🛢️ Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, is currently operating at full capacity, pumping 7 million bpd of oil — BBG

🛢️🇮🇷 Entry of Yemeni Houthis into the Iran conflict could further worsen the oil crisis, as they operate near the critical chokepoint — the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. This is the route ships take after passing through the Suez Canal. Over 30 million tonnes of natural gas pass through the strait, along with massive container shipping volumes and 12% of total seaborne oil, according to various media reports.

Earlier, Iranian state media Tasnim reported that in response to any attempt to seize Kharg Island, the US would face an unprecedented response — whereby, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's allies could destabilize the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. The result would be a complete blockade of all maritime routes in the region.

⚠️🇮🇷 Iran has lowered the minimum age for participation in military tasks to 12 years — Al Arabiya

⚠️🇮🇷 Iran's president called on regional countries not to allow "enemies" to wage war against Iran from their territories, saying only then will they be able to develop and remain secure.

Iran will take "decisive retaliatory measures" if its infrastructure facilities and economic centers are attacked. — statement

⚠️🇸🇦🇺🇸🇮🇷 Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in supporting the US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.

At his speech at the Future Investment Initiative forum yesterday, Trump stated that, thanks to him, the US has become so powerful that the Saudi Crown Prince didn't think he would have to "kiss the ass" of the US president — and urged him to be "nice."

🔥🇺🇸🇮🇷 US Marines have arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command announced

🇺🇸 The White House has launched the OnlyFarms website, dedicated to supporting American farmers

🇹🇷🇺🇦 Turkey expects Ukraine peace talks to resume in April

🇶🇦🇺🇦 Qatar and Ukraine have signed a defense cooperation agreement

✴️ BTC stable and bouncing back

🇷🇺 Former head of Svyazinvest Yurchenko said he may increase his stake in VTB to 10%

🇺🇸🇮🇷 US Vice President Vance said the US has achieved most of its military objectives in Iran, and that Trump has made clear America does not want to remain in Iran for another year or two... and will leave soon

🇺🇦🇶🇦🇦🇪🇸🇦 Zelensky signed defense cooperation agreements with the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia as part of his Gulf states tour

🚫🇮🇷 Emirates Global Aluminium reports its Abu Dhabi plant suffered significant damage from Iranian attacks

IRGC says it struck US and Israeli industrial facilities in the region

⚠️🇮🇳🇪🇺 India and Europe say the Middle East conflict is beginning to weigh on their economic growth

✴️ TRX continues to hold strong relative to other major cryptocurrencies. Justin Sun is making efforts. In early February he stated that TRON has been buying, is buying, and will continue to buy TRX tokens on the market.

🇪🇺🇷🇺 Fico says Slovakia will not support the EU's 20th sanctions package against Russia due to the blockage of the "Druzhba" pipeline

🚫 Sony suspends memory card sales due to global SSD shortage

🔥🇺🇸 UNCONFIRMED, but for what it's worth:

Trump is convening an emergency meeting today at 6:30 PM ET.

Unusual for a weekend, unless something very serious is happening, experts note

🔥🇮🇷 Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran — WaPo

Any potential ground operation would not amount to a full-scale invasion and could instead involve raids conducted by special operations forces and conventional infantry units.

❗️🇷🇺 There is a high probability that Telegram's operation in Russia will be restored, Human Rights Council member Ionov told TASS.

According to him, the messenger's team will most likely reach an agreement with Russia and "fulfill the conditions required, particularly regarding extremism and channels that pose a threat to our country's national security."