Trump urged Iran to sign a deal to end the war.<\/p>\n
Earlier Wednesday, the US military said it had fired on an oil tanker attempting to transport oil from Iran in violation of its blockade on Iranian ports.<\/p>\n
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A tanker is struck by US forces in the Gulf of Oman. (Source: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Trump’s comments underlined his whipsaw approach to the war; earlier this week he suggested a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days.<\/p>\n
Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 a crucial passageway for oil and natural gas \u2014 gives it a strong bargaining chip.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s United Nations envoy said the US should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,\u201d Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict \u2014 if they can manage to sell it as a win at home.<\/p>\n
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing goals that make compromise harder: the collapse of Iran\u2019s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear programme, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.<\/p>\n
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(Amirhosein Khorgooi\/AP Photo\/Amirhosein Khorgooi)<\/p>\n
Trump says US sneaking oil past Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n
Since the US and Israel started the war with attacks on Iran on February 28, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world, and made food and other basics more expensive.<\/p>\n
The international benchmark for crude oil traded above US$93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war.<\/p>\n
Trump said Wednesday the US military has been involved since last month in a \u201csecret mission\u201d to sneak oil shipments past Iran\u2019s forces in the Strait of Hormuz. He said ships were slipping through at night, aided by the destruction of Iranian radar equipment.<\/p>\n
Trump said the effort has resulted in more than 100 million barrels of oil evading Iran\u2019s chokehold on the strait. There was no immediate confirmation of that figure, which roughly equals five days of oil shipments through the waterway before the war began.<\/p>\n
The military\u2019s role was not immediately clear. Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesman, said US forces \u201ccommunicate and coordinate\u201d with commercial ships in the area, but gave no details on specific military support being offered.<\/p>\n
Strikes by the US and Iran shake the Mideast<\/p>\n
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A projectile streaks through the sky over central Israel during an Iranian missile attack, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (Source: Associated Press)<\/p>\n
The US military said Wednesday an American aircraft fired \u201cprecision munitions\u201d into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M\/T Settebello as it attempted to breach the naval blockade with a shipment of Iranian oil. It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled by US forces in waters off Iran.<\/p>\n
India\u2019s foreign ministry said that three Indian crew members aboard the Settebello were missing after the ship was struck, while 21 other Indian sailors were rescued. Its statement did not mention the US military or the blockade.<\/p>\n
Hawkins of US Central Command said American forces warned the crew before firing on the ship.<\/p>\n
The US military said strikes earlier Wednesday targeted \u201cair defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites”.<\/p>\n
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An image shared by the US military of a fighter jet. (Source: Supplied)<\/p>\n
Iran said US strikes hit two water reservoirs in its southern city of Sirik, temporarily cutting off water to thousands of people. Iran\u2019s state media published video of what it said was a damaged reservoir, though The Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage.<\/p>\n
Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.<\/p>\n
Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted an air base hosting American military aircraft. Jordan\u2019s state-run Petra news agency reported there were no injuries.<\/p>\n
Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in televised comments that, following the new attacks, Iran would review its stance on negotiations to end the war.<\/p>\n
Efforts to mediate a deal continued. Following consultations with the US, a delegation from Qatar arrived in Tehran for talks on Wednesday, according to an official with knowledge of the visit who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.<\/p>\n
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