ship

Search and rescue operations under way as authorities lose contact with 10 crew members after a vessel collision near Istanbul.

Turkiye’s coastguard has launched a search and rescue operation after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul and contact was lost with one vessel and its crew of 10.

The collision took place at 3am (00:00 GMT) in the Marmara Sea a little more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) south of Silivri, a suburb of Turkey’s largest city, the Istanbul governor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Contact was lost with the crew of the Tugberk Imamoglu, flagged to Turkey, after the collision with the Turkish-flagged Alsu, which appeared undamaged, the governor’s office said.

“Numerous naval units from the coast guard’s Marmara and Bosphorus Command and a coast guard helicopter were dispatched to the scene,” the office said.

Aug. 31 (UPI) — A supertanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz struck two sea mines, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Monday, days after the Trump administration said it had cleared the vital transit route of the explosive devices.

According to a statement from the IRGC Navy carried by semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the unidentified tanker struck the mines, caught fire and came to a stop.

The IRGC Navy said the vessel had attempted to pass through an “illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz” when it came into contact with the mines.

The IRGC Navy once again warns that the fate of ships that violate the security regulations of the Strait of Hormuz will be no different from this,” it said.

“Compliance with the regulations issued by the IRGC Navy for passage through the strait is mandatory.”

The U.S.-Iran war has for months been focused on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has restricted commercial passage through with the use of mines, drones and artillery since the start of the conflict.

The U.S. military has been fighting to regain freedom of navigation through this chokepoint, and President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that vessels are freely able to transit it despite only 8.3% of the normal daily volume passing in the last 24 hours with hundreds of vessels waiting, according to the independent Hormuz Strait Monitor.

Last week, Trump claimed all mines planted by the IRGC in the strait had been cleared and Iran had been warned that any ship planting new mines would be “destroyed.”

U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper later in the week echoed Trump, saying, “We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes.”

Neither claim could be independently verified.

The announcement came hours after U.S. forces said it struck a pair of rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, the first U.S. military action taken against Iran in weeks.

There is a report of a new ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the difficulty of ending hostilities with Iran. The strike came hours after the Trump administration on Monday unleashed the threat of harsh new sanctions to further isolate the Islamic Republic. Though details were sparse, and no deadlines were issued, the goal was to compel the Iranians to return to negotiations by inducing additional economic pain instead of through bombardment. Originally touting the announcement as an “economic D-Day” against Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s lack of firm timelines presented Monday doesn’t seem to match that initial rhetoric.

Monday evening, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) said it “received a report of an incident 9NM northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman.”

“The Master of an oil tanker reports the vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile causing damage to the engine room and disabling the vessel,” UKMTO reported on X. “Crew are reported safe. Environmental impact is unknown at time of report. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO. Authorities are investigating.”

UKMTO didn’t assign blame, but it’s obviously extremely likely the attack was carried out by Iran.

Hours before Bessent’s sanctions announcement, the Houthi rebels of Yemen also attacked another Saudi ship in the northern Red Sea. These strikes are a stark reminder that the war launched on Iran by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28 is still sending kinetic shockwaves around the region and roiling the global economy.

At a press conference in Washington, Bessent formally announced the broad outlines of a new list of measures to cut Iran off from global trade. The move comes as the Iranian economy, which was reeling even before the war broke out, continues to suffer after months of war and an ongoing U.S. naval blockade of its ports.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told reporters. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast,” the plan calls for every country to “be given a defined timeline to shut down its Iran-related business activity,” Axios noted. “If it fails to do so, the U.S. will impose secondary sanctions.”

As part of this effort, the Treasury Department “issued determinations against five critical sectors––digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping––that the Iranian regime uses to try to prop up its failing economy,” it explained. In addition, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) “sanctioned nearly 60 entities, individuals, and vessels in multiple jurisdictions that enable the Iranian regime’s recklessness, including illicit nuclear and missile technology procurement, cyber operations, and oil‑revenue generation networks.”

OFAC also “suspended several general licenses that previously authorized certain remittance payments to Iran and Iranian access to the U.S. cultural and academic system,” Treasury noted. “OFAC issued additional guidance on the sanctions risks of bowing to Iranian demands related to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Asked by a reporter what actions the U.S. might take against China, Bessent hinted that Beijing is not exempt. China has been a major importer of Iranian oil and its banks have helped support Tehran’s economy.

“We want to make clear here today that no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions,” Bessent responded. “That if they facilitate transactions and are part of the ecosystem that turns Iranian oil into money, into repression, they will be targeted.”

BIG: Bessent on China and Iran:

We want to make clear here today that no one is above the reach of U.S. sanctions.

That if they facilitate transactions and are part of the ecosystem that turns Iranian oil into money, into repression, they will be targeted. pic.twitter.com/hVuFLlgaZa

— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 24, 2026

Bessent did not offer any further specifics. He was equally vague about any timelines for this effort.

“We are giving everyone the opportunity to remedy bad behavior,” Bessent told reporters. “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?”

