Israel to open embassy in Slovenia as Ljubljana shifts foreign policy course

New PM Janez Janša signals a clear change in foreign policy direction with removal of Palestinian flag from government building.

Inventory drawdowns mask impact of Hormuz disruption as clock runs down towards a September supply crunch

Global oil markets are relying heavily on inventory drawdowns to offset a supply shock caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with OECD stockpiles potentially reaching stress levels by mid-September if current trends persist, according to Oxf

US votes through new war powers act to try and halt Iran war

The US House just voted 215 to 208 to end the Iran war, by passing a new War Act, that is unlikely to have any impact on the Iran conflict as US President Donald Trump is widely expected to veto the motion.

US brokers Israel-Lebanon ceasefire framework tied to Hezbollah withdrawal

Iran agrees not to pursue nuclear weapon, Trump says amid renewed Gulf strikes

Trump says Iran has agreed not to build a nuclear weapon and that he expects to meet its supreme leader, even as fresh missile strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain test a fragile Gulf ceasefire.

Israel-Hezbollah clashes continue despite Trump’s truce announcement

Israel and Hezbollah traded fire on June 2 despite Trump announcing a ceasefire understanding, with Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and renewed evacuation warnings for Nabatiyeh casting doubt over the deal's durability.

Iran seeks Japanese help in rebuilding war-damaged oil sector

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has asked Japan to participate in reconstructing infrastructure damaged in recent US-Israeli attacks, including refineries, in exchange for efforts to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel's Elbit Systems records $60bn order backlog

Israel-based Elbit Systems reported a $60bn order backlog in its latest quarterly results, with 71% from outside Israel, a sign foreign buyers are still relying on Israeli arms exports despite pressure during the Iran war.

Panama-flagged tanker hit by explosion in Iraqi waters in Persian Gulf

A cargo vessel was struck by an explosion from an unknown projectile 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr, Iraq, UKMTO confirmed, with authorities investigating.

Iran suspends nuclear talks with US over Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza

Iran suspends nuclear talks with the US via mediators, citing Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon and Gaza, and warns of Strait of Hormuz closure and new resistance fronts.

COMMENT: Did Israel's Netanyahu lose the war he claims to have won?

The most useful comparison for the Iran war of 2026 is not the Six-Day War of 1967. It is the Suez Crisis of 1956. The point is being made openly in Tel Aviv, by columnists who have lost patience with the Netanyahu camp's victory rhetoric.

COMMENT: A new world of asymmetrical diplomacy

The world has changed in a very fundamental way. For most of the last century the world has been run on the lines of Great Power Geopolitics: them and us; the enlightened and the barbaric; the rich and the poor.

US and Iran report latest strikes around Strait of Hormuz

US and Iran reported a fresh wave of strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, the third escalation in a week, as the IRGC said it hit a US-used air base after an attack on Sirri Island and talks stalled.

Israel seizes Beaufort Castle in deepest Lebanon advance in 26 years

Israeli forces have captured Beaufort Castle, the ancient Crusader fortress that dominates the ridge above the Litani River in southern Lebanon, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders expanded operations into northern Lebanon.

France seeks emergency UN meeting after Israeli advance in Lebanon

France has sought an emergency UN Security Council meeting after Israeli forces seized Beaufort castle in southern Lebanon, with Netanyahu vowing to push deeper against Hezbollah.

Gulf War III squeezes tourism-dependent economies across Southeast Asia

War-driven fuel costs and ceasefire uncertainty are squeezing tourism across Southeast Asia, with Thailand's Middle Eastern arrivals down 57% and airlines raising surcharges sharply.

Iran will not approve any deal with Trump until rights secured, Ghalibaf says

Iran's parliament will not approve any agreement until the nation's rights are secured, speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, casting diplomacy as one of four fronts in what he called a historic war.

Israel pushes north beyond Litani River, Lebanon protests a ‘scorched-earth policy’

Israel has expanded its military campaign, moving north beyond the Litani River, marking a significant escalation in a conflict that has already strained a fragile ceasefire and raised concerns about a broader regional war.

Trump seeks tougher terms in revised Iran deal

Ceasefire and nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran have moved forward after US and Iranian negotiators drafted a new agreement, but President Donald Trump has sent the proposal back with tougher demands, with Iran to respond this week.

Iran and Oman could legally charge for Hormuz passage against US wishes

A Yemeni journalist argues Iran and Oman could legally charge navigation service fees for Strait of Hormuz passage under UN maritime law, a prospect he says has angered Washington.