Middle East Crisis

Strait of Hormuz
US claims that the Strait of Hormuz is free of mines

There has been no agreement on the Strait of Hormuz – but more and more ships are getting through, writes AFP.

The US military chief in the Middle East, Brad Cooper, said last night that US forces have cleared the international shipping lane of mines, something that was met with some skepticism by allies. According to Bloomberg's sources, it is likely that the US has made progress, but that it has not managed to clear all of the 80-150 mines laid by Iran.

This week, Qatar's mediators have met with top Iranian politicians in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has no timetable for ending the war with Iran, which has now lasted six months.

Peace Talks
Iran on Stranded Talks: Pressure Doesn't Work

Iran is urging the US to change course to get the stalled peace talks moving after six months of war, AFP reports. The statement comes after Qatar's foreign minister visited Tehran in an attempt to break the deadlock.

- Getting diplomacy back on track is not impossible. It depends on the US understanding one simple thing: Pressure doesn't work, says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

At the same time, the US has increased economic pressure on Iran, which in turn demands that Washington fulfill its commitments before the Strait of Hormuz is opened. 

West Bank
Rare Israeli attack on West Bank – three dead

The Israeli military says it has killed three terrorists in a rare airstrike on the occupied West Bank, AFP reports.

The attack took place in the Jenin area. Israel says one of those killed is Qais Bitawi, who is described as a prominent local Hamas member. However, the Islamic Jihad terrorist group says Bitawi, and the two others killed, were their members.

Israeli military raids on Palestinian towns in the West Bank are common, but airstrikes have been rare since the beginning of 2025.