Page 4 - Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

Inside Israel's secret operation to cultivate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The yearslong effort to groom the former Iranian prez as an intelligence asset culminated in a dramatic effort to take him to an Israeli safe house in early days of the war. But the plan fell apart

US launches fresh strikes on Iran as standoff over Hormuz escalates

The US military said it has launched another round of strikes against Iran "to degrade their ability to attack commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz." The strikes, which took place overnight and into early Monday in Iran, came after attacks by the military on Sunday morning in response to an Iranian strike on a container ship in the critical waterway the day before. Iran responded to those strikes by attacking Gulf Arab states in an escalating cycle of violence that left the negotiations between Tehran and Washington to end the war at the edge of collapse. AP's earlier story follows below The United States attacked Iran on Sunday over an Iranian strike on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing. Iran responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman - the nation on the other side of the strait that Tehran has pressed to collaborate in managing shipping traffic. The US struck again later in the day

India condemns attack on commercial ship off Oman coast; 1 Indian missing

The Ministry of External Affairs said 10 of the 11 Indian nationals on board the Cyprus-flagged GFS Galaxy had been rescued, while one was missing

Iran refuses talks with US until conditions on Hormuz, oil exports met

The comments came hours after the US demanded that Iran publicly declare all channels of the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping and pledge not to attack civilian vessels transiting the waterway

Pak PM holds talks with Iran, Qatar to revive stalled US-Iran negotiations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held separate talks with the leaders of Iran and Qatar in an effort to revive the stalled US-Iran negotiations. The talks were held on Friday night as efforts picked up pace to mend the broken peace bridge between the warring sides after the recent escalation and attacks on the rival targets. In his conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif expressed "deep concern over the recent escalation in tensions in the region" and underscored the urgent need to "restore regional peace and stability," according to a statement by the PM Office. He urged parties to "exercise restraint and refrain from any action that could jeopardise the hard-earned peace gains achieved over the past few months". Sharif stressed the importance of upholding the commitments undertaken under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing it as an enduring framework for promoting mutual understanding, respect and shared prosperity in the region and ...

US military prepared to 'decimate' Iran if assassination bid is made: Trump

The US president said he has ordered the military to be ready to launch strikes against Iran if Tehran carries out or attempts to assassinate him, saying orders could remain in force for a year

Bomb Iran 'like they've never seen before' if I'm assassinated: Trump

US president said he has instructed officials to launch unprecedented military action if Iran succeeds in an alleged assassination plot against him, while claiming he has long been Tehran's top target

Publicly declare Strait of Hormuz open, won't attack ships: US tells Iran

The US is demanding that Iran make a public statement saying the Strait of Hormuz is open and that ships crossing the vital corridor won't be attacked anymore, senior US officials said Friday, adding that internal Tehran power struggles have made it difficult to reach and keep a deal. The US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe to reporters the state of play with Iran, said the resumption of strikes this week came after what they described as a rogue faction of Iranian hard-liners trying to sabotage the ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. It comes as US President Donald Trump reiterated on social media Friday that he views the interim ceasefire deal as "OVER!" But he said the US would continue talks aimed at putting a permanent end to the war. The officials said Friday that Trump is giving US negotiators limited time to reach a deal with Iran, but, in a sign of the challenges ahead, they underscored that the president had a wide range of options if talks .

Best of BS Opinion: Nato, remote work and economic resilience

Today's opinions examine the Nato summit, women's cash transfer schemes, global market risks after the Iran conflict, remote work and Mary Beard's exploration of the classics.

Crude oil prices will be the key driver of equities for now: Nilesh Shah

The oil market, Shah of Kotak AMC said, is signalling that supplies could get constrained again, which may lead to another increase in prices. All this will impact how equity markets play out.

Buy dips or sell rallies? Analysts' strategy amid West Asia crisis, Q1 results

The recovery seen in the Indian stock markets on Thursday, analysts said, was more on account of value buying at lower levels, but advise investors stay cautious.

