts our conditions’. The NATO-style ‘Mecca Agreement’ makes its debut

The Yemeni army has attacked the Houthi rebels in response to recent Houthi attacks in central and eastern Yemen. Colonel Majed al-Nazili, a spokesperson for the Yemeni army, said the attacks targeted the rebels’ “bases and capabilities” across several front lines. He added that the attacks were aimed at “protecting unarmed civilians” and defending the army’s security, marking a serious escalation since a 2022 truce largely halted the fighting. The country’s civil war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition allied with the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

“Our expectation is that the same quantities of oil and gas will be exported from the Gulf as were before the conflict began. That is what the Iranians have told us they intend to do.” US Vice-President Jd Vance made this statement in an interview with Fox News, explaining that Tehran had informed Washington that it had no intention of imposing tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. Vance added that the United States expects oil and gas flows to return to pre-conflict levels, but that it will judge Iran “by its actions, not by its reassurances”. According to Vance, Iran and the Persian Gulf states, particularly Oman, are discussing ways to ensure safe passage through the Strait, including through mine clearance and a commitment from Tehran not to attack commercial vessels. “We are still in the thick of it with Iran,” said the vice-president, explaining that Washington is using diplomatic, economic and military tools to achieve what he describes as the best possible outcome for Americans. “We don’t trust, we verify,” he concluded.

Oman has stated that talks with Iran on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz are ‘positive’, whilst at the same time warning against attacks on ships in this strategic waterway, which is effectively blocked by Tehran.

“The ongoing negotiations on the rules governing navigation through the Strait are taking place in a positive and constructive atmosphere,” the Foreign Office said. Without naming Iran, the Foreign Office condemned “the repeated attacks” and called for all parties to refrain from any action that might jeopardise the diplomatic process.

“Whether or not we should fight, the military commanders know more about this than I do or you do. They know their own capabilities.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made this statement at a press conference, reiterating that the final say lies not with the government but with the military leadership and, ultimately, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. “The Supreme Leader decides, and whatever decision he takes, we will support him to the very end,” added Pezeshkian. The president explained that, under Iran’s institutional framework, the conduct of war does not fall within the remit of the executive: “War does not depend on the government. The government is there to provide the necessary support.”

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz continues to have a severe impact on Iraqi exports. Before the end of February, when the US and Israel announced the launch of military operations against Iran – to which Tehran was quick to ‘respond’ – Iraq was exporting around 3.4 million barrels a day via the Strait of Hormuz, said the Oil Minister, Bassem Mohammed Khudair, as reported by the Iraqi news agency INA. Currently, the minister stated, “Iraq’s production stands at 2.7 million barrels a day and it exports between 1.5 and 1.7 million barrels a day”. “The situation in the region,” he emphasised, “requires in-depth dialogue.” The Iraqi minister also stressed the need to reach “solutions in the country’s best interests”.

“The United States are colonialists and murderers.” This was stated by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. “If the United States had had the power, they would undoubtedly have wanted Iran not to exist, but talks and expert opinions prevented that.” Referring to the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz, he emphasised: “The Americans have breached the part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Iran, which stipulates that the United States must act in accordance with the guidelines drawn up jointly by Iran and Oman. They failed to act, so we reacted.” According to the ISNA news agency, speaking to local media, Pezeshkian also called for unity among Iranian officials “to preserve the achievements the country has made”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the Israeli Ministry of Finance to increase the planned rise in defence spending over 13 years from 350 to 400 billion shekels (from around 117 to 133 billion dollars) the planned increase in defence spending over a 13-year period, requesting that the funds be allocated before the upcoming elections in October. According to *Haaretz*, officials at the Ministry of Finance are strongly opposed to the proposal, arguing that such a significant increase in spending would need to be accompanied by tax rises, cuts to other areas of expenditure or an increase in the public deficit. Israel’s defence budget has risen repeatedly since the war broke out following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Earlier this year, the government had approved a defence budget of 112 billion shekels ($37 billion). After Israel launched the war against Iran alongside the United States, the government increased the allocation to 143 billion shekels (48 billion dollars). The Israeli armed forces have requested a further 40 billion shekels ($13 billion), of which 15 billion shekels ($5 billion) were approved immediately. The remaining funds were earmarked for October and November, subject to actual expenditure. Israeli defence officials, the Israeli newspaper reports, are calling for several more billion shekels and warn that some defence companies could halt certain production lines if they do not receive this funding. According to the officials, these companies had been forced to increase their production capacity to meet the army’s demand during the war, particularly for weapons and ammunition. Now, however, they risk having to shut down some production lines because the Israel Defence Forces cannot guarantee new orders, due to the ongoing dispute with the Ministry of Finance.

