US President Donald Trump has said he is “open” to negotiations with Iran, but stressed the final decision rests with him.
In a post on Truth Social he said: “The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage - The concept of which we are open to.”
It came after he insisted the steep rise in Diesel prices is a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia and not Iran.
Oil and gas prices have climbed higher after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline in response to a series of drone attacks. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil increased by around 3% to 108 US dollars (£80) on Monday morning.
Oman announced late on Sunday that planned talks with Iran about the future of the Strait of Hormuz had been cancelled “in the interests of consensus”, scuppering hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in the near term.
Iranian officials had said earlier that they would attend the gathering with Gulf Arab states to present an agreement with Oman on the future governing of shipping routes through the Strait, which carried about a fifth of global oil supplies before the war.
Read MoreHegseth accused of pressuring two rescued airmen to do interview with Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’
Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia
Key Points
- Trump says US could keep Iranian oil like Venezuela deal
- Oman postpones meeting with Iran and regional countries on Hormuz
- Trump denies China helped Iran before attack that killed US troops
- Iran says one killed in strike on commercial ship
- Oil prices jump more than 2% to $107 after new strikes
Oil tanker exploded after colliding with mines in Hormuz, reports say
20:13 , Rebeca WhittakerAn oil tanker exploded and caught fire after colliding with mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's IRGC said, according to Fars, without saying when the incident occurred.
Trend of oil shipments through Strait of Hormuz rising, says US energy sec
20:00 , James ReynoldsThe seven-day rolling average of covert oil shipments accompanied by the US Navy through the Strait of Hormuz is rising and will continue to rise, Donald Trump’s energy secretary Chris Wright said at a meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog on Monday.
"The trend in that seven-day rolling average has been going up and will continue to go up," he told a press conference, adding that a peak of 17 million barrels in one day he cited on Sept. 1 was in fact higher.
“There was one ship not counted. It turned out it was almost spot on 18 million barrels that day,” he claimed.
Analysis: Why are the Houthis escalating now?
19:00 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels have ramped up attacks on Saudi Arabia and pushed west towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Being closer to the Red Sea will make it easier to launch strikes on Saudi oil tankers, which are reliant on the strait with the Strait of Hormuz out of action thanks to Iran.
Edmund Fitton-Brown, former British ambassador to Yemen, told The Independent that after months of attacks at sea, the Houthis “think the moment has come to call the Saudi bluff”.
“They think the Saudis have lost the stomach for the fight. They think that they showed themselves to be weak and frightened in the face of the Iranians,” he said.
“And the Houthis think that this is the moment where they can effectively raise their demands and get the Saudis to concede even more advantageous terms than they were previously willing to do.”
The risk for the Houthis, said Mr Fitton-Brown, is that the Saudis “seem inclined to fight back” - although so far their allies in Turkey, Pakistan and the United States are yet to join the cause.
In pictures: before and after an attack on the Saudi Arabia East-West pipeline
18:00 , James Reynolds
Trump now blames 'Sleepy Joe Biden' for rising prices
17:35 , Rebecca WhittakerUS president Donald Trump has again dodged the blame for rising prices and claims they were caused by “Sleepy Joe Biden.”
He wrote in a post on Truth Social: “I hope everyone realizes that price increases throughout America were caused by Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, not by ‘TRUMP.’
“Even Oil was higher under Biden than it is right now, and we prevented Iran from having a Nuclear Weapon!
“With the temporary exception of Oil, prices are coming down sharply, and Oil will drop like a rock as soon as the Military Conflict with Iran is over, and that will not be long. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
It comes as oil and gas prices have climbed higher after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline in response to a series of drone attacks.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil was up by around 3% to 108 US dollars (£80) on Monday morning.