Shipping through Hormuz grinds to near standstill after fresh US strikes

Ship-tracking data showed minimal movement through the world's most important oil chokepoint after Washington launched a second day of strikes on Iran and President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire

Trump warns of more attacks on Iran but says it does not mean return to war

President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to unleash more military strikes against Iran after saying that Iranian attacks signalled the end of the ceasefire. But he later said the most recent exchange of fire with the Islamic Republic did not herald a return to full-scale war. Trump, who is known for sending mixed messages about his intentions, has repeatedly threatened to escalate strikes against Iran, only to pull back after claiming diplomatic progress. He said Wednesday that the US would "probably hit them hard again tonight," and later added that the latest back-and-forth fighting would not result in "long-term" military action. "Anything that happens is going to happen very fast," Trump said, though he also suggested the US military might "just finish the job." A day after assaults on commercial shipping escalated into an exchange of strikes on Iranian and US military targets, Trump also renewed his past threats to hit Iran's civilian infrastructure, including electric plan

Oil prices climb after fresh US strikes on Iran raise supply concerns

Brent crude futures rose 78 cents, or 1 per cent to $78.8 a barrel by 0054 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 74 cents, or 1.01 per cent, at $74.26 a barrel

As Iran ceasefire frays, Trump faces a muddled war and limited options

US President Donald Trump appears to be confronting the consequences of a cease-fire deal cobbled together in haste, with little movement toward resolving the key issues driving the conflict

Missile alerts ring in Bahrain, Qatar as Iran responds to fresh US strikes

Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar sounded missile alert sirens early Thursday morning warning of an Iranian attack after the United States launched a new round of airstrikes targeting Iran. There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Kuwait's military said it was actively intercepting incoming drones and missiles. On Wednesday, Iran launched attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait over an earlier round of U.S. airstrikes against Iran. The latest US strikes began Wednesday, hours after President Donald Trump said that recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signalled the end of the fragile ceasefire. The action raised fears that the war in Iran could reignite, coming just a day after the US military hit a variety of military sites and port facilities following Iran's targeting of several merchant vessels off the coast of Oman. Military officials said in a social media post Wednesday that the latest strikes were intended to "further degrade" Iran's ability

US strikes Iran after revoking oil sanctions relief over Hormuz attacks

Iranian media reported explosions early Wednesday local time in the southern port city of Sirik, on Qeshm Island, and in Bandar Abbas. No civilian deaths were reported, but several people were injured

Best of BS Opinion: India's ethanol blending plans need better design

Today's opinions examine India's ethanol-blending policy, urban employment trends, MGNREGA reforms, energy security after the Strait of Hormuz disruptions, and Project Cheetah

Call for revenge gets louder at Iran's slain leader Khamenei's funeral

Iran began a dayslong funeral Saturday for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, months after an airstrike killed him at the start of the war. He was 86. Authorities unveiled the casket containing Khamenei's body in a glass case at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, Iran's capital. Mourners wept at the sight, with some chanting: "Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!" Some carried banners and flags, while billboards across the city bore Khamenei's image. Crowds of men rhythmically beat their chests in mourning, a common practice at Shiite funerals. "I am here to say goodbye to my beloved leader Ali Khamenei," said a weeping Hananeh Mousavi, 27, who attended the funeral alongside her mother. "I never expected to see such a day. I wish I had died before this tragedy." Coffins sat on display at Grand Mosalla --------------------------------------------- An outdoor stage set up at the Grand Mosalla resembled the stage where Khamenei once gave his speeches at a husseiniyah at his com

Indian envoy to China rejects comparison with Pak on West Asia mediation

Dismissing any comparison between India and Pakistan on mediating in the West Asia conflict, India's envoy to China Vikram Doraiswami on Saturday said countries should decide for themselves whether doing so serves their interests. "I think the comparison, if I might be a little direct, with Pakistan, is a little... a little unfair. I think the economy in the two countries will tell you a lot," he said, responding to a question by a Chinese journalist about India's role in global leadership and Islamabad's attempts to mediate in the Iran-US conflict Doriaswami was speaking at the World Peace Forum here organised by China Tsinghua University. "We should look at countries according to what they are and what they are actually doing in the larger global system, " he said, adding that "India's integration with the globe is at a level not matched by most countries". "This includes the idea of economic integration with European countries, with Asian countries, our willingness to contribute