For their part, the Iranians dismissed Bessent’s plan and promised their own harsh response to the new sanctions.

“Americans know that no one buys their bombast; the United States is not in an economic position to further restrict its relations with other countries,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, stated on X. “Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account anywhere.”

آمریکایی‌ها می‌دانند که کسی گُنده‌لافی‌های آنها را باور نمی‌کند؛ آمریکا از لحاظ اقتصادی در شرایطی نیست که بخواهد روابط خود با دیگر کشورها را محدودتر از این کند.
شرکای تجاری ایران، هم در رسانه‌ها و هم با ارسال پیام‌ به ما اعلام کرده‌اند که این اظهارات را به هیچ جا حساب نمی‌کنند.

— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) August 24, 2026

“Any escalation of this situation will undoubtedly bring about consequences,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said. “Our hands are not tied.”

Baghaei did not offer specifics, but Iran still possesses missiles and drones that it can use to strike U.S. and allied interests in the region. In addition, Tehran still maintains a large degree of control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Even the threat of additional attacks could affect the flow of oil through the strategic chokepoint.

In addition, on Saturday, Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran’s national security council, threatened to attack U.S. businesses, The Telegraph reported. He also warned allies of the U.S. that they would be considered enemies, and their interests harmed if they joined Trump’s economic warfare. Cyberattacks on U.S. water systems that officials suspect may be linked to Iran-backed hackers have been reported in at least a dozen states, CBS News reported earlier this month. Iranian-linked hackers are also suspected of forcing a small British power generator offline for four days last month. Aside from that, there are still many U.S. business interests in the Middle East, and especially energy firms, with major facilities right across the Persian Gulf.

While the U.S. and Iran trade threats, the Houthis carried out a fresh strike on Saudi shipping as we noted earlier in this piece.

The Iranian-backed group claimed it hit the oil tanker Amzan off the coast of Yanbu. That’s the kingdom’s key port on the northern Red Sea, about 600 miles north of Houthi territory.

🔺Ansarallah says it struck the Saudi oil tanker Amzan with a ballistic missile off Yanbu in the northern Red Sea, declaring the attack part of its maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia and its “blockade for blockade” campaign.

Military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the missile hit… pic.twitter.com/PS6vna9XA2

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) August 24, 2026

Both the UKMTO and the Ambrey maritime security company confirmed the attack, which took place about 64 nm west of Yanbu, Ambrey noted.

After the vessel was hit, “the Egyptian Navy was reported to have responded and was transiting to the area of interest to conduct a rescue operation,” Ambrey stated. “At the time of the attack, the vessel was not transmitting its AIS signal. Its previous AIS transmission was recorded at 02:33 UTC on 8 August.”

The ship attack was the latest Houthi strike against the Saudis. The Yemen-based group had already struck Saudi ships in the southern part of that body of water and refineries along the northern portion after imposing a blockade on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait (BAM), leading several oil tankers in the Red Sea to avoid that route in favor of the Suez Canal. The expansion of the Houthi campaign against Saudi shipping began earlier this month with an attack off the port of Yanbu on the NCC Wafa, a Saudi oil tanker.

Though both the Strait of Hormuz and the BAM remain under pressure, ship traffic ticked upwards in both chokepoints last week, according to the Kpler global trade intelligence firm. Those numbers alone, however, don’t paint the full picture, Kpler cautioned.

“Traffic edged higher through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb last week, but headline volumes obscure contrasting risk signals,” Kpler cautioned on X. “Hormuz crossings rose 2.5% to 121, while laden transits fell 27% and sanctioned crossings increased from 9 to 16. Use of Iran’s unilateral routing scheme also climbed to 46.3% of crossings.”

“Bab el-Mandeb traffic rose 3.1% to 269 crossings,” the firm added. “Dark transits declined, but sanctioned and shadow fleet crossings remained broadly flat at 74 combined. The data suggest commercial substance is weakening at Hormuz even as overall traffic holds up, while Bab el-Mandeb remains resilient despite an active threat environment.”

Hormuz traffic masks rising risk

Traffic edged higher through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb last week, but headline volumes obscure contrasting risk signals.
Hormuz crossings rose 2.5% to 121, while laden transits fell 27% and sanctioned crossings increased from 9 to… pic.twitter.com/iHKsCigEJL

— Kpler (@Kpler) August 24, 2026

While the U.S. is threatening further moves to hurt the Iranian economy, doing so has inherent risks. For decades, Iran has weathered sanctions and isolation and yet the regime has persevered. It withstood mass protests against it earlier this year with bloody crackdowns that played a big role in moving U.S. President Donald Trump to take military action.

Iran continues to wield the cudgel of threatening the U.S. by resuming attacks on its assets in the region as well as against allies. In July, Tehran took rare initiative with a surprise attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, a contrast to its previous pattern of responding to strikes.

For the U.S., continued conflict risks further expenditure of its stocks of high-end offensive and defensive weapons and strain on its troops and equipment. It would also add new economic pressure. To help mitigate gasoline prices that shot up during the war, the Trump administration began releasing a large amount of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. That move set off a cascade of downstream effects.