In a previous post he claimed the world’s Diesel prices have risen mostly due to the war between Russia and Ukraine and not due to war in Iran.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have forced a lightning offensive to the Red Sea coast, assuming control over another vital waterway in the region and threatening to expand the frozen US-Israeli conflict with Iran to the east. By securing a position overlooking the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Iran-aligned group has opened a second pressure point, further squeezing Saudi Arabia’s oil exports already diverted from the Strait of Hormuz. The sudden land grab over the last week has been accompanied by an aerial campaign against military instalments in southern Saudi Arabia, shifting the balance of power after more than a decade at war. The Independent looks at what the Houthi advance means for regional stability:
17:30 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels have forced a lightning offensive to the Red Sea coast, assuming control over another vital waterway in the region and threatening to expand the frozen US-Israeli conflict with Iran to the east.
By securing a position overlooking the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Iran-aligned group has opened a second pressure point, further squeezing Saudi Arabia’s oil exports already diverted from the Strait of Hormuz.
The sudden land grab over the last week has been accompanied by an aerial campaign against military installments in southern Saudi Arabia, shifting the balance of power after more than a decade at war.
The Independent looks at what the Houthi advance means for regional stability:
What the escalating war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis means for Trump in Iran
US pilot survived for two days behind enemy lines with broken back after Iran shot down plane: ‘It was terrifying’
17:00 , James ReynoldsThe American air force colonel whose fighter jet was downed over Iran in April has shared how survived for two days behind enemy lines with a broken back, arm and shoulder while waiting for help to arrive.
‘Bravo’ was the weapons-system officer in a two-man crew flying over Iran on 3 April when their F-15E Strike Eagle was hit by Iranian fire. The pilot in the front - ‘Alpha’ - ejected successfully, but Bravo came down in the mountains.
In his first public account of what happened, he told CBS News’ 60 Minutes how he free-fell to the ground at speeds of up to 100mph with a damaged parachute, torn up by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile.
Read the full story:
US pilot survived for two days in Iran with broken back after plane shot down
Trump 'open' to negotiations with Iran again
16:41 , Rebecca WhittakerUS President Donald Trump has said the US is open to starting negotiations with Iran again.
In a post on Truth Social he said: “The failing Nation of Iran wants to make a deal, quickly and badly. I will determine whether or not the U.S.A. will choose to engage - The concept of which we are open to. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump claims oil price rise is due to war between Russia and Ukraine not Iran
16:35 , Rebecca WhittakerUS president Donald Trump has claimed the world’s Diesel prices have risen mostly due to the war between Russia and Ukraine and not due to war in Iran.
In a post on Truth Social he wrote: “Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets. Russia has agreed to do, likewise! The World’s Diesel price rise is mostly caused by the Russia/Ukraine War, not Iran.”
It comes as oil and gas prices have climbed higher after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline in response to a series of drone attacks.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil was up by around 3% to 108 US dollars (£80) on Monday morning.
Houthis seize 2 strategic Red Sea islands
16:20 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels have seized the strategic islands of Greater and Lesser Hanish in the southern Red Sea, bolstering the Iranian-backed rebels' ability to control a key maritime shipping route.
Meanwhile, Iran says Saudi Arabia was behind Oman’s decision to postpone a meeting bringing together Iran with other regional countries to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East:
Houthis seize 2 strategic Red Sea islands, and other Mideast developments
Saudi Arabia 'finds 110m tons of raw materials containing uranium'
15:40 , James ReynoldsSaudi Arabia’s energy minister announces that the country has discovered 110 million tons of raw materials containing uranium concentrations in the holy city of Medina.
US energy secretary Chris Wright says that there are no plans for uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia.
Watch: US Air Force officer recalls 'free-falling' to ground with damaged parachute after plane was shot down over Iran
15:00 , James ReynoldsExplained: What the escalating war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis means for Trump in Iran
14:47 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels have forced a lightning offensive to the Red Sea coast, assuming control over another vital waterway in the region and threatening to expand the frozen US-Israeli conflict with Iran to the east.
By securing a position overlooking the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Iran-aligned group has opened a second pressure point, further squeezing Saudi Arabia’s oil exports already diverted from the Strait of Hormuz.
The sudden land grab over the last week has been accompanied by an aerial campaign against military instalments in southern Saudi Arabia, shifting the balance of power after more than a decade at war.
