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☆ Widening Mideast Crisis Militia Blamed for Attack on U.S. Forces Says It Will Halt Military Activity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

His comment raised fears in Iraq about a possibly retaliatory U.S. attack on its territory. The militia, Kata’ib Hezbollah, or Brigades of the Party of God, is the largest and most established of the Iran-linked groups operating in Iraq. (Kata’ib Hezbollah is separate from the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.) The other two Iraqi groups that are believed to have been involved in strikes U.S. targets — Harakat al Nujaba and Sayyid Shuhada — have not announced they will halt attacks. Kata’ib Hezbollah and other groups had ignored the Iraqi government’s request to stand down, but once the attack in Jordan on Sunday took American lives, Mr. Sudani demanded a complete halt from Kata’ib Hezbollah.

Persons: Biden, Israel, —, Nujaba, Sayyid Shuhada —, Kata’ib, Abu Hussein al, “, Pat Ryder, ”, Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Hisham al, Sudani’s, Nuri al, Qais, Hadi, Esmail Qaani, Falih Hassan, Farnaz, Eric Schmitt Organizations: Pentagon, Hezbollah, Party of, Iraqi Army, Kurdish Syrian Defense, Islamic, Kata’ib Hezbollah, Defense Department, U.S, Sunday, Revolutionary Guards, Maliki, Quds Force Locations: Iran, Iraq, U.S, Jordan, Syria, Gaza, The U.S, Islamic State, Lebanon, Yemen, Islamic Republic of Iran, United States, Iraqi, Baghdad, New York, Washington ,

CNN —In a surprise move, the most powerful Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah, announced on Tuesday the suspension of its military operations against US forces in the region two days after a drone attack killed three US service members and wounded dozens of others. “We are announcing the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces (US troops) – in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government,” Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement. The US holds Iran broadly responsible for arming and supporting these groups and has specifically singled out Kataib Hezbollah as likely to have carried out the deadly attack on Sunday. Asked about the statement, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a briefing Tuesday, “We’ve seen those reports. The motive behind the group’s decision is unclear, but an adviser to the Iraqi prime minister said the prime minister’s efforts have paid off.

Persons: ” Kataib, Pat Ryder, “ We’ve, ” Ryder, Ryder, Kataib, ”, Islamic Republic –, Mohammed Shia, Hisham Al Organizations: CNN, US, Free Hezbollah Brigades, Iraqi Locations: Iran, Iraq, Gaza, Syria, Jordan, Islamic Republic, Iraqi

☆ Biden has to deal with a second war he didn’t want. His task is to contain it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

— Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian group based in Lebanon, has been waging a low-grade war against Israel. — Iran has blamed Israel for an attack that killed a number of Revolutionary Guard officers in Damascus, Syria. Hawkish Republicans like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham are demanding he attack Iran on Iranian soil. “The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East. And on a purely strategic level, risking a major Middle East war that could cause massive US casualties to avenge the deaths of three soldiers, as terrible as their deaths are, would not represent a sound equation.

Persons: they're, Joe Biden —, Jordan Sunday –, Biden, haven’t, —, Israel, it’s, Antony Blinken, ” Aaron David Miller, CNN’s Jim Acosta, “, ”, William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, Breonna Moffett, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Nikki Haley, Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jim Himes, what’s, CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Blinken, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Joe Biden, Arkansas Sen, Tom Cotton, Haley, Qasem Soleimani, Trump, John Kirby, It’s Biden Organizations: Republicans, White House CNN, Jordan Sunday, Hezbollah, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Britain, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Revolutionary Guard, ”, GOP, Rep, Intelligence, Islamic, United Nations, –, Iran Locations: Washington, Tehran, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, United States, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, —, Syria, Baghdad, Beirut, Lebanon –, Damascus, East, South Carolina, Connecticut, Hamas, Qatar, Egypt, Islamic Republic, Arkansas, There’s

☆ Three U.S. service members killed, 34 wounded in Jordan drone attack linked to Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A drone is launched during a large-scale drone combat exercise of Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Semnan, Iran Jan. 6, 2021. Three U.S. service members were killed and dozens wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on U.S. forces stationed in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden and U.S. officials said on Sunday. Biden blamed Iran-backed groups for the attack. The deaths marked the first fatalities of U.S. troops in the region since war began in Gaza. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed over 26,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: U.S, Sunday, Reuters, Hamas, White Locations: Islamic Republic of Iran, Semnan, Iran, U.S, Jordan, Syrian, Syria, Iraq, Iranian, Gaza, Israel, United States, Washington, Red

☆ Nobel Peace Prize winner: The time has come to recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Opinion Narges Mohammadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The time has come to declare gender apartheid a crime. That is why I have written a letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, urging him to declare gender apartheid a crime against humanity. Inhumane acts committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one gender group over another are termed gender apartheid. This is why it is imperative that gender apartheid is recognized as a crime against humanity. In recent months there has been positive momentum at the United Nations towards recognizing and codifying gender apartheid.