“Stocks of crude ​oil in the ‌U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) ​fell ​by about 3.7 million ⁠barrels ​to 289.7 million ​barrels last week, the lowest ​level since ​November 1982,” Reuters reported, citing data from the Department of Energy. “The ​drawdowns ​are ⁠part of a ​U.S. agreement ​to ⁠release 172 million barrels ⁠from ​the ​facility.”

Barchart, the global market data and technology firm, offered a stark assessment of the state of the SPR.

“The U.S. has just 41 days of crude oil inventory left, the lowest level in half a century,” Barchart noted on X.

While that doesn’t mean gas pumps in the U.S. are about to shut down, the alarm bells are ringing.

Earlier this month, the president said his new strategy was to be “low-keying it” in Iran, a suggestion wants to avoid further major military action. However, in addition to global and domestic economic pressure, there are other factors weighing on Trump as he decides what to do next with regard to Iran.

The war is unpopular and the midterm elections are fast approaching. The White House and Republican leadership remain keenly aware that the conflict dragging on until November won’t help the party’s bid to hold onto control of both the Senate and the House.

We will have to see if the Treasury’s plan is actually enacted and what Iran’s response will be. As it sits now, the administration is clearly hoping the threat of such economic isolation will press them to the negotiating table, but Iran has shown no signs yet that it will.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com 

The PanStar Acro, bound for Europe via the Arctic, is testing whether a route opened by melting sea ice can be commercially viable.

A South ‌Korean container ship is sailing to Europe via the Arctic, ⁠in the nation’s first commercial voyage on the route to test its viability as the war in the Middle East rattles global shipping.

The PanStar Acro set sail from Busan New Port on Saturday. “We would like to inform you that the vessel for the Arctic route trial voyage departed” at 9:30pm (12:30 GMT), Seoul’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said in a statement to the AFP news agency.

The PanStar Acro will sail north, the Reuters news agency reported, hugging eastern Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, then cross the Bering Sea, and ⁠take the Northern Sea Route, stopping in Felixstowe in the UK, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Poland’s Gdansk before returning.

The 2,758 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container ship operated by South Korea’s PanStar ‌has secured 837 TEU of cargo, including car parts, chemical products and about 100 empty containers on the government-backed voyage.

The journey is expected to take 40 to 45 days, according to the Oceans Ministry.

President Lee Jae Myung has made Arctic shipping ‌a priority for South Korea, with the hope of turning the southeastern ⁠port of Busan into a global maritime hub and position the Arctic as a regular trade route by 2030.

But this new route has been criticised for several different reasons. Environmental groups have warned the route could accelerate polar ice melt, meaning the increase in shipping could worsen global warming.

The project also risks increasing friction with Western allies hoping to keep Russia isolated in its war with Ukraine. Seoul has consulted with Moscow about the journey, Reuters reported, including whether the ship needed ⁠help to tackle any problems, such as ⁠getting stuck in ice.

Last year, 103 transits through the route were made by 88 vessels, up from ⁠97 in 2024 and 43 in 2022, chiefly from nations such as Russia and China, according ⁠to Norway’s Centre for High North Logistics.

But with the Iran war affecting global shipping, governments and shipping firms are scrambling to seek different routes, with the Arctic route increasingly viewed as a viable alternative due to technological advances and environmental degradation.

South Korea’s Vice Oceans Minister Nam Jae-hon said the Arctic route was “bound to become an alternative” to Middle Eastern shipping lanes.

The usual maritime route between Asia and Europe runs through the Suez Canal, but travelling through the Arctic can cut the journey by approximately 7,000 kilometres (4,300 miles) and about 10 days, according to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.

However, major carriers including CMA CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd have pledged to avoid Arctic shipping routes due to pressure from environmental groups. The Arctic sea route is believed to be accessible only during the time of year when the ice is melted enough to allow transits without icebreakers.

“The Northern Sea Route has become increasingly viable as the Arctic warms about four times faster than the global average, leading to a sharp decline in sea ice,” South Korean environmental group Paran Ocean Citizen Science Center said in a statement last year. “But making the route commercially viable would require further warming, putting the policy at odds with efforts to combat climate change.”

Taiwan Warns Chinese Vessel to Leave Sensitive Waters

Taiwan’s coast guard said on Friday it had warned off and shadowed a Chinese research vessel operating in sensitive waters west of the island, marking the third time the ship has appeared near Taiwan since May.

The vessel, the Tongji, was spotted late Thursday about 24.9 nautical miles northwest of Taiwan’s Penghu islands, which sit in the Taiwan Strait and host important Taiwanese military facilities.

Taiwan views the repeated presence of Chinese vessels near the island as part of a broader campaign of maritime pressure by Beijing.

Coast Guard Monitors Tongji as It Moves South

Taiwan said the Tongji was not seen deploying or towing scientific equipment during its latest appearance.

