US Central Command Redirects 82 Vessels Amid Escalating Strait of Hormuz Crisis and Iran Sanctions

Iran is losing leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, according to US officials, as US forces successfully redirected 82 vessels away from Iranian ports, says Centcom. Meanwhile, QatarEnergy has extended force majeure on LNG deliveries to Italy's Edison, while six months of war leaves Gulf oil trapped between two chokepoints.

As Iran prepares a fresh list of conditions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Scott Bessent promises that the latest US sanctions will 'crush' Iran's economy. In regional developments, Iraq and Saudi Arabia plan to enhance joint border control measures, and the Qatari PM met with the Iranian foreign minister in Tehran.

Diplomatic and economic pressures continue to mount: France focuses on Gulf diplomacy amid the Hormuz crisis, Iranians engage in panic buying as fuel shortages hit, and the Iran ambassador lost diplomatic immunity in Lebanon. Financial analysts discuss the situation on Manus on Markets asking if US sanctions could shock the system, while The National discusses the new set of sanctions on Iran following the US announcement of a new economic campaign against Iran.

Amid these tensions, UN chief calls for an end of the standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, the US warns allies to back its Iran strategy, and Donald Trump states that Iran is not ready for the 'right' deal.