Trump claims control of Strait of Hormuz as stalemate deepens

Three Pakistani citizens lost their lives in an attack by Houthi rebels on a vessel in the Red Sea, according to foreign minister Ishaq Dar. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 0.9% to $89.67, with U.S. benchmark crude oil increasing 0.9% to $83.98. Higher oil prices contribute to inflation, pushing the average cost of regular gasoline to $4.01 per gallon, up from $3.14 a year ago.

President Trump stated that he followed Secret Service instructions when he changed planes in Turkey last month due to credible intelligence about an Iranian missile threat. A former Mossad head claimed his agency had visited Iran's Fordo nuclear site multiple times for intelligence gathering. Israel launched a war against Iran to degrade its nuclear and missile programs, which were deemed an existential threat.

Iran has long been at odds with the West, particularly over its nuclear program, which the U.S. and Israel continue to oppose despite negotiations. Six new senior military leaders were appointed under Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling a shift from succession to consolidation of power.