The coast guard dispatched a patrol vessel to sail alongside the Chinese ship and issued what it described as strong warnings for it to leave the area.

By Friday morning, the Tongji had moved to around 28 nautical miles west-southwest of Liuqiu island in southern Taiwan, continuing southeast through the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan’s coast guard said it would continue proactively deploying vessels to respond to Chinese ships and protect the country’s waters.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office had not immediately responded to a Reuters request for comment.

Why Is the Research Ship Significant?

The Tongji was commissioned only last year and has appeared near Taiwan several times since May.

Taiwan previously reported seeing the vessel lowering ropes into the water, raising concerns that it could have been conducting scientific or survey operations without authorisation.

Chinese state media describes the ship as capable of operating in all weather conditions and carrying remotely operated vehicles, laboratories and unmanned systems.

The latest incident is therefore significant because the vessel’s presence comes amid wider concerns in Taipei over Chinese maritime activity around the island.

Taiwan Sees a Broader Grey-Zone Strategy

Taiwan has increasingly described the activities of Chinese coast guard and other vessels around the island as grey-zone pressure.

Rather than directly launching military action, such operations can create persistent pressure through patrols, maritime activity and the repeated presence of Chinese state vessels in disputed or sensitive areas.

Taiwan argues that these activities can gradually create an impression of Chinese jurisdiction while testing Taipei’s ability to monitor and respond to incursions.

The research vessel’s repeated appearances add another dimension to that pressure because scientific and survey activity can have potential strategic value even when a vessel is not openly conducting military operations.

Chinese Military Activity Continues Around Taiwan

The latest maritime encounter comes against the backdrop of China’s almost daily military activity around Taiwan.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of China and rejects the Taiwanese government’s claims to sovereignty. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and maintains control over the island.

This has produced an increasingly competitive environment in which military aircraft, naval vessels, coast guard ships and other Chinese platforms regularly operate around Taiwan.

Analysis: Why the Tongji Matters Beyond Scientific Research

The immediate incident does not appear to represent a direct military confrontation. Taiwan said the Tongji was not observed deploying equipment, and the coast guard’s response consisted primarily of monitoring and warnings.

But the repeated appearance of the same vessel is strategically significant.

Research ships can perform legitimate scientific functions, but their ability to operate sophisticated equipment and collect information in strategically important waters means their activities can also have implications for maritime surveillance and future military operations.

For Taiwan, the challenge is therefore to distinguish between legitimate research and activity that could contribute to China’s broader strategic objectives without unnecessarily escalating tensions.

The incident also illustrates the evolving nature of cross-Strait competition. China does not need to launch a military attack to increase pressure on Taiwan; persistent maritime activity can gradually test Taiwan’s responses, expand China’s presence and challenge Taipei’s control over the surrounding waters.

As Chinese vessels continue appearing near Taiwan, incidents involving research ships, coast guard vessels and military platforms are likely to become an increasingly important part of the island’s security challenge.

With information from Reuters.

Aug. 18 (UPI) — A ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz came under attack on Tuesday, sustaining at least one casualty, amid claims by Tehran’s top negotiator that the critically important sea route would remain closed pending the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.

The British Royal Navy’s U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said in an alert that the security officer of the ship’s owner had reported that the engine room of the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while sailing outbound through Strait of Hormuz [from the Persian Gulf].

“The impact caused damage to the engine room and resulted in a crew casualty. The remaining crew are currently being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard. At present, no environmental impact has been reported,” said UKMTO which did not identify the ship.

It was not immediately clear if the affected crew member was injured or killed, or what type of weapon was used in the attack.

The incident coincided with comments by Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, vowing not to permit shipping to pass through the strait until the United States complied with terms set out in a cease-fire deal the two sides signed in June, including the lifting of sanctions preventing Iran from selling oil abroad.

“I want to state clearly that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding… are implemented,” Ghalibaf said in an address carried on Iranian state television.

Sailings through the strait have remained drastically curtailed, as they have been since the war started on Feb. 28, despite the 14-point framework calling for it to be reopened to commercial vessels for the duration of the 60-day deal, which expired Monday.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency added the ending of all military threats and operations by the United States to Ghalibaf’s list of demands.

The U.S. Navy is currently enforcing a blockade preventing ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

Democratic lawmakers and military families are pressing the Pentagon for answers after reports emerged that thousands of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have endured food shortages, plumbing failures and severe fatigue during deployment that has stretched more than 260 days.

The roughly 5,000-person crew, which left San Diego in November and has been stationed in the Middle East to support the U.S. war against Iran, has spent a record amount of uninterrupted time at sea. Now, families of those on board have begun speaking out publicly, describing concerns about mental health and supply issues aboard the aircraft carrier.

Since those reports — which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized as “completely misrepresented” — the U.S. military announced plans to send the USS George Washington, a Pacific-based aircraft carrier, to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln.

But when asked Friday for a reaction, Trump downplayed families’ concerns and characterized the length of the deployment as “not nearly long enough.”