Persons: Read, António Guterres, —, Mahsa Amini, Amini, Iran —, Shirin Ebadi, Malala Yousafzai, Nadia Murad – Organizations: CNN, Getty, United Nations, Assembly, Apartheid, UN Women’s, UN Locations: Iranian, Iran, Tehran’s, Islamic Republic, Afghanistan, South Africa, States

☆ Iran-backed groups in the Middle East and major US military deployments
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | Abbas Allawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The US has attacked Iranian-backed groups in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, while Iran-linked groups have targeted American personnel in Iraq and Syria. The US, having been trying to pivot away from the Middle East for years, finds itself drawn back into the region. And in some places, including Iraq and Syria, the US military presence overlaps that of Iran and its allies. The US has around 13,500 US forces in Kuwait, the largest American military presence in the region. The US this month quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence for another 10 years at the base.

Persons: Yemen’s, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Harakat, Sayyid, Al, Haq, Asad, Bashar al, Assad, Israel, Ali, Dalton Williams Organizations: UAE CNN, Hamas, Islamic, Navy, Marine Expeditionary Unit, Institute for National Security, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, National Intelligence, Badr Organization, Asad Air Base, Erbil AB, Al, Force, Fatemiyoun, ISIS, Syria Security, Syrian Democratic Forces, Syrian Free Army, CNN, Gaza, US Air Force, Battalion, 163rd Cavalry Regiment, Ali Al Salem Air Base, U.S . Air Force, Washington, United Arab, US, Udeid, Base, Forward Headquarters, Combined Air Operations Centre, Prince Sultan Air Base, UAE, Al Dhafra, Al Dhafra Air Base, Gulf Air Warfare Center, US Naval Forces Central Command Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Iran, US, Iranian, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Tehran, Pakistan, Islamic Republic, Washington, Lebanon Lebanon, East, Lebanon, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iraq Tehran, Baghdad, Al, Erbil, Syria Iran, Syrian, Pakistani, ”, Red, Saudi, Yemen’s, Kuwait, U.S, Palestinian, Arab, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Doha, Al Dhafra Air, Bahrain, Jordan, Incirlik

☆ Mohammad Ghobadlou: Iran executes protester with mental health condition, judiciary says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Adam Pourahmadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An Iranian protester with a mental health condition has been executed over the death of a local official during mass demonstrations that rocked the country in 2022, the Iranian judiciary’s news agency reported on Tuesday. International law and standards prohibit using the death penalty against people with mental disabilities, according to the rights group. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of Norway-based Iranian human rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR), called Ghobadlou’s execution an “extrajudicial killing.”On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote that “the Islamic Republic’s leader Ali Khamenei and his Judiciary must be held accountable for this crime. US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) placed the number of dead at more than 500, including 70 children. Thousands were arrested across the country, the UN said in a report last year, citing research from its Human Rights Committee.

Persons: “, Mohammad Ghobadlou, Farid Karampour Hassanvand, Ghobadlou, Robat, Abolqasem Salavati –, ”, Mizan, ” Ghobadlou, Mahmood Amiry, Ali Khamenei, Mahsa Amini Organizations: CNN, Amnesty, Revolutionary, Supreme, Iran Human, United Nations, Rights, News Agency, UN, Human Rights Locations: Robat Karim, Tehran province, United States, Norway, Iran

At the heart of Iran’s aversion to a major conflict are the domestic issues that have been preoccupying the regime. Iran is also facing an economic crisis because of corruption, chronic fiscal mismanagement and sanctions imposed because of its nuclear infractions. At the time, Mr. Khamenei worried that unless the regime got the process right, its Western and domestic enemies would use the vacuum at the top to overthrow the young theocracy. Today, Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 elderly clerics, is constitutionally empowered to select the next supreme leader. At a time when the bomb seems tantalizingly close, Mr. Khamenei is unlikely to jeopardize that progress by conduct that might invite a strike on those facilities.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Mahsa, Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Ahmad Khatami, Rahim Tavakol, Mr Organizations: Islamic, Experts Locations: Islamic Republic, Iran, Republic, Iran’s, Ukraine, Gaza, Tehran

