Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a direct military warning to Iran, stating the US is "locked and loaded" to deliver "devastating" strikes on Iranian energy and infrastructure if Tehran rejects an ongoing nuclear peace deal. The statement marks one of the sharpest public ultimatums from the Pentagon since nuclear talks resumed under the Trump administration. Iran's energy infrastructure, including oil export terminals and refining capacity, would be the primary targets implied by Hegseth's framing, a choice of language that signals economic as well as military pressure. Negotiations appear to have stalled, though no formal breakdown has been declared. Markets sensitive to Middle East supply disruptions, particularly crude oil, will track any further deterioration closely. The warning also raises compliance pressure on third-party buyers of Iranian oil, notably in Asia, who could face secondary sanctions exposure if conflict escalates. The next signal to watch is Tehran's formal response and whether back-channel diplomatic contact continues.
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.
Venezuela's twin earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have killed at least 164 people and injured 971, interim president Delcy Rodriguez confirmed Thursday. The quakes are the country's strongest since 1900, collapsing buildings across Caracas and prompting a state of emergency, with the death toll expected to rise as