The president’s remarks stand in contrast to the concerns raised by lawmakers and military families, including reports by the Military Times and the Stars and Stripes that sailors tried to jump overboard as the deployment kept going.

“The plans in the works to relieve the USS Lincoln are not enough,” Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Diego) wrote in a letter to Hegseth on Thursday. “We need clear and honest information from the Department of Defense about the operational failures that led to the problems aboard the USS Lincoln to ensure this never happens again.”

Morale aboard a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier already is difficult to maintain without a record-breaking stint, said Julie Roland, a retired veteran Navy lieutenant commander who worked briefly on the USS Lincoln.

Between the lack of sun below deck for some nonpilot personnel and rooms packed with triple-bunk beds, the conditions on vessels like the Lincoln can be difficult to bear. Although service members expect such difficulties, the situation on the USS Lincoln raises additional concern among sailors, Roland said.

“I know what months at sea does to a person even when the ship has hot chow and working plumbing,” Roland said. “The warrior ethos shouldn’t have to include bravely facing water contamination. … Even warfighters need basic care.”

Roland added that she was not surprised to hear complaints of poor living conditions from sailors on board, given that their few days of reprieve for port call constantly were being delayed. She said she received videos showing trash being tossed overboard because of broken incinerators, heard stories of a lack of proper medical supplies and kept in touch with one sailor who detailed his mental health deterioration as days dragged on aboard the Lincoln.

“The magnitude of difference between official information from the Department of Defense and firsthand reports from the crew should be troubling, and may have serious implications about what else the Pentagon may be withholding regarding the conflict in Iran,” Roland added.

In his letter to Hegseth, Levin said the Trump administration needs to answer concerns from military families and loves ones about the conditions aboard. He said he heard concerns about moldy showers, broken toilets, lack of hot water, lack of access to fresh produce and supply shortages.

Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego), who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, also demanded answers from U.S. military leaders on what she called “horrific” reports of the conditions aboard the ship.

Tensions over the situation also prompted military leaders to hold in-person and virtual meetings last week with the families of the sailors and Marines. Both meetings were combative, according to a recording obtained by MS NOW.

During the in-person meeting at the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, Navy leaders were unable to tell families when their loves ones would be relieved from duty. Spouses, in turn, asked what was being done to address issues of mental health and exhaustion, MS NOW reported.

Concerns about mental health deteriorating on these types of deployments are well-founded.

A study of nearly 1,000 sailors published in the journal Military Medicine in January 2025 found that service members aboard Navy ships suffer the highest rates of “serious psychological distress” compared to other branches of the U.S. military. Among the reasons are “unique stressors, such as poor habitability, noise and demanding scheduled that leave inadequate time for sleep and rest,” the study found.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the USS Abraham Lincoln was not an “isolated case” and demanded an inquiry.

“Recent carrier deployments have repeatedly stretched beyond their original anticipated duration, suggesting that extended deployments may be becoming a feature rather than an exception of the Navy’s force-generation model,” Blumenthal wrote.

Hegseth told reporters on Thursday that “some deployments are longer than others.”

“What they do in those high seas and those austere conditions with less port calls, it’s incredible. And Americans don’t understand what it’s like to do that,” he said, while adding that he wants “folks rotated as quickly as possible.”

In a message to the crew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, Hegseth said: “We’re going to do everything we can for you. We are so grateful for the dedication of that crew and others.”

Following the latest news that beloved Loose Women panellist Denise Welch is departing the ITV show, many viewers are now labelling the programme a ‘sinking ship’

Daytime TV favourite Loose Women has recently undergone some of the most sweeping structural and staffing shake-ups in its 26-year history, and following the latest news that beloved panellist Denise Welch is departing the show, many viewers are now labelling the programme a ‘sinking ship’.

As part of a sweeping broadcaster-wide cost-cutting drive by ITV, the format of the show has changed dramatically this year. Rather than broadcasting all year round, Loose Women was scaled back to a seasonal format in January, airing for just 30 weeks a year. The show also axed its live studio audience entirely. This decision led to the dismissal of long-serving studio warm-up comedian Lee Peart, sparking an emotional outcry from remaining cast members.

Loose Women also vacated its former home and relocated to The H Club Studio in Covent Garden. It now shares a centralised, 360-degree LED-walled studio space with This Morning and Lorraine in a bid to significantly slash production costs.

While its standard runtime remains one hour (12:30 pm to 1:30 pm), the show has trialled temporary extensions – such as 15-minute “extra time” segments to accommodate sports scheduling and specific themed features.

It was also revealed this month that panellist Nadia Sawalha had been dropped from the programme by ITV following controversy over her beliefs. Now, news has broken today (August 13) that Denise Welch has quit the show.

The 68-year-old, who has appeared on-and-off the programme for 25 years, says she wants to throw herself wholeheartedly into her acting career, which she has described as her true passion and “first love”.

She has enjoyed a remarkable professional resurgence of late, landing major television roles including the Channel 4 sitcom Stepping Up and the Channel 5 drama Forever Home.