☆ U.S. Troops Are Injured in Attack on Air Base in Iraq
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Eric Schmitt | Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Israel and Iran have been locked in a shadow war for years, long before the latest war in Gaza began. They have traded covert attacks by land, sea and air, as well as online. Israel has conducted targeted killings of key Iranian figures and strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities. Syria is a close ally of Iran and a conduit for Iranian weapons shipments to its proxies, especially Hezbollah. Iran and Pakistan Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza Clashes along Israel-Lebanon border Qatar Iranian strike targeting militants Saudi Arabia U.A.E.

Persons: Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel —, SANA, Hojatallah Omidvar, Haj Sadegh Omidzade, General Omidvar, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, Ronen Bergman, Victoria Kim Organizations: Guards, Quds Force, Islamic, Hamas, Revolutionary Guards, Human Rights, SYria AFghanistan IRAQ Israel Iran Clashes, West Bank, Qatar, Qatar INdia Saudi Arabia U.A.E, Red Sea, TURKEY U.S, EGYPT Qatar Saudi Arabia U.A.E, SYria IRAQ Iran Israel Clashes, West Bank KUWAIT PAK, Qatar Iranian, Saudi Arabia U.A.E, Quds Forces, Brig, Senior Locations: Iran, Damascus, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza . Israel, Syrian, Britain, East TURKMENISTAN Syria, Iraq TURKEY Iran, SYria AFghanistan IRAQ Israel Iran, West, Gaza PAKISTAN KUWAIT Iran, Pakistan EGYPT, Qatar INdia Saudi Arabia, OMAN Red, YEMEN Sudan, Red, Red Sea U.S, Iraq TURKMENISTAN Iran, TURKEY, Gaza Iran, Pakistan KUWAIT PAKISTAN, EGYPT Qatar Saudi Arabia, Sudan YEMEN U.S, SYria IRAQ Iran Israel, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, OMAN, YEMEN, Iranian, Gen, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq, Israeli, United States

☆ Pakistan launches strikes inside Iran against militant targets
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Pakistan said on January 18 it had carried out strikes against militant targets in Iran, after Tehran launched attacks on Pakistani territory earlier this week. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP) (Photo by AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)Pakistan conducted strikes inside Iran on Thursday, targeting separatist militants, the Pakistani foreign ministry said, two days after Tehran said it attacked Israel-linked militant bases inside Pakistani territory. "Our forces have conducted strikes to target Baloch militants inside Iran," the intelligence official in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, said. Iran said on Tuesday it had targeted Israel-linked militant bases inside Pakistan. Pakistan and Iran have in the past had rocky relations, but the strikes are the highest-profile cross-border intrusion in recent years.

Persons: Aamir QURESHI, AAMIR QURESHI, hideouts Organizations: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AFP, Getty Images, Reuters, Pakistan's, Wednesday Locations: Islamabad, Pakistan, Iran, Tehran, Israel, Sistan, Baluchistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Balochistan, Pakistan's Balochistan

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —Pakistan has carried out a series of military strikes on what it said were separatist militant hideouts inside Iran, its foreign ministry said Thursday, in the latest incident across their shared border that has sent tensions between the two neighbors soaring. “At 4:30 a.m. explosions were heard in a border village, several missiles were fired at the village,” Marhamati said. This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said. But the deadly attack inside Pakistani territory seriously damaged relations between the two countries, Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani told his Iranian counterpart. And Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria have launched dozens of attacks aimed at US military positions in those countries.