Iran and Oman are “very close” to reaching an agreement on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, as part of negotiations for a temporary solution for commercial traffic. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.

Araghchi explained that Tehran no longer accepts the previous system for separating shipping lanes through the Strait and believes it is necessary to establish a new route.

A vessel belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was the target of a missile attack whilst passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of this morning. This has been confirmed by ADNOC itself, as reported by the UAE news agency WAM, which stated that there were no injuries and that the situation is “under control”.

“The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to the mechanisms and conditions specific to the Islamic Republic of Iran and has nothing to do with the negotiations between Iran and Oman”. This was stated by the spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hossein Mohebi, who clarified that the reopening of the strategic sea passage will depend exclusively on an agreement with Washington. “When America accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly reopen,” added Mohebi.

“The defeat of the United States and the Zionist regime has reinforced the conviction that foreign forces – the main cause of insecurity – must leave the region.” This was stated by Ali Akbar Velayati, adviser to the Supreme Leader on international affairs. “Growing cooperation between the states of the region can ensure regional security,” he added in a post on X. “Recent developments reflect the resilience of the armed forces, the steadfastness of the Iranian people and the courage of the Axis of Resistance,” he added.

Turkey has not ruled out extending the defence agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to include Egypt in the future, Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz said in an interview with CNN Turk. “In the future, of course, it is possible. Egypt is a fairly strong country and its participation could be important for a framework of this kind,” said Yilmaz, responding to a question about the possibility of Cairo joining the agreement.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement, which was signed by the leaders of the three countries. According to the Turkish newspaper *Türkiye*, the pact provides, amongst other things, for cooperation in the exchange of intelligence and coordination on regional security matters.

Sources have reported that intense clashes are currently taking place between the Yemeni armed forces and militias affiliated with Saudi Arabia in the western part of the country. The Iranian news agency Mehr has reported this on Telegram.

A US official has stated that progress has been made in the talks between Iran and Oman aimed at the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “We expect an agreement shortly,” he said in a statement sent to journalists who had asked the question. This was reported by The Times of Israel. US President Donald Trump has been saying that an agreement is imminent since Saturday, when he called off a major military strike against Iranian energy sites. Recent reports suggest that the parties have reached a framework agreement.

The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, is reported to have told key advisers to the Trump administration in recent weeks that a “way out” of the war with Iran must be found, warning of the risks of further military escalation. This is according to CNN, citing three sources with knowledge of internal discussions within the administration. According to the American broadcaster, the most senior officer in the US armed forces believes that the military options currently available to escalate the conflict could have negative consequences and that air power alone would be unlikely to achieve the objectives set out by President Donald Trump.

“Caine is looking for a way out,” said one of the sources quoted by CNN. The general’s concerns are reportedly shared by other senior figures in the administration. Caine is reported to have discussed both the risks associated with an escalation and the possibility of finding a solution to the conflict with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance. According to two of the sources, Caine is also said to have held confidential talks with some of these officials with the aim of improving coordination between the various parts of the administration and arriving at meetings with Trump with a shared assessment of the limitations and risks of the various military options. The discussions are also said to have covered scenarios that do not involve the deployment of US troops on the ground.