In a video uploaded to her personal Instagram account, Welch opened up about the reasoning behind her departure.

She said: “Acting has always been my first love and, I think, the thing I’m best at.

“At the moment, I’m having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way and I’m grabbing them by the you-know-whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life.”

Reflecting on her time on Loose Women, she added: “This show has been part of mine, and my family’s life, for nearly a quarter of a century. I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories.

“I’ve shared my life with you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m very Marmite, but I cherish all the comments, good or bad, that I’ve had over the years.”

Amid growing public speculation over the state of the show, she moved to clarify her relationship with her fellow cast members, adding: “I’ll miss everybody, but I will remain friends with the whole gang because, despite what you might read, we are a happy band of campers.”

Her announcement triggered an enormous outpouring of support from her fellow panellists, underscoring her reputation as the “beating heart” of the show.

Host Kaye Adams wrote: “You have broken my heart but I shall watch your Den-aissance with love and pride.”

While Nadia Sawalha added: “You are such a fantastic actress. Fly high lovely.”

Scores of fans also told Denise how much they had enjoyed watching her on the programme, though some predicted its decline following her exit and other recent developments.

One person wrote: “It’s not fun to watch anymore and it feels like people are not allowed to have different opinions on the important things! Plus ITV deciding to get the rid of the audience is the beginning of the end. You were my favourite one!”.

Another claimed Loose Women is “grinding to a halt”, while a third added: “I’m glad you jumped before the ship went down.”

The news comes amid separate claims that ITV recently shelved a Loose Women spin-off project as part of sweeping budget cuts across the broadcaster.

In July 2026, reports emerged that ITV executives quietly pulled the plug on a planned Loose Women spin-off podcast.

An insider noted that while the broadcaster remains hopeful for another run in the future, the project will not feature on the immediate calendar due to sweeping cost-cutting measures impacting ITV Daytime.

The deaths on board the Egyptian-owned Tihamah mark first shipping deaths linked to Houthis since the US-Israel war on Iran began.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused the Houthi rebel group of killing at least six people and wounding 10 others in a double-tap strike on a cargo vessel in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

The attack on the Egyptian-owned Tihamah on Tuesday marks the first shipping deaths linked to the Iran-aligned Houthis since the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28.

Yemen’s Transport Ministry said three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were killed after the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at the commercial ship, sparking a fire and causing “significant damage” to the vessel.

Yemen’s coastguard said in a separate statement that the Houthis fired another missile at the ship as rescue personnel were evacuating the dead and wounded.

“The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation,” the coastguard said.

At least two troops were killed in the second strike.

Ten people were wounded in total, including seven crew members, it added.

Houthi-Saudi truce unravels

Yemen’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and called on the international community “to move from condemnation to effective and decisive action” against the Houthis.

There was no official comment from the Houthis.

But the Houthi-run news agency Saba reported that the ‌group had attacked a Saudi ship carrying military equipment in Bab al-Mandeb. It did not name the ship, and there was no immediate Saudi response to the report.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, the US military said it fired on a ship attempting to break its blockade of Iranian ports in the Gulf of Oman. The US Central Command said a Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged Vela Nova cargo vessel, but did not say if any crew members were wounded.

The escalation in Yemen follows the collapse of a years-long truce in the country’s civil war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government.

The breakdown of the United Nations-backed 2022 truce followed a Saudi air strike on the runway of Sanaa airport on July 13, preventing the landing of an Iranian flight carrying a high-ranking Houthi delegation.

The Houthis then attacked the Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia and announced a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea. They have also attacked Saudi vessels as well as oil facilities in the kingdom, adding further disruption to the global economy.

The Saudi-led coalition, in turn, has struck Houthi-controlled Hodeidah and Kamaran, Yemen’s largest island in the Red Sea.

The Houthis have also launched attacks on government-held areas in Yemen, including the port city of al-Makha (Mocha) on the Red Sea and the central city of Marib, killing dozens of troops and civilians.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government on Tuesday said the Houthis launched 10 missiles and four drones during a series of further attacks on sites on the country’s western coast.

The Houthis said they had launched ballistic missile and drone attacks “targeting Saudi military buildups, weapons depots and command posts” in al-Makha and the central Marib province.

The UN has called for restraint, saying the renewed hostilities risk “drawing the country into a broader regional confrontation, with devastating consequences for its people”.

Qatar says negotiations between Oman and Iran over the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are making major progress.

Aug. 11 (UPI) — At least six people were killed Tuesday when Houthi militia attacked a cargo ship with missiles in the Red Sea, the Yemeni government said.

The Yemeni Transport Ministry said in a statement that the ship was carrying food and was hit while traveling through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. One Indonesian and three Pakistani crew members were killed in the attack after a fire broke out on board the Tihamah.

The Yemeni coast guard said later Tuesday that two members of the armed forces were also killed during a rescue mission when another Houthi missile was launched at the ship.

