French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the Lebanon ceasefire, but conditioned his support on receiving firm guarantees from Iran over the strategic waterway's continued access. Macron's statement signals that Western powers are treating Tehran's recent moves as provisional rather than settled, keeping diplomatic pressure active even as the immediate crisis eases. The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supply, making any closure or threat of closure a direct trigger for energy market volatility and supply chain disruption across Europe and Asia. Macron's demand for assurances suggests Paris is pushing for a formalized or multilateral mechanism to secure transit rights, not simply accepting a unilateral Iranian decision to reopen. The Lebanon ceasefire adds a second dimension, linking regional de-escalation to broader negotiations. What to watch: whether other European capitals and the U.S. align behind Macron's conditions, and how Tehran formally responds.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
