🇺🇸🇧🇭🇮🇷⚡️- Sirens have been activated in Bahrain.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- 6 Month price chart for Brent crude oil, considered to be a benchmark of oil prices.

🇪🇺🇷🇺⚡️- The European Union has approved the 21st sanctions package against Russia.

This sanctions package primarily targets Russian financial institutions, and expanding shadow fleet sanctions. It still allows European Union countries to buy Russian oil and gas capped at the existing $44.10 per barrel limit, and has lowered restrictions on Greece exporting Russian LNG to third party, non EU states.

Greece has been given an exemption to continue shipping this LNG for the foreseeable future, despite the EU intending to ban these imports in January 2027. The exemption will be reviewed annually, but as Greece did this time, they are able to use their veto to block actions unless they get the exemptions extended. As we previously reported, Greek shipping companies have continued to be a major transport bridge for Russian gas throughout the war.

🇮🇶🇮🇷⚡️- Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has arrived in Iran to meet with Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- "Two terrorists carrying explosives were killed in a clash with Jakirur border guards.

This follows U.S. strikes on border posts intended to clear paths for terrorist infiltrations near Chabahar and Bampur." - IRIB, Iranian state media.

🇺🇸🇶🇦🇮🇷⚡️- 30 minutes ago, Qatar Ministry of Interior reports they contained a fire at a tire warehouse.

🇨🇳🇾🇪🇸🇦⚡️- Two Chinese vessels, Xin Long Yang (IMO: 9761463) and COSNEW LAKE (IMO: 9804289), both loaded with Saudi Arabian oil from the port of Yanbu, have reportedly secured clearance from the Houthis to pass through the Bal el Mandeb Strait after being turned away yesterday, according to Lloyd's List.

Xin Long Yang has already sailed through the Strait, while COSNEW LAKE has its AIS turned off while making the transit through the narrow section now.

Both vessels are owned by COSCO Shipping, a Chinese state-owned shipping company.

🇺🇸⚡️- Footage has been released by the US Attorney's Office of the protest at the US Federal Building in New York.

The individual, identified as former U.S. Army soldier Andrew Arrabaca, used fireworks, a pellet gun, and Molotov-style bottles to start a fire before he was arrested. He is reported to have made anti-ICE and anti-government statements during his arrest and time in detention. Two people were injured in the event: two government employees and an immigrant who was attending an immigration court hearing at the building.

🇷🇺⚡- A Russian Su-57 has crashed in the Moscow region, Russia. Initial reports indicate the pilot ejected safely.

🇮🇷🇮🇶🇰🇼⚡- Kuwaiti air defenses are active over the east of the country, working against Iranian or Iraqi one-way drones.

🇮🇶🇰🇼⚡- The Iraqi-Kuwaiti border point in Abdali has been struck.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️- "'As of today, the entry of ships has been ​suspended. This is a decision taken by the shipowners. Ukraine, as a state, ⁠has not imposed any restrictions,' Interfax-Ukraine cited Taras Vysotskyi as saying on Wednesday.

Ukraine has lost about a third of its capacity to export grain via the Black Sea ports due to Russian missile and ​drone attacks, traders and analysts have said.

But Russian attacks on Ukraine's deepwater ports ​and international vessels have intensified in recent weeks. Brokers have said shipowners are refusing to ​enter Ukrainian ports because of sharply increased war-risk concerns, while traders have paused purchases." - Reuters.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- Israeli media also report shelters will be opened or are already open in several cities, including but not limited to Karmiel, Eilat, Herzliyam, Dimona, Be'er Sheva and several cities in the Upper Galilee. More cities are expected to join them in the near future; some municipalities report the shelters were opened in the past few days

"Preparing for the possibility of an escalation: public shelters have been opened in recent days in a number of towns and cities across the country; there has been no change to the Home Front Command’s guidelines." - Israeli Channel 12.

“We would like to emphasise that this is merely a reminder of routine preparedness measures, and is not a response to any specific incident or intelligence," - Karmiel City Council.

🇺🇸🇸🇦🇮🇱⚡️- The US-Saudi nuclear deal was done on the condition of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, and does not allow for Saudi to enrich the Uranium themselves. The Abraham Accords are an agreement to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel.

"The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords. The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP" - President Trump via Truth Social.

🇫🇷🇮🇷⚡️- The French Embassy has withdrawn their staff from Tehran.

🇺🇸🇸🇦🇾🇪⚡️- President Trump says that Iran will be held responsible for any further Houthi attacks on shipping in the Bal el Mandeb Strait, and that the US will strike the Houthi's in response.

"A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night. Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP" - President Trump via Truth Social.

Additional Context:
- Three days ago, Ansarallah announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
- Last night, Ansarallah attack two saudi linked vessels as part of the blockade.

🇺🇸🇸🇦🇮🇱⚡- "The joint American and Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel's crushing of Iran's terror axis have created the possibility to expand the circle of peace.

As President Donald Trump has said, Saudi Arabia's joining of the Abraham Accords would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East.

Peace through Strength," - Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Press Office.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- US airstrike against the pier of Suza on Iran's Qeshm Island, the Gulf.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "Since resuming the naval blockade against Iran nine days ago, CENTCOM has redirected 12 commercial vessels and disabled 1 to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports or coastal areas," - US CENTCOM.