Persons: Alireza Marhamati, ” Marhamati, IRNA, ”, Iran ”, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Jilani, Qasem Soleimani, Houthi, Amir Organizations: Pakistan CNN —, “, Pakistan Pakistan’s, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Iranian, Pakistani, Adl, Justice, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Quds Force, ISIS, CNN, Economic, Davos Wednesday Locations: Islamabad, Pakistan, Pakistan CNN — Pakistan, Iran, Iran’s, Sistan, Baluchistan, Saravan, restive Baloch, Gaza . Pakistan, ”, Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan’s, Balochistan, Iranian, “ Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tehran, Jaish, Erbil, Iraq, Syria, Kerman, Red, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Davos

☆ Israel-Hamas War Fighting Eases in Northern Gaza, Giving Residents Some Relief
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Adam Rasgon | Aaron Boxerman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

The Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the country’s forces had conducted “precision military strikes” against what it called terrorist hide-outs in southeastern Iran. Iranian officials said that nine people had been killed, including four children, and Pakistani officials said the death toll of the Iranian strikes included at least two children. The official said that air force fighter jets and drones had been used in the Pakistani retaliatory strikes. In a statement, the Pakistani military called the two neighbors “brotherly countries” and said that “dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues” between them. Pakistani military analysts were hopeful that this could pave the way for diplomatic dialogue between the two nations.

Persons: Islamic Republic “, ”, Ahmad Vahidi, Sohail Shahzad, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Syed Muhammad Ali, Waqar Hasan, Arash Khamooshi, Baluch, al, Vivian Nereim Organizations: Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry, Iran Exchange, Foreign Ministry, Islamic, Islamabad ”, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian, Credit, Pakistan, The New York Times Pakistan, Guards Locations: Pakistan, Iran, Baluch, Iraq, Islamic Republic, Saravan, Tehran, Islamabad, Rask, Israel, Gaza, Balochistan Province, Yemen, Suez, United States, Pakistani, “ Pakistan, Baluchistan Province, Sistan, Persian, Oman, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

☆ Iran struck Pakistan with missiles and drones as the 2 countries held a joint naval exercise
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewIran's missile and drone attack on neighboring Pakistan earlier this week came as the two countries reportedly held a joint naval exercise in the Persian Gulf. "We targeted Jaish al-Adl, not Pakistani citizens," Amirabdollahian said, per the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran's state news agency. Related stories"We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan, but we won't allow Iran's security to be compromised," he added. While Iran was attacking Pakistan from the air, the two nations held joint military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. We will react from any area that threatens Iran," said the minister.

Persons: —, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, General Mohammadreza Ashtiani Organizations: Service, Business, Economic, Adl, Islamic Republic News Agency, Iranian Navy, Pakistani Navy, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, ISIS, Defense Locations: Pakistan, Persian, Iran, Davos, Switzerland, Strait, Hormuz, Iraq, Syria, Israeli

☆ After Strikes, Iran Says It Won’t Hold Back on Using Its Military Might
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Vivian Yee | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The morning after Iranian attacks on neighboring Pakistan and Iraq, Iran’s defense minister vowed Wednesday that his country would “not set any limits” on using its missile capabilities against enemies whenever necessary. “We are a missile power in the world,” the minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, told reporters at a cabinet meeting, according to state media. “Wherever they want to threaten the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will react, and this reaction will definitely be proportionate, tough and decisive.”Iran has demonstrated its willingness to use its military might — even when it involves striking the territory of its allies and neighbors — with back-to-back attacks on Syria late on Monday, then Iraq and Pakistan on Tuesday. The strikes could further inflame a widening conflict across the Middle East.

Persons: Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, — Locations: Pakistan, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran, Syria

CNN —Two journalists imprisoned in Iran following their coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests in 2022, have been temporarily released on bail, according to state-run media. Convicted in October, Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi are currently awaiting a verdict on their appeals, according to Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA. But the women were allowed to leave their Tehran jail on Sunday with a bail of 10 billion tomans each (nearly $200,000 each), IRNA reported. Mohammadi was arrested after reporting on Amini’s funeral, according to RSF and the United Nations. “UNESCO welcomed the release on bail today of Iranian journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, two of the three laureates of the 2023 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize.

Persons: Mahsa, Niloofar, IRNA, Hamedi, Mohammadi, Amini, ”, Hamedi’s, Mohamad Hosein Ajoroloo –, –, Amini’s, Amjad, “, Sherif Mansour, Guillermo Cano, Elaheh Mohammadi, —, Niloofar Hamedi Organizations: CNN, United Nations, Committee, Protect Journalists, UNESCO, TIME, Sunday, “ UNESCO Locations: Iran, Tehran, United States, Islamic Republic of Iran, IRNA, East, North Africa

☆ Iran extends Nobel Prize winner Narges Mohammadi’s prison sentence
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jomana Karadsheh | Adam Pourahmadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison, Mohammadi’s family said in a written statement sent to CNN on Monday. On top of the extra 15 months in prison, the new sentence orders Mohammadi to “two years of exile outside Tehran and neighboring provinces,” according to her family. Mohammadi was also given a two-year travel ban, “a two-year ban on membership in social-political groups, and a two-year ban on using a smartphone,” the statement added. Mohammadi was already serving a sentence of ten years and nine months, accused of actions against national security and propaganda against the state. She was also sentenced to 154 lashes, a punishment rights groups believe has not been inflicted so far, along with restrictions on travel.

