Key facts
- Brent crude futures settled above $100 a barrel, the highest close since late May.
- Explosions were reported on Qeshm Island, Sirik, and Minab County in Iran.
- Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire north of Gaza.
- Hamas announced the death of commander Farah Hamed in an Israeli strike.
- US military aircraft were damaged in Iranian strikes on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
Middle East tensions escalated significantly as Brent crude futures surpassed $100 a barrel, marking their highest close since late May. The surge followed a wave of attacks on tankers involving Iran and the US, described as the biggest since the ongoing conflict began. Explosions were reported across Iranian islands in the Strait of Hormuz, including Qeshm, Sirik, and Minab County.
In parallel, the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon intensified. Israeli gunfire north of Gaza resulted in the deaths of four Palestinians and wounded several others, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli artillery also shelled areas in southern Lebanon overnight and at dawn. Hamas announced the death of Farah Hamed, a top commander in its al-Qassam Brigades, in an Israeli strike on Gaza.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of making false claims about the Yemeni Houthis acting as Iranian proxies. Meanwhile, top White House advisers, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have reportedly warned President Donald Trump that the conflict with Iran could persist throughout his term. Trump himself commented on the situation, suggesting the US might strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain and that an Iran war could end immediately after the US midterm elections, while leaving the door open for negotiations.
Adding to the regional instability, several American military aircraft sustained damage in Iranian strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, according to CBS reporter Jennifer Jacobs. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a call for restraint amid the growing reports of escalation in and around the Strait of Hormuz.