The Independent looks at what the Houthi advance means for regional stability:
What the escalating war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis means for Trump in Iran
Oil and gas prices climb after Saudi Arabia closes east-west pipeline
14:20 , James ReynoldsOil and gas prices have climbed higher after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline in response to a series of drone attacks.
The world’s financial markets continue to be rocked by fighting in the Middle East that is causing further disruption to global supply of the key commodities, sending wholesale prices surging.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil was up by around 3% to 108 US dollars (£80) on Monday morning.
Oil and gas prices climb after Saudi Arabia closes east-west pipeline
Iran says reports about activity in Pickaxe Mountain are baseless
13:40 , James ReynoldsIran's foreign ministry spokesperson said reports of activity at the country's Pickaxe Mountain (Kolang Kouh) were baseless, after US President Donald Trump said the United States was monitoring activity there.
Trump had said last week that the US could hit Pickaxe Mountain and urged Iran to be cautious.
Satellite images reveal surge in activity at Iran nuclear site Trump threatened
Missile attacks target Iranian Kurdish opposition camps
13:00 , James ReynoldsMissile attacks targeted three camps belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups east of Sulaimaniya in Iraq's Kurdistan region early on Monday, two security sources told Reuters, adding that no casualties were reported.
US pilot survived for two days behind enemy lines with broken back after Iran shot down plane: ‘It was terrifying’
12:20 , James ReynoldsThe American air force colonel whose fighter jet was downed over Iran in April has shared how survived for two days behind enemy lines with a broken back, arm and shoulder while waiting for help to arrive.
‘Bravo’ was the weapons-system officer in a two-man crew flying over Iran on 3 April when their F-15E Strike Eagle was hit by Iranian fire. The pilot in the front - ‘Alpha’ - ejected successfully, but Bravo came down in the mountains.
In his first public account of what happened, he told CBS News’ 60 Minutes how he free-fell to the ground at speeds of up to 100mph with a damaged parachute, torn up by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile.
Read the full story:
US pilot survived for two days in Iran with broken back after plane shot down
Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia
11:40 , James ReynoldsIran-backed Houthis in Yemen claimed new attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia over the weekend, as Yemen's Saudi-backed government acknowledged the rebels' swift advance along the Red Sea coast as a “painful” development in a new front in the Iran war.
The Houthis' capture of a key port city and an island on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial shipping alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, in recent days has alarmed markets and Yemeni civilians who fear a return to devastating civil war.
Overnight into Sunday, the Houthis claimed more attacks with missiles and drones on Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen's internationally recognized government that's been fighting the rebels.
A Houthi military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed in a statement that they targeted a military base in Sharurah province in Saudi Arabia's Najran region. He didn’t provide evidence or say when the attack occurred.
He said the group had targeted “weapons depots and command and control centers” with ballistic missiles and drones.
The escalation follows a lightning Houthi advance to the Red Sea coast this week, giving the group greater power to attack Saudi ships around the Bab-al Mandeb strait.
Catch up: Trump says he could keep Iranian oil ‘like Venezuela’ as Hormuz talks face setback
11:00 , James ReynoldsUS president Donald Trump has suggested his forces could stay in Iran and "keep the oil", drawing a parallel with a US push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
Trump reiterated that he still expected the Iran war to end this year even as the gridlock over talks on the Strait of Hormuz continue. Trump added that the price of gasoline would "drop like a rock" once the Iran war ended.
On Monday crude oil spiked to $107 a barrel, one of the highest since the US and Israel launched its war on Iran.Trump said that he would only make the "right deal", before drawing a parallel with the US deal in Venezuela, announced in August.
"We'll ultimately get out (of Iran), unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela," Trump said, adding that the US revenue from Venezuela has "paid for the war many times".
Meanwhile, Oman said it had to postpone a meeting scheduled for Monday in Muscat with Iran and other regional countries to discuss the Strait of Hormuz “in the interest of consensus”.
