Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett on Iran:

This regime is rotten, like a tree rotten from within, and eventually it will collapse.

With this rotten tree, we can drill a little here, drill a little there. I’m not talking only about kinetic actions.

I’m talking about economic actions, things I don’t want to mention, strengthening the opposition from within and strengthening their enemies.

It now costs $1 million a day to hire a supertanker on the Persian Gulf-to-China route, for first time ever.

Previous "once in a lifetime" peaks were around $200,000. This is five times that.

Almost no one will send a ship through Hormuz anymore, so crude gets shuttled through the strait on smaller vessels then transferred to VLCCs outside — soaking up ships and time.

One Korean operator, Sinokor, controls roughly 10% of the global VLCC fleet and has unusual pricing power.

Even the "safer" Oman-to-China leg costs $644,000/day.

Refiners keep paying because fuel margins are extreme.

Old tankers are selling for double last year's price.

Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett:

At the end of the day, Israel must have absolute security control from the sea to the Jordan River.

The Palestinians will manage themselves civilly in their areas, in Areas A and B, and Area C will ultimately be part of Israel.

Trying to bring about a two-state solution would bring a terrible disaster upon us.

Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett on Zohran Mamdani:

He says he is in favor of Jews and finds a pet Jew to be with him, but you can see that he is anti-Israel.

Anyone who is against the State of Israel as the Jewish state is antisemitic.

First-ever live emergency alert sent to Mecca.

Saudi Civil Defense warned residents of "potential danger," told them to shelter indoors away from windows, then gave the all-clear eight minutes later.

Same alerts went to Jeddah, Taif, Yanbu, Abha, Jazan, and AlUla.

Oil tanker El Gaia being towed into Omani port after being hit near Hormuz.

CENTCOM said yesterday Iran hit it with a missile last month then a drone this weekend.

Iran says it struck naval mines in a restricted zone.

Oman and India confirming an attack and fire; one Indian crew member still missing.

The tanker had its AIS off for days before the incident.

Japan just crossed 100,000 centenarians for the first time.

107,677 people aged 100+, up nearly 8,000 in one year. 88% are women.

The oldest: Fuyo Kishimoto, 114, the last confirmed person born in the Meiji era, who still finishes her meals.

The oldest man, 112, does gymnastics at his nursing home.

Japan has more centenarians than any other country.

The count was 153 when they started tracking in 1963.

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov:

If the Americans had not backed out of the Anchorage agreement, if Europe had not pulled them away from these agreements, we would have already lived a year without war.

This is an obvious fact.

So draw your own conclusions.

Iranian highway billboard recruiting civilians for paramilitary sniper training.

"Do you know how to use this?" next to a Dragunov rifle, with an SMS signup number.

Run by the Janfada People's Units, a Basij-linked volunteer militia program.

China is building what appears to be the world's first mothership designed to deploy giant submarine drones, spotted at a Shanghai shipyard.

The ship has a well-deck, a lowering cradle system, and an internal hangar that could hold around four uncrewed submarines.

China already has two types of XXLUUVs (35m and 45m long) under testing — 6 to 8 times the size of the US Navy's Orca drone sub.

H I Sutton at Naval News says the only plausible explanation is a combat drone submarine mothership, not research.

China is now well ahead of any other country in fielding full-sized unmanned submarines.

Kremlin says Trump's proposal for a ceasefire on energy targets between Russia and Ukraine is "a good idea."

NEW: Trump envoy John Coale says the U.S. has urged banks to unfreeze Belarusian assets.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

I think there was perhaps no country in the world subjected to this quantity of sanctions — Syria, perhaps, and North Korea.

There were so many sanctions, some of them dating back to 1979.

There are even entire generations that have never experienced financial transactions, bank guarantees and things like that.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Through mediation carried out by Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Erdogan with President Trump, a historic decision was taken and the sanctions on Syria were lifted.

I believe Syria was born again after the sanctions were lifted, and the road opened before it.

What remains now is policy, procedures, and making the right and sound choices so that this Syrian project can move forward, God willing.

Kremlin:

Russia believes space should remain free of weapons and hopes for broad international support for the complete demilitarization of space.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

We are pleased to follow the recent developments toward reaching a final peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as Azerbaijan’s constructive attitude on this matter.

We also believe that, with the completion of this process, a new period of cooperation will begin in our region.

We want the South Caucasus to be known not for conflicts, but for peace, transportation, energy, trade and economic development.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

Iran's security, stability and prosperity naturally directly affect our region. In this respect, we want the existing conflict to be resolved through diplomatic means as soon as possible.

The increasing mutual attacks in the recent period are seriously undermining peace efforts. These actions, which are increasing tensions in the region, must end immediately.

At the same time, safe, uninterrupted and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz must be allowed, and the pre-war status quo must be restored as soon as possible.

US Oil Executives Say Global Fuel Crisis Has Arrived

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Russia-Ukraine war:

The war itself has truly shifted over the past year from a war of attrition to a war of destruction.

There is now no place that is not being targeted. We are also seeing civilian casualties steadily increase.

As a nation that knows war and knows how to fight, we said from the very beginning where this would lead.

This will escalate increasingly. Geographically, methodically and in terms of targets, unfortunately, this is the point we have reached.

This needs to stop to prevent it from spreading further and causing more disasters.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Russia-Ukraine war:

From time to time, there are statements about the possibility of the war spilling over not only in the Black Sea, but also into other European countries.

God forbid, we do not even want to think about this, let alone voice it. The geographical expansion of the war is the last thing we want to see.

China's Foreign Ministry:

We oppose any arms race in outer space or any attempts to weaponize it or turn it into a war zone.

We urge the U.S. to stop expanding its military buildup in outer space and safeguard global strategic stability with concrete actions.