Persons: Narges Mohammadi, Mohammadi’s, “, Mohammadi, ’, ”, Mahsa, Niloofar Hamedi, IRNA, Hamedi Organizations: CNN, Peace, Islamic Locations: Islamic Republic, Iran, Tehran, ”

☆ Why ISIS has unleashed its suicide bombers against Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

By the day's end of the day, scores of supporters of the rulers of Iran were dead, and hundreds were injured in a twin suicide bombing. AdvertisementHe was considered a hero, she said, by many in Iran for driving ISIS out of Iraq and helping to defeat them in Syria. Stringer/Anadolu via Getty ImagesIt was the latest in a string of attacks by the ISIS affiliate that has been targeting Iran for five years. The Iranian intelligence ministry sought to blame its old enemy Israel for the atrocity and said one of the bombers had Israeli citizenship, the Times of Israel reported. AdvertisementThey will continue to attempt attacks against Iran "no matter what," Washington Institute for Near East Policy expert, Aaron Zelin, told the VoA.

Persons: Qassem, —, Qassem Soleimani, Kerman, Barbara Slavin, Soleimani, Stringer, Khomeini's, Abdollah Tajiki, Slavin, It's, it's, White, John Kirby, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Saudi King Salman, Prophet Mohammed, Salvin, Donald Trump, Aaron Zelin Organizations: Sunni, Service, Revolutionary, Reuters, The Stimson Center, Iran Initiative, Asia Center, ISIS, Anadolu, Getty, Iranian, Ministry of Intelligence, Revolutionary Guard, Saudi, US, UK, Red, Quds Force, The Stimson, Washington Institute for Near East, VoA Locations: Kerman, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Asia, Kerman City, Tehran, Tajik, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Hormuz, Soleimani, Iranian, Fars, Republic, Yemen, Iran's, United States, al Qaeda, American

☆ Iran seizes oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Mostafa Salem | Adam Pourahmadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Abu Dhabi CNN —Iran has seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman and is transferring it to an Iranian port in retaliation for the United States confiscating the same vessel and its oil last year, Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday. The Strait of Hormuz at the northern end of the Gulf of Oman is the biggest oil chokepoint in the world. A maritime monitoring website, Tanker Trackers, said the vessel seized Thursday was a Marshall Islands-flagged crude oil tanker named St Nikolas, formerly known as the Suez Rajan. Almost 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil were seized by the US government at the time, the DOJ said. The Suez Rajan transported the contraband to the United States and “incurred the significant expenses associated with the vessel’s voyage to the United States,” according to the DOJ.

Persons: St Nicholas, ”, UKMTO, Nikolas, Suez Rajan, “ Organizations: Abu Dhabi CNN, Tasnim News Agency, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Navy, United Nations, CNN, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, ship’s Company, Oil, Tanker, US Department of Justice, DOJ, Emergency Economic, Navigation Locations: Abu Dhabi, Iran, Gulf of Oman, Iranian, United States, Oman, Islamic Republic, Gulf, Yemen, Gaza, Africa, Israel, Hormuz, Marshall, Suez, China

☆ Oil prices could spike 20%, possibly double if Middle East conflict disrupts Strait of Hormuz
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-06 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Shipping can be rerouted away from the Red Sea, but crude would be essentially trapped if the strait is shut down, Struyven said. A prolonged disruption in the strait could eventually double oil prices, he said. McNally thinks the market should be factoring in a $12 geopolitical risk premium in oil prices right now. Wirth told CNBC's Sullivan that Chevron is currently working with the U.S. Navy to protect its vessels transiting the Red Sea. "Hopefully, if it doesn't escalate further, we'll be OK — even if there has to be a wholesale diversion of shipments around the Red Sea," Granholm said.

