Attacks at sea threaten region as hopes fade for Strait of Hormuz deal

Here’s the latest

• Maritime threats: A Saudi-owned commercial vessel was reportedly struck by a missile while transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, according to shipping sources and Yemeni officials. Elsewhere, a UK maritime monitor reported an incident involving a container ship and military forces in the Gulf of Oman. • Strait of Hormuz: Global oil prices rose today as the US and Iran set stringent conditions on each other for the reopening of the critical waterway. Shipping data does not back up US President Donald Trump’s claim that the strait is “open.” • Trump’s secret move: Trump covertly flew out of Turkey last month on a smaller aircraft after feigning his departure on Air Force One, part of an elaborate ruse prompted by an Iranian threat. • Lebanon-Israel talks: Meanwhile, Lebanon’s president restated his commitment to negotiations between his country and Israel, after a seventh round of heated talks ended without any apparent progress on expanding “pilot zones.