Saudi crown prince MBS meets with US Centcom chief
10:25 , James ReynoldsSaudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has met the commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, state TV reports.
The pair met previously this time last month and discussed defence cooperation between the two countries as well as efforts to reduce regional tensions.
The latest visit comes amid questions over US support for its ally Saudi Arabia as the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels ramp up their attacks on the kingdom and push towards the coast, threatening Saudi shipping.
Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of crude oil in the world.
US Air Force officer shot down in Iran recounts his two-day wait for help with a broken back
10:20 , James ReynoldsThe American air force colonel whose F-15E fighter jet was downed over Iran in April has shared how survived for two days behind enemy lines with a broken back, arm and shoulder while waiting for help to arrive.
‘Bravo’ was the weapons-system officer in a two-man crew flying over Iran on 3 April, 2026 when the plane was hit by Iranian fire. The pilot in the front - ‘Alpha’ - ejected successfully, but Bravo went down in the mountains.
In his first public account of what happened, he told CBS News how he free-fell to the ground at speeds of up to 100mph with a damaged parachute, torn up by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile.
The officer broke his back, an arm and his shoulder after hitting the ground at speed, CBS reported. He said it was a “modern day miracle” that he survived two days hiding out before his rescue.
Finding himself in a valley with cliffs on either side, the officer concluded he would be safest in the high ground and climbed to a 7,000ft ridgeline despite his injuries.
“Never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV,” he said.
South Korea condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia
09:40 , James ReynoldsSouth Korea's foreign ministry on Monday condemned what it said was a Houthi attack on civilian and economic facilities in southern Saudi Arabia that injured multiple civilians, and urged the Iran-aligned group to immediately stop such attacks.
The ministry said in a statement that attacks on civilians, civilian facilities and actions that undermined free and safe navigation could not be justified under any circumstances, and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
Houthis claim attack on another Saudi airbase
09:19 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthis have claimed an attack on Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait air base.
More as we have it...
Watch: Trump says he could keep Iranian oil ‘like Venezuela’
09:00 , James ReynoldsOman says talks with Iran have been postponed
08:25 , James ReynoldsOman says that a planned meeting with Iran and regional Gulf states about the future of the Strait of Hormuz has been postponed in the “interests of consensus”.
“It has been decided to postpone to a later date the regional meeting that was to be held on Monday in Salalah, in order to create conditions conducive to a constructive dialogue,” the Oman News Agency said.
Iranian officials had said they would attend that gathering with Gulf Arab states to present an agreement with Oman on governing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about a fifth of global oil supplies before the war.
Analysis: The US has made progress in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but the Iran war is far from over
08:20 , James ReynoldsIn recent weeks, the United States has succeeded in loosening Iran's grip over the Strait of Hormuz while virtually shutting down Iran's own oil exports, accelerating its economic free fall.
But the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in February — intended to last a few weeks — is still far from over, and the stalemate is costly for both sides. An agreement reached in June quickly crumbled, with so sign of diplomatic progress since then. Low-level fighting persists, and the U.S. does not seem to have an exit strategy.
“Unfortunately, the US is not winning in the war with Iran despite its limited success in loosening Iran’s grip over the strait and the devastating impact on Iran’s economy,” said Mona Yacoubian, a Middle East expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Read the full analysis:
The US has made progress in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but the Iran war is far from over
Iran's nuclear chief not expected to attend IAEA General Conference, official says
07:41 , James ReynoldsThe head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is not expected to attend the annual gathering of the UN nuclear watchdog’s member nations in Vienna for the first time in years because he is banned from international travel, an official briefed on the matter said.
Mohammad Eslami’s exclusion from the IAEA conference is another sign of rapidly deteriorating relations between Iran and the West. Austria sought a waiver of the travel ban on Eslami with the UN sanctions committee but it was not granted, the official said.
As host of the United Nations in Vienna, Austria can request exemptions from travel bans to enable sanctioned officials to attend international conferences at the UN.
Plans for new airport in Damascus sparks outcry
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSyrian government plans to turn a former military airport in Damascus into a hub for private jets are raising alarm among rights groups and residents who say redevelopment could disturb suspected mass graves and override private land claims.