The Houthis have not commented on the attack, but the group has recently fired on Saudi Arabian vessels in the Red Sea as part of a blockade against its northern neighbor.

It’s unclear who owns the ship. The Transport Ministry described the Tihamah as a Yemeni commercial vessel, but Equasis, a shipping database, said it’s a small cargo ship owned by Egyptian company Thubab for Marine Services and flies the Tanzanian flag, The New York Times reported.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, though a 2022 cease-fire had slowed conflict. In 2014, the Iran-backed Houthis took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened but failed to remove the Houthis. Now, the Houthis control the northern half of Yemen, including Sanaa.

The Red Sea has become increasingly important since the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked by Iran after the United States and Israel began a war on the country.

On Sunday, the Houthis attacked a Saudi state-owned oil refinery in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, as well as the Red Sea port of Mokha, which is controlled by the Yemeni government. The attack on Mokha killed at least seven people. It was the most recent in a spate of attacks by the rebels.

Aug. 5 (UPI) — An Indian cargo ship has sunk after being struck by a projectile off Yemen, officials said, raising concerns that the Middle East war’s maritime front is expanding.

It was unclear who launched the projectile, but the vessel, identified as the MSV Faize Noore Oliya, was hit in the Red Sea off Hodeidah, a port controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis.

The attack occurred amid a Houthi-declared maritime blockade targeting Saudi Arabia and Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea.

All 14 sailors on the ship were safely rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and transported to the Port of Mokha, India’s minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said in a statement Tuesday.

Of the 14 sailors rescued, 13 were Indian. Their condition was not known.

“India strongly condemns this unprovoked attack on the defenseless mechanized sailing vessel,” he said, adding that he instructed the director general of the Maritime Administration to coordinate with all relevant agencies to ensure the “absolute security of Indian seafarers in the region and provide all necessary assistance to the rescued crew.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a separate statement that its embassy in Riyadh was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the Yemeni authorities concerning the safety and security of the crew.

While no group has yet claimed responsibility, the Yemen government-aligned National Resistance Forces has blamed the Houthis.

“The Houthis targeting today of the Indian ship is an extension of their terrorist behavior directed against the Yemeni people,” Maj. Gen. Sadiq Dwaid, spokesperson for the National Resistance Forces, said in an online statement.

“They have previously targeted oil export ports — the main source of salaries for state employees — and Yemeni ports in general, as well as commercial ships, and their support and management of piracy operations in collaboration with the pirates of the African Horn.”

The Houthis, who are locked in a civil war against the internationally recognized Yemeni government, imposed their blockade on July 20, specifically preventing Saudi Arabian ships from transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Iran-backed militia accuses Saudi Arabia of laying an “unjust and oppressive siege” against it by supporting the Yemeni government in the civil war.

The Houthis have struck at least two Saudi tankers since. If the Houthis are confirmed to have carried out the attack, it would be the first known strike on a non-Saudi vessel since they declared their maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20.

It also comes as Iran has been enforcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is on the northeastern side of Saudi Arabia.

Iran says talks with Oman are proceeding ‘positively’ as US officials say a deal could be possible soon.

The ultra-luxury cruise ship recently docked in London for the first time so I went to see what passengers can expect from a holiday that includes two helicopters and a submarine

As a travel journalist, I often have to convince people that my life isn’t all glitz and glamour, but it was difficult to argue my case as I sat drinking champagne on a six-star cruise ship.

The Scenic Eclipse II docked for the first time in London last month, and I got the chance to have a nosey around and see what life is like onboard this luxury vessel. Coming out of the very unglamorous tube, I immediately spotted the boat moored just off of Greenwich Pier, looking more like the kind of superyacht you’d see in the waters of Monaco than in the murky Thames.

While many cruise lines compete to build bigger and bigger ships, Scenic Eclipse II has focused on quiet luxury and an exclusive experience for those onboard. Only 228 guests can board each of its voyages, (200 if it’s visiting polar waters) and with a staff ratio of nearly 1:1, service is incredibly personal. Each of its 114 suites comes with butler service, and the layout means everyone gets a veranda where they can enjoy the views. Which is handy, because the ship visits plenty of places where you’ll need a good camera.

Our group took a quick, if choppy, Thames Clipper service across to the Scenic, and were relieved to step onto its much more stable floors. As soon as you step onboard, you definitely feel the luxury vibes, and it felt more like the lobby of a five-star hotel than a cruise ship. Sipping a glass of champagne in the plush lounge, and taking a sneaky peek at the top shelf drink selection for all-inclusive guests, I started to make a plot to stowaway on the ship.

But I settled for a sneaky peek around its deluxe rooms instead. Firstly, to one of the top decks to see the vast Owner’s Penthouse Suites, set at the front of the ship so you get to make the most of the views, presumably while soaking in your private spa tub while the butler tops up your drink. It had a plush bedroom area, huge living room with its own bar, and walk in-closets where you can store all your best cruising outfits for black tie galas.

