International
Israel agrees to ceasefire with Hezbollah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to present a US-mediated ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah to his government for approval.
Speaking during a televised address, Netanyahu confirmed his intention to outline the terms of the ceasefire for ministerial review. While he did not specify the duration of the truce, he stressed that its longevity would depend on Hezbollah’s actions in Lebanon.
“If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike,” Netanyahu warned. “In full coordination with the United States, we are maintaining full military freedom of action.”
Escalation Amid Ceasefire Talks
Despite ceasefire discussions, the Israeli military conducted strikes on central Beirut, responding to approximately 15 projectiles reportedly launched from Lebanon into Israeli airspace.
The conflict in Lebanon has intensified significantly following months of cross-border fire exchanges. Hezbollah, which claimed its actions were in solidarity with Hamas after the October 7 attack on Israel, has been central to the escalation.
Lebanese health authorities report at least 3,823 fatalities since October 2023, with most occurring in recent months. On the Israeli side, 82 soldiers and 47 civilians have been killed during the hostilities.
Focus on Strategic Priorities
Netanyahu indicated that the ceasefire could allow Israel to concentrate on the broader regional threat posed by Iran and intensify its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.
“With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas stands alone. We will increase our pressure on Hamas, aiding in our sacred mission of releasing hostages,” Netanyahu stated.
Since the October 2023 Hamas attack, militants have taken 251 hostages, of whom 97 remain in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the Israeli army.
International
Trump says he thinks Putin is helping Iran
“I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”“I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?”
President Donald Trump on Friday said he believed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is helping Iran in its war against the United States and Israel.
According to CNBC, Trump’s comment came in a radio interview with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, and a week after the president lashed out at Fox News reporter Peter Doocy for asking him at the White House about reports that Russia was aiding Iran.
Kilmeade asked Trump on Friday: “You think Putin is helping them?”
Trump replied, “I think he might be helping them a bit, yeah.”“I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?” Trump continued.
“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump said, referring to Ukraine, which has been at war against Russia since being invaded in early 2022.
“So he [Putin] says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,” Trump told Kilmeade.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness,’ ” Trump said. “They do it, and we do it.”
International
IEA agrees to release record 400 million barrels of oil to address Iran war supply disruptions
The IEA did not set out a timeline for when the stocks would hit the market
Merchant ship on fire hits by Iran in Strait of Hormuz.
The International Energy Agency on Wednesday agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil to address the supply disruption triggered by the Iran war, the largest such action in the organization’s history.
The IEA did not set out a timeline for when the stocks would hit the market.
It said that the reserves would be released over a time frame that is appropriate to the circumstances of each of its 32 member countries.
IEA members are primarily advanced economies in Europe, North America and northeast Asia. The organization is tasked with maintaining global energy security.
It was founded in 1974 in response to the oil embargo imposed by Arab producers over U.S. support for Israel during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
(CNBC)
International
Iran tells world to get ready for oil at $200 a barrel as it fires on merchant ships
The war unleashed with joint U.S. and Israeli air strikes nearly two weeks ago has so far killed around 2,000 people, mostly Iranians and Lebanese, as it has spread into Lebanon and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
(REUTERS): Iran said the world should be ready for oil at $200 a barrel as its forces hit merchant ships on Wednesday and the International Energy Agency recommended a massive release of strategic reserves to dampen one of the worst oil shocks since the 1970s.
The war unleashed with joint U.S. and Israeli air strikes nearly two weeks ago has so far killed around 2,000 people, mostly Iranians and Lebanese, as it has spread into Lebanon and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
Despite what the Pentagon has described as the most intense airstrikes since the start of the war, Iran also fired at Israel and targets across the Middle East on Wednesday, demonstrating it can still fight back.
On Wednesday, three vessels were reported to have been hit in Gulf waters as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said their forces had fired on ships in the Gulf that had disobeyed their orders.
While Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation “will continue without any time limit, as long as required, until we achieve all objectives and win the campaign,” Trump suggested the campaign would not last much longer.
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Iran tells world to get ready for oil at $200 a barrel as it fires on merchant ships
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