Syria’s civil aviation authority said last week it was preparing to reclassify Mezzeh military airport for limited civilian use, focused on private and executive aviation, to complement Damascus International Airport, according to a report on Syria's state news agency, SANA. Rubble removal and infrastructure upgrades had already begun, the report said.
The project is emerging as a test of how Syria’s new authorities balance a drive to attract investment and redevelop state assets with two unresolved legacies of Assad’s family rule: the fate of tens of thousands of missing Syrians and property rights clouded by decades of expropriation.
More here.
Plans for airport in Damascus sparks outcry over disturbance of thousands of graves
New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran but banned from leaving country
06:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAn Iranian American jeweler from New York has been released from prison in Iran, but he is prohibited from leaving the country, according to his family and federal officials.
Kamran Hekmati was let out of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on Sept. 5 after completing about half of a two-year sentence, his family recently wrote on a website advocating for his release.
The family said they are also “desperately afraid for his health and well-being” as he requires regular medical checkups to ensure his bladder cancer doesn’t relapse.
More here.
A New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran but is banned from leaving war-torn country
Watch: Trump says he could keep Iranian oil ‘like Venezuela’
06:34 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarTrump says US could keep Iranian oil like Venezuela deal
05:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump suggested that US could stay in Iran and "keep the oil", drawing a parallel with a US push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
On a trip to Ireland for meetings and to watch golf, he reiterated that he still expected the Iran war to end this year, possibly just after midterm elections due in the US in November.
Speaking at the Irish Open golf championship, Trump added that the price of gasoline would "drop like a rock" once the Iran war ended.
Trump said that he would only make the "right deal" and wouldn't do one that was "no good", adding that Iran was "calling constantly" for peace talks — an assertion that Tehran has dismissed in the past.
But the president also introduced another option: stay engaged with Iran. He drew a parallel with the US deal in Venezuela, announced in August.
"We'll ultimately get out (of Iran), unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela," Trump said, adding that the US revenue from Venezuela has "paid for the war many times".
Trump denies China helped Iran before attack that killed US troops
05:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before an attack that killed three US troops.
The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed US officials about the attack in Jordan.
Asked whether he would mention the issue at an upcoming meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer, and instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States.
"They basically do what we do," he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
"When they say China spies on us, I say you're right and we spy on them too."
Trump on Sunday reiterated his view that he has a good relationship with Xi. "I think he's behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well," Trump said as he flew back to the US after a weekend trip to Ireland.
Iran says one killed in strike on commercial ship
05:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOne person was killed and three injured after an Iranian commercial vessel was struck off Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf that sits on the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor reported a vessel was hit by a projectile while transiting the strait, with no details. It was not immediately clear if it was the same strike.
There was no immediate statement by the US military, which has previously struck Iranian-flagged vessels as it keeps up a blockade of Iranian ports. On Saturday, the military said its forces had redirected 100 commercial vessels over the past 60 days.
Saudi Arabia lifts warnings of potential attack in four cities
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Saudi Civil Defence sent an all-clear this morning after issuing alerts for potential danger in four southern cities amid an uptick in attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
Saudi Civil Defence had issued the alerts for the cities of Najran, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Abha. It also later issued warnings for Khamis Mushait and Abha a second time before lifting them again.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
Oil prices jump more than 2% to $107 after new strikes
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices jumped more than 2 per cent this morning after new Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and Iranian attacks on ships in the Gulf compounded supply concerns following the closure of a key Saudi oil pipeline.
Brent crude futures rose $2.90, or 2.77 per cent, to $107.51 per barrel. WTI futures rose $2.27, or 2.27 per cent, to $102.32 per barrel. Prices had initially risen more than 3 per cent at market open.
Oman postpones meeting with Iran and regional countries on Hormuz
04:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOman said it had to postpone a meeting scheduled for today in Muscat with Iran and other regional countries to discuss the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Oman are located on either side of the strait, and Tehran had said foreign ministers from various regional countries would meet in Oman to discuss its management.
