Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been regularly advising Donald Trump during the war to “keep hitting the Iranians hard.”

The two leaders have been in frequent contact throughout Iran conflict.

Source: NYT

Iranian drone strike hit a fuel tank/refueling facility near Dubai International Airport, causing a large fire overnight.

Flight operations were temporarily suspended, causing major disruptions at the airport.

Trump is considering seizing Kharg Island, which handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports, if the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues.

U.S. officials say capturing the island could deliver “an economic knockout of the regime.”

The plan would require U.S. boots on the ground and a military occupation of the island.

Officials warn it carries major risks, including Iranian retaliation against Gulf oil facilities and pipelines, especially in Saudi Arabia.

One official said “there are big risks, there are big rewards.”

Source: Axios

At a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump pressed General Caine on why the United States could not immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Caine explained that controlling the strait is extremely difficult because Iran can disrupt shipping with small, mobile forces rather than large naval assets.

Even a single fighter in a small boat could threaten massive oil tankers moving slowly through the narrow waterway.

Source: NYT

Countries responding to Trump’s proposed Strait of Hormuz naval coalition:

🇫🇷 France: Refused to join.

🇦🇺 Australia: Declined participation.

🇯🇵 Japan: Refused deployment.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Reluctant.

🇰🇷 South Korea: Reviewing the proposal.

🇨🇳 China: Rejecting military involvement.

Reporter: Can you explain why you’re sending 5000 marines and sailors?

Trump: You’re a very obnoxious person.

Former White House energy adviser Bob McNally says there’s basically no policy fix if the Strait of Hormuz stays disrupted:

There are no policy solutions to a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Government tools like escorts, oil reserve releases, or gas tax cuts are marginal… symbolic… sideshows.

You’ve got to restore the flow of the Strait of Hormuz.

Even ending the war might not help: “No guarantee.”

Madagascar President Appoints Anti-Corruption Chief as Prime Minister

President Randrianirina appointed Mamitiana Rajaonarison as prime minister after dismissing the cabinet days earlier as part of a reform agenda launched following political transition.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has called on allied nations to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian attacks disrupt the vital energy corridor during the third week of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Some allies, including Japan and Australia, have signaled reluctance to deploy naval forces.

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Energy Secretary Says Iran War Will End in Weeks

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has stated that the ongoing conflict with Iran is expected to conclude within the next few weeks, amid rising concerns over soaring gas prices.

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Voter turnout in France’s local elections surged to 57.6% in the first round, with far-right and leftist parties making significant gains, while President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party underperformed in major cities.

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Days after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the war in Iran was protected by God, Pope Leo XIV issued a sharp rebuke and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Speaking from St. Peter’s Square during the Angelus, the Pope urged leaders to “cease fire so that avenues for dialogue may be reopened,” condemning attacks on schools, hospitals, and homes after two weeks of fighting that have reportedly killed more than a thousand civilians.

Later, preaching at a parish in Rome, Leo warned against invoking religion to justify war.

“Someone presumes to involve the name of God in choices of death,” he said. “But God cannot be enlisted by the darkness.”

The Trump administration has eased rules for the H-2A visa program, making it cheaper for farmers to hire temporary foreign workers as the U.S. faces a farm labor shortage.

Source: NYT

Ed Davey, the leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats, has called for Britain to develop a fully independent nuclear deterrent that does not rely on the United States.

Currently, the UK operates nuclear submarines and warheads but depends on US-supplied Trident missiles.

Davey argues the UK should eventually replace this system with one entirely under British control.

A fuel tank hit overnight by an Iranian drone at Dubai International Airport is still burning.

Javier Bardem at the Oscars:

No to war and Free Palestine.

U.S. seizures of sanctioned oil tankers are costing millions to maintain, undercutting claims they would be profitable.

One seized tanker, Skipper, has already cost $47M in repairs and maintenance in just three months, despite being worth only about $10M.

The ship was carrying ~1.8 million barrels of Venezuelan oil valued at $120M–$135M.

Keeping the cargo stored costs the U.S. about $15,000 per day (~$450K per month).

The government cannot sell the tanker or oil without a court ruling, leaving taxpayers covering the costs.

The U.S. has seized about 10 tankers linked to Venezuela and Iran, including some without oil onboard, meaning maintenance costs still apply.

Source: NYT

A Palestinian confronted Zohran Mamdani over his stance on Israel and Palestine.

I'm hearing you say free Palestine, but also Israel has the right to exist.

Don't be hypocritical.

It does not have the right to exist. It's not your land to say it has the right to exist.

Two U.S. Navy minesweeping ships — USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara — were spotted in Malaysia, despite previously being deployed to Bahrain for Strait of Hormuz mine-clearing missions.

Their absence means 2 of the 3 U.S. mine countermeasure ships assigned to the Middle East are now thousands of miles away during the Iran conflict.

The move comes as Iran is suspected of laying naval mines in the Strait.

SOURCE