US Iran War Live Updates: Grossi says IAEA hopes to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites ‘as soon as possible’
Rafael Grossi, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General and a candidate for United Nations Secretary-General, responds to a reporter’s question during a news conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. (Photo: AP)
Tensions in West Asia have escalated further as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly rejected a military withdrawal from occupied areas of southern Lebanon, even as fresh strikes ignited accusations of ceasefire violations. Meanwhile, the fragile framework of the US-Iran peace accord faced a dual challenge in the Persian Gulf.
Following a high-level security summit in Bahrain, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gulf Arab allies formally rejected Iranian attempts to levy transit fees on international shipping, drawing a sharp counter-warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against unauthorized transits through the highly volatile Strait of Hormuz.
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5 latest developments:
- Netanyahu holds ground in Lebanon: PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF will keep strategic positions in occupied southern Lebanon, rejecting pressure to link a withdrawal to the US-Iran peace deal.
- Hezbollah alleges civilian strikes: Hezbollah accused Israel of “flagrant” ceasefire violations, claiming IDF strikes in southern Lebanon killed civilians returning home.
- US and GCC oppose Iran shipping fees: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the GCC demanded “free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting Tehran’s proposed transit tolls.
- IRGC warns on Strait access: Iran’s IRGC said foreign vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz without authorization will be “forcefully dealt with.”
- Maritime ops halt after attack: Following a projectile strike on a Singapore-flagged ship off Oman, the IMO paused its emergency ship evacuation framework in the region.
Section 1
Key facts
Location
Connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Global oil
Around one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the Strait.
Shipping
Critical route for oil tankers and LNG carriers.
Latest
Iran says vessels must follow routes designated by Tehran.
Section 2
Countries dependent on the Strait
Persian Gulf
Saudi Arabia
Iraq
UAE
Kuwait
Qatar
Iran
The chokepoint
Strait of Hormuz
↓ Out to the Arabian Sea & world oil markets
Schematic — not to geographic scale.
Section 3
Why it matters
Oil prices
Any disruption to flows can push global crude prices higher.
Fuel costs
Costlier crude can feed through to petrol and diesel prices.
Global shipping
Re-routing, delays and higher insurance can raise freight costs.
India’s energy imports
India sources a large share of its crude from the Gulf via the Strait.
Section 4
Current situation
US-Iran negotiations underway
Iran issues Hormuz navigation warning
Ships asked to follow designated routes
Markets watching oil supply
Developing
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (oil-share estimate); news agency reports. Verify against desk sourcing before publish.
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