But the foreign minister of Oman, Badr Albusaidi, said on X yesterday that the meeting had been postponed “in the interests of consensus".
Iran and Oman agreed to postpone the talks “at the request of some regional countries,” said Mohammad Ali Bak, an official in Iran’s foreign ministry who was quoted by IRNA on X.
Recap: Surge in activity reported at Iran nuclear site Trump threatened
02:00 , Bryony GoochSatellite images reveal surge in activity at Iran nuclear site Trump threatened
Watch: Trump says he has ‘no regrets’ over Iran war
01:00 , Bryony GoochNew attacks in Hormuz and Saudi test nerves as war's spread worsens oil disruption
Monday 14 September 2026 00:00 , Bryony GoochNew strikes on Saudi Arabia and on ships in the Gulf tested nerves in the Middle East on Sunday, after an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline and an advance by Yemen's Houthis threatened to worsen the wartime disruption to global energy supplies.
Oil traders were expecting prices to rise again when markets reopen on Monday, following the weekend developments that jeopardise supplies from the world's biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia.
The British maritime security agency UKMTO said on Sunday that a vessel had been struck by a projectile as it moved through the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire and forcing the crew to be evacuated. Iran, for its part, said one person was killed and four crew wounded aboard an Iranian commercial vessel struck off its coast.
In Saudi Arabia, state media released video of damage to homes and a mosque from the purported latest cross-border attack by the Houthis, in Jazan province in the south. The Houthis claimed separately to have struck a Saudi military base in a neighbouring province.
Southern Saudi cities have experienced regular alerts since last week, culminating in drone strikes on Friday that knocked out the 1,200-km (745-mile) east-west pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula that has served as the main route for global supplies of Middle East oil bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
That same day, the Houthis captured Perim Island, which lies in the middle of the Bab El-Mandeb, the "Gate of Tears" strait that controls the mouth of the Red Sea.
Explosions heard in Iran's Sirik Island
Sunday 13 September 2026 23:08 , Bryony GoochIranian state media has reported several explosions heard in Iran’s Sirik Island.
Analysis: Why are the Houthis escalating now?
Sunday 13 September 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels have ramped up attacks on Saudi Arabia and pushed west towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Being closer to the Red Sea will make it easier to launch strikes on Saudi oil tankers, which are reliant on the strait with the Strait of Hormuz out of action thanks to Iran.
Edmund Fitton-Brown, former British ambassador to Yemen, told The Independent that after months of attacks at sea, the Houthis “think the moment has come to call the Saudi bluff”.
“They think the Saudis have lost the stomach for the fight. They think that they showed themselves to be weak and frightened in the face of the Iranians,” he said.
“And the Houthis think that this is the moment where they can effectively raise their demands and get the Saudis to concede even more advantageous terms than they were previously willing to do.”
The risk for the Houthis, said Mr Fitton-Brown, is that the Saudis “seem inclined to fight back” - although so far their allies in Turkey, Pakistan and the United States are yet to join the cause.
Envoy warns of 'new and more dangerous phase' in Yemen war
Sunday 13 September 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsThe UN Security council has been warned that the international community must act to address “a new and more dangerous phase” in the Yemen war.
Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told a UN said the Houthis' gaining control of Mocha gave them “a direct presence on the approaches to one of the world’s most vital straits.”
Speaking to the council on Thursday, he said: “When I briefed this council last month, I warned that Yemen was facing the greatest risk of a return to large-scale conflict since the 2022 truce. That risk has now turned into a harsh reality.
“This renewed war should alarm us all. It effectively marks the end of the relative calm that Yemen has experienced for over four years since the UN-brokered truce.
“It not only threatens to plunge Yemen into a prolonged and expanding war, but also risks yet again dragging the country into the wider and unresolved regional confrontation, with global repercussions.”
