New attacks on shipping as Iran war talks hit fresh impasse

The US and Iran's Iran-aligned Houthis separately attacked ships on Tuesday as hopes for resolving the Iran war waned, with Tehran asserting the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington meets its demands. Two attacks occurred, one in the Gulf of Oman and the other near the Red Sea's entrance, both critical chokepoints for global oil.

The attack on the Egyptian vessel Tihamah, which killed six people, may be the first such casualty since the Iran war commenced. A second attack on a small cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait claimed four lives among Yemeni rescuers. Oil prices rose, and global stocks fell amid concerns over a swift end to the conflict. The US military intercepted a suspected Houthi attack on a Panama-flagged cargo ship, firing Hellfire missiles at it after repeated warnings.

Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, stated that the Strait of Hormuz would stay closed unless the US accepts Iran's conditions for ending the war, including releasing frozen assets and halting conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza. The US President, Donald Trump, reiterated his stance that a deal was near and that Iran would face consequences for its actions.