Persons: you've, Daan Struyven, Goldman Sachs, CNBC's Brian Sullivan, Struyven, Bob McNally, McNally, Bush, Antony Blinken, Daniel Yergin, Yergin, Michael Wirth, Tehran's, Wirth, CNBC's Sullivan, Joe Biden's, Jennifer Granholm, Granholm, Israel, Benny Gantz, Gantz, Biden's, Bob Yawger, Yawger, Brent Organizations: Shipping, Rapidan Energy Group, National Security Council, P Global, Brent, Chevron, U.S . Navy, NBC News . Energy, Mizuho, Energy Information Agency, Gulf Locations: Red, Iran, Hormuz, Persian, Israel, Strait, Yemen, Danish, U.S, Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanese, Islamic Republic, The U.S, Europe, South Africa, United States, East

☆ These Middle East flashpoints could trigger regional conflict that impacts oil prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

There are several key flashpoints where the Israel-Hamas war could escalate into a regional conflict that has a material impact on oil, according to the firm. Those flashpoints are the Red Sea, Lebanon and Iraq, analyst Helima Croft wrote in a note to clients this week. Crude prices fell Tuesday despite renewed attacks by Houthi militants in the Red Sea over the weekend. Maersk stopped shipping through the Red Sea again and is rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Some 12% of global trade and about 3 million barrels of crude oil pass through the Red Sea per day, according to RBC Capital Markets.

Persons: Helima Croft, Croft, Adi Imsirovic, Imsirovic, Steven Schoenfeld, Schoenfeld, Goldman Sachs, Tehran's Houthi, Donald Trump ratcheted, Biden, Benny Gantz, Israel, Saleh al, Joe Biden, Trump, Qasem Soleimani Organizations: RBC Capital Markets, Maersk, West Texas Intermediate, CNBC, Tuesday, Traders, Investors, Center for Strategic, International Studies, U.S, Prosperity, U.S . Navy, U.S . Central Command, JPMorgan, Israel Defense Forces, Three U.S, Washington Locations: Israel, Sea, Lebanon, Iraq, Red, Danish, Libya, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, U.S, Yemen, The U.S, Mandeb, Aden, Britain, Hangzhou, South Africa, Suez, Asia, Europe, Hormuz, Islamic Republic, Tehran, Beirut, Croft, Erbil, Three

☆ Houthi attacks rocking Red Sea trade routes likely won't end anytime soon. Here's what could happen next
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-21 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea in this photo released on Nov. 20, 2023. Houthi Military Media | Via ReutersDrone and missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi militants have upended shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, a narrow waterway through which some 10% of the world's trade sails. And will a U.S.-led naval security coalition be effective enough to make the Red Sea trade routes safe for trade again? Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards An infographic titled 'Bab-el-Mandeb Strait: Trade route between East and West narrows amid Houthi threat' created in Ankara, Turkiye on December 18, 2023. Concerns grow as major maritime transportation companies alter their ship routes in response to the increasing Houthi threats in the Red Sea.

Persons: Lloyd, Ryan Bohl, Rane, Khaled Abdullah, Houthi, Rather, Mohammed Hamoud, Mohammed al, Sidharth, , Kaushal, Corey Ranslem Organizations: Galaxy Leader, Houthi, Media, Reuters, . Central Command, BP, Maersk, MSC, CMA, Pentagon, DHL, Middle East, CNBC, Hezbollah, Saudi, Arab, Hamas, Royal United Services Institute, Maxar, Dryad Locations: Red, Yemen, Suez, Africa, Asia, Europe, North Africa, U.S, Lebanese, America, Israel, Saudi, Sanaa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Mandeb, Trade, East, West, Ankara, Turkiye, Hodeida, Islamic Republic, Gaza, Palestinian, Israel's, Sana'a, London, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain

☆ Red Sea crisis: Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking ships?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-19 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are stepping up their strikes on ships in the Red Sea, which they say are revenge against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza. While the Houthis may not be able to pose a serious threat to Israel, their technology can wreak havoc in the Red Sea. Video Ad Feedback Video shows moment Houthi rebels storm cargo ship in the Red Sea 02:30 - Source: CNNWhy are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea? A number of countries have taken steps to try and push back Houthi aggression in the Red Sea region. The United Nations Security Council has meanwhile approved a resolution calling on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to “cease its brazen” attacks in the Red Sea.

