The heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank on Wednesday said they will form a coordination group to maximise their response to the significant economic and energy impacts of the war in the Middle East.
The risk of an expanded Iran war grew as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday launched their first attacks on Israel since the start of the conflict, as additional US forces reached the Middle East. The first of two contingents of Marines arrived on an amphibious assault ship.
Ukraine has agreed to co-operate on defence with the UAE and Qatar as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to both countries amid escalating tensions in the region. Zelenskiy is looking at signing 10-year partnership agreements with both the Gulf countries.
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter on one site, confirmed early Sunday that its facility was targeted in an Iranian attack a day earlier resulting in mild injuries to two of its employees.
Kuwait International Airport was targeted by multiple drone attacks that caused significant damage to its radar system but resulted in no casualties, according to state news agency KUNA. Also the country's Mubarak Al Kabeer Port infrastructure came under a missile attack early Friday.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday discussed the possibility of a diplomatic settlement in the Iran war with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi, taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region, reported Reuters citing senior Russian officials.
The US expects its operation against Iran to conclude within weeks, not months, and Washington can meet all its objectives without using ground troops, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after meeting his G7 counterparts in France.
US President Donald Trump spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday about the West Asia situation, including the need to secure the key energy waterway, Strait of Hormuz, that remains under an Iranian blockade. Modi reiterated India’s support for de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week.
An attack on Iran's southern coast or attempt to blockade Kharg Island, its main oil export hub, will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast, the country's Defence Council said on Monday according to state media.
