Discover! >> Latest US Israel Iran War Updates Summary

Latest Updates:

 STRAIT OF HORMUZ: The US military will begin guiding stranded ships through the oil trade chokepoint today, though a US official said the initiative is not an escort mission. Iran warned that “any foreign military force” will be attacked if they try to approach or enter the strait, according to a top military official. Top Iranian official Ebrahim Azizi warned the plan is a violation of the ceasefire.

• SSEIZED SHIP TO BE RETURNED: An Iranian ship seized by the US will be returned and the crew repatriated, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry. Pakistan, a key mediator in peace talks, described the move as “a confidence-building measure” by the US.

• STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS: President Donald Trump said his representatives “are having very positive discussions” with Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Tehran is reviewing the US reply to its latest peace proposal.

• US GAS PRICES: The average cost of gas in the US has soared to $4.45 a gallon — a rise of nearly 50% since the beginning of the war.

Oil prices briefly dip on US plan to guide ships out of Strait of Hormuz:

Oil prices fell in early trade after the White House announced a plan to guide boats out of the choked Strait of Hormuz, but then steadied as traders took a wait-and-see approach to whether the plan would work.

Brent crude futures for July, the global benchmark, were down 0.7% at $108.97 per barrel at 4.25 a.m. ET. West Texas Intermediate futures, the US benchmark, decreased by 0.62% to $97.14 a barrel.

US President Donald Trump announced the plan, dubbed “Project Freedom”, on Sunday, as fraught discussions to end the hostilities with Iran roll on. The US military will use a flurry of arsenal and thousands of service members to free vessels stuck in the Strait, according to CENTCOM.

Tehran immediately rebuffed the measure, warning that any “foreign military force” will be attacked if they try to enter the channel, according to a senior military official.

Meanwhile, officials in Tehran are reviewing the US response to their 14-point proposal submitted last week. Until now, efforts to bring both parties back to the negotiating table have failed over key sticking points – including the US’ demand that Tehran surrender its nuclear stockpile and Iran’s demands that the US lift crippling economic sanctions and pay reparations for its recent attacks.

US-seized Iranian ship and its crew to be returned to Iran, Pakistani officials say:

Crew members from an Iranian ship seized by the US after trying to breach its military blockade last month have been transferred to Pakistan for repatriation, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

Twenty-two crew members held aboard the M/V Touska container ship were taken to Pakistan Sunday night and will be handed over to Iranian authorities Monday, the ministry said in a statement Monday.

“The Iranian ship will also be backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its original owners after necessary repairs,” the statement said.

Pakistan described the move as “a confidence-building measure” by the US, and said the repatriation is being coordinated with the support of both the US and Iran.

US forces fired on and seized the Iranian-flagged M/V Touska on April 19 after it tried to get past the US naval blockade and ignored six hours of warnings, US Central Command previously said.

Iran warns foreign military “will be attacked” if they try to enter Strait of Hormuz:

Iran has warned that “any foreign military force, especially the invading American army … will be attacked” if they try to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, according to a top military official.

Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of Iran’s armed forces, said Iran will protect the security of the strait “with full strength” in statement on Monday after the US pledged to guide stranded ships through the oil shipping chokepoint.

The waterway is under the control of Iran’s armed forces and any “aggressive action by America to disrupt the situation will only result in further complication and endangerment of the security of vessels” in the area, Abdollahi added.

Here’s how US military may use its assets to guide ships through Strait of Hormuz:

The US plan to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz will involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and some 15,000 service members, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

Here’s how those assets might be employed:

Guided-missile destroyers – Arleigh Burke-class warships are the workhorses of the US fleet, and as of April 24, the US had 12 destroyers in the Middle East, CNN has reported.

Some have been used to enforce the blockade of Iranian ports, but those operations have taken place outside of the strait in the Arabian Sea.

Since the war began, CENTCOM has only publicized two destroyers entering the strait to begin paving the way for minesweeping operations.

Destroyers are also the primary air defense for aircraft carrier strike groups, so not all of these warships in the region are likely to be used for duty in the strait.

Analysts do not expect the destroyers to be escorting merchant ship convoys through the strait.

100 aircraft – The US maintains a range of carrier- and land-based aircraft in the region. Armed helicopters could fly over ships going through the strait to take out any small boats attempting to block passages. US Air Force A-10 attack jets could also be used to hit targets on the water or missile batteries ashore.

Multi-domain unmanned platforms – These could include aerial and marine drones that could move with ships through the strait or be in the vicinity of it to react to any threats to merchant ships. The drones could be armed or just for observation or reconnaissance, depending on the platform and its setup.

15,000 service members – While this seems like a large commitment of troops, most are likely in support roles and not actually deployed in the strait. There are at least two US aircraft carriers in the region whose air assets could be used over the strait. Each of those carriers has around 5,000 personnel aboard.

Unfinished Iran war could give Xi the upper hand in Trump talks, sources say:

China remains committed to the upcoming meeting between its leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump regardless of the situation in the Middle East, and cautiously views its adversary’s months-long conflict with Iran as having potentially strengthened its negotiating position, according to Chinese sources familiar with the matter.

The rare in-person meeting, already once delayed due to the US-Israeli war with Iran, is now scheduled for May 14-15, according to the White House. Several sources indicate Beijing views the high-stakes summit as a singular opportunity to secure a more stable long-term relationship with its largest economic and military competitor.

But despite the perceived advantage, sources said Beijing remains extremely cautious, with opinion among government insiders split as to how to navigate the myriad complications unleashed by the conflict, not least the prospect of the Strait of Hormuz – through which China imports about a third of its oil and gas – remaining closed when Trump arrives in the Chinese capital.

Trump’s visit “is not the same as any other heads-of-state visit,” said a Chinese source under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. “Trump’s time in office is likely to have a lasting impact on the world order and has already fundamentally altered how the US views its own interests.”