Persons: CNN —, Israel, Biden, Allah, Hussein, ”, Zaidis, Khaled Abdullah, aren’t, Israel –, Carney, Yemen’s, Joe Biden, ” Biden, “, Houthis “, ” Sare’e, Mohammed al, Al Jazeera Organizations: CNN, CNN — Yemen’s, United, Hamas, Reuters, UN, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, Maersk, Lloyd, CMA CGM, Evergreen, United Arab Emirates, Prosperity, United Nations Security Locations: CNN — Yemen’s Iran, Red, Gaza, United States, United Kingdom, Yemen, Iran, Islam, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Sanaa, Iran’s, Israel, Islamic Republic, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Tehran, Eilat, Suez, Egypt, Hapag, Africa, Russia, China, Britain, Palestine

☆ Israel-linked hackers claim cyberattack that hit 70% of Iran's gas stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-18 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Iranian state TV cited the country's Oil Minister Javad Owji saying that outside interference was a possible cause after 70% of Iran's gas stations were hit by service disruptions, according to Reuters. "We, Gonjeshke Darande, carried out another cyberattack today, taking out a majority of the gas pumps throughout Iran. Gonjeshke Darande has claimed responsibility for previous cyberattacks on Iran, including on one of the country's major steel companies in June 2022. These cyber-attacks [are] being carried out carefully to protect innocent individuals," Gonjeshke Darande wrote in a Telegram post at the time. As for the Monday hit to Iran's gas stations, the country's civil defense agency said an investigation was underway and that it was still examining all possible causes for the disruption.

Persons: Hossein Beris, HOSSEIN BERIS, that's, Javad Owji, Gonjeshke, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Darande, Gonjeshke Darande Organizations: Getty, country's Oil, Reuters, Islamic, Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Tehran, Iran, Israel, Persian, Islamic Republic

☆ Russia will send fighter jets and attack helicopters to Iran, state media says. The move could strengthen ties that already have the US worried.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia is slated to send Iran advanced fighter jet and attack helicopters, reports say. AdvertisementRussia has agreed to send advanced fighter jets and attack helicopters to Iran in a deal that would provide a significant boost to the country's air force, Iranian media reports. A Mil Mi-28 attack helicopter performs during Army Games 2021 at Alabino Military Training Ground in Moscow on August 25, 2021. AdvertisementPrior to the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow was the world's second-largest arms exporter behind the US, according to a 2021 Congressional Research Service report . But Russia's war in Ukraine has disrupted its foreign military sales, an important component of the country's defense apparatus.

Persons: —, Yakovlev, Tasnim, that's, Stringer, John Kirby, Kirby, we've, Evgeniy, IRNA Organizations: Service, White, Tasnim News Agency, Republic News Agency, Army, Alabino, Anadolu Agency, Getty, National Security, European Union, AP, Kremlin, US Locations: Russia, Iran, Moscow, Tehran, Ukraine, East, Kyiv, Russian, European, Ukrainian, Washington, Israel, Gaza, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria

☆ Bahrain seeks to balance anger over Gaza with ties to Israel, US
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The deal to normalise ties with Israel, signed in 2020 by Bahrain when Donald Trump was president, brought few business benefits to Bahrain, unlike those it offered United Arab Emirates, a regional commercial hub which signed at the same time. Six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters Bahrain would not abandon its ties with Israel, even though parliament - a body that remains subservient to the monarchy - has made a strident statement suggesting Israel relations were in the freezer. Bahrain is trying to preserve the relationship with Israel while also managing public opinion, one of the sources said. "They can't abandon normalisation with Israel without endangering this whole strategic framework," said Kristin Smith Diwan, a researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. The sources said the public confusion over relations with Israel appeared to have eased pressure on the government in its efforts to balance domestic outrage and ties with Israel.

Persons: Hamad I Mohammed, Donald Trump, Kristin Smith Diwan, Abraham, Israel, Mamdooh Al Saleh, Smith, Tobias Lindner, Alexander Cornwell, Maha El, Ari Rabinovitch, Dan Williams, Michael Georgy, William Maclean Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rare, U.S . Navy Fifth Fleet, United, Reuters, Gulf States Institute, Bahraini, Abraham, Islamic, Abraham Accords, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Muharraq, Bahrain, MANAMA, Gaza, Gulf, United States, Iran, Manama, United Arab Emirates, Reuters Bahrain, Washington, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahraini, Jerusalem, Bahrainis, Tehran, Islamic Republic, East, U.S, Kingdom of Bahrain, Maha El Dahan, Dubai

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