Iran says meeting in Oman with Gulf Arab states postponed at request of regional countries, Fars reports
Sunday 13 September 2026 21:36 , Bryony GoochA meeting in Oman between Iran and Gulf Arab states, scheduled for Monday to discuss possible agreements on the Strait of Hormuz, was postponed at the request of some regional countries in a decision jointly made by Tehran and Muscat, Fars news agency reported, citing an Iranian foreign ministry official.
Main story: Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi base as military advance in Yemen intensifies
Sunday 13 September 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Houthi rebels claimed on Sunday to have struck facilities at a military base in Saudi Arabia as the burgeoning conflict threatens to throw the region back into chaos.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the Iran-backed group had targeted “weapons depots and command and control centers” at the southern Sharurah base.
Saree claimed that a joint ballistic missile and drone attack hit its targets and warned of wider measures if the Saudi attacks on Yemen continue.
The escalation follows a lightning Houthi advance to the Red Sea coast this week, giving the group greater power to attack Saudi ships around the Bab-al Mandeb strait.
Oil hovered around $100 per barrel on Sunday amid growing fears the clashes could drag in the US to help its ally in Riyadh, prolonging the six-month conflict with Iran to the east.
Trump says Iran war could end before midterms
Sunday 13 September 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsSpeaking earlier in Doonbeg, on his last day of a two-day non-state visit to Ireland, president Trump tells reporters the Iran war could end “maybe before or right after the midterms”.
"Iran will end right after - maybe before - but it'll end right after the midterms. Gasoline's going to drop like a rock," Trump told reporters at the Irish Open golf championship.
He insisted - again - that Iran “wants to make a deal so bad”.
“They are calling constantly,” he said. “They want to make a deal. They've got to make the right deal. I'm not going to make a deal that's no good.”
Trump says no after Saudi crown prince pushes for US strikes on Houthis: report
Sunday 13 September 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made two phone calls to President Donald Trump on Thursday, pressing him to execute military strikes targeting Houthi forces, according to an Axios report citing two American officials.
Trump turned down the request, with U.S. officials stating the administration currently has no intention of taking direct military action against the Houthis.
Neither the White House nor the Saudi embassy in Washington immediately responded to requests for comment outside standard business hours, and the details could not be independently verified.
Trump says no after Saudi crown prince pushes for US strikes on Houthis: report
Trump says US could stay in Iran and keep oil, like Venezuela deal
Sunday 13 September 2026 18:20 , Bryony GoochPresident Donald Trump suggested on Sunday the United States could stay in Iran and "keep the oil", drawing a parallel with a US push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
On a trip to Ireland for meetings and to watch golf, he reiterated that he still expected the Iran war to end this year, possibly just after midterm elections due in the United States in November.
Speaking at the Irish Open golf championship, Trump added that the price of gasoline would "drop like a rock" once the Iran war ended.
Turmoil in the Middle East has roiled oil markets, with oil traders expecting prices to rise again on Monday after an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.
Trump said that he would only make the "right deal" and wouldn't do one that was "no good", adding that Iran was "calling constantly" for peace talks — an assertion that Tehran has dismissed in the past.
But the president also introduced another option: stay engaged with Iran. He drew a parallel with the US deal in Venezuela, announced in August.
"We'll ultimately get out (of Iran), unless we decide to stay and keep the oil like Venezuela," Trump said, adding that the US revenue from Venezuela has "paid for the war many times."
Watch: Trump says Iran war will end ‘immediately’ after November midterm elections
Sunday 13 September 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsBurnham to slash energy bills by up to £200 – see if you’re eligible
Sunday 13 September 2026 17:00 , James ReynoldsAndy Burnham could slash up to £200 off energy bills when Britons can expect a surge in gas and fuel prices this winter due to the Iran war.
Ofgem’s energy price cap will rise by four per cent in October, due to an increase in wholesale gas prices as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up the cost of supplying energy in the UK.
This means the annual figure will rise from £1,663 to £1,723 – equivalent to around £5 more per month, or £60 per year, but analysts are already predicting a bigger hike to the price cap in the new year.
Read the full story:
Burnham to slash energy bills by up to £200 – see if you’re eligible