You certainly won’t be slumming it if you opt for one of the lead-in Verandah Suites. These have a king-size bed, a curtained off living area, and marble en-suite bathrooms, and even the ‘basic’ level rooms on this ship get butler service, in-room dining, and much more included.

Of course, nobody goes on a cruise just to sit in their room, and Scenic Eclipse II is clearly for cruisers who have a more adventurous side. Passengers can book trips on one of the ship’s two helicopters, or even get onboard its submersible to explore the deepest waters with 360-degree views. The relatively small size of the ship compared to many mega cruise ships mean it can also visit a wider variety of places, and its itineraries range from Antarctic adventures to relatively tame Mediterranean voyages.

One feature that I found really fun was that the navigation deck would be kept open for the duration of the cruise, so you can pop along and chat to crew members, see the equipment up close, and live out your fantasies of being captain. But sadly, they won’t let you press the buttons.

A team of 38 chefs onboard means you have a huge range of culinary options for a relatively small ship, about 10 all-inclusive choices overall from lounges with snacks and coffee to impressive Italian, fine French dining, a sushi counter, and a Teppanyaki grill experience.

Add to this a couple of pools, an incredible spa with a gym and yoga room, and a plush lecture theatre offering a program of talks as well as workshops and entertainment, and I can’t imagine you’d ever get bored during your cruise.

After leaving Greenwich, the Scenic Eclipse II is made its way to Hamburg, continuing through Ostend, Belgium, before cruising the Elbe River. This five-night itinerary starts at £4,4951 per person.

The specifications of the ship mean it has plans to visit some of the world’s most extreme environments in the future, including Antarctica and the Arctic, as well as classic Mediterranean destinations, Oceania, and the remote archipelagos of South East Asia and Indonesia. Find out more about Scenic Cruises here.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Benidorm Is Murder starring John Hannah is Channel 5’s new comedy crime drama.

Actor John Hannah fronts a new Channel 5 crime series perfect for The Good Ship Murder fans.

Benidorm Is Murder is a six-part series which kicked off this week. On Thursday night (July 30) viewers tuned in to watch the first episode as they saw John’s character Dennis, a retired detective, hire a new staff member.

Unbeknowst to him, Rosa (Carolina Bécquer) is a true-crime obsessed barmaid who is eager to help when a murder unfolds closeby.

When a member from a Take That tribute band is found dead in a hotel pool, the police spring into action. However, Rosa doesn’t think they’ve got the right person and sets out to solve the case with Dennis.

Viewers were quick to comment on the new series, with many comparing it to Channel 5’s Good Ship Murder, reports the Express.

One person said: “#benidormismurder Is a carbon copy of #Thegoodshipmurder but I’ll persist with it!!”

Another replied, saying: “I love #TheGoodShipMurder so yeah #BenidormisMurder is worth sticking with.”

Sadly, not everyone was overjoyed with the opening episode as one viewer commented: “Thought I’d give #BenidormIsMurder a go, Take That, John Hannah….good mix! But no, it’s terrible! Sorry!”

While another added: “Another clichéd drama from #ch5. Predictable story, formulaic structure, poor script and poor acting. Just not interesting enough. Not for me.”

This week, John Hannah appeard on The One Show to speak about the new six-part series, although quickly took a cheeky swipe at the pay he got for the show. He said: “Some great guests come in. In fact, we shot the third episode first. We shot that in Gran Canaria, actually.

“The first episode was an Irish hen party, half a dozen terrific Irish actresses turned up and Trevor. A bunch of Irish actors turned up, and they all knew each other a bit.

“It was October, cold back here [the UK], a good script, two weeks in the sun, having a laugh, they all knew each other, so there was a great bond there, a great chemistry there.

“Simon and I were talking at the end of that episode, we were like, ‘Wow, they’ve set the bar really high. There’s something about a good script, a bit of sunshine, regardless of the pay… which wasn’t the best, but anyway it doesn’t matter.”

While everyone laughed at the cheeky jibe, another guest on the programme joked that he shouldn’t mention money.

John replied: “No, let’s not because we’re not doing it for the money, right? Of course not. It was brilliant, everyone came out. We were all getting paid….a bit.”

Benidorm Is Murder is available to watch on My5.

CASTINE, Maine, July 30 (UPI) — The new State of Maine has arrived in historic Castine, where Revolutionary War history and maritime tradition converge on the shores of Penobscot Bay, bringing advanced technology to the Maine Maritime Academy as it trains the next generation of merchant mariners.

The $330 million, 525-foot ship is the third of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels built for the U.S. Maritime Administration. to prepare the next generation of merchant mariners. The ship accommodates up to 600 cadets and features advanced navigation and engineering systems, classrooms and modern diesel propulsion.

Constructed at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia by more than 2,000 American shipbuilders, engineers and apprentices, the vessel also reflects renewed investment in the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The shipyard was acquired by South Korea’s Hanwha Group in late 2024 for $100 million, bringing advanced automation and digital manufacturing technology there.

The South Korean shipbuilding conglomerate is betting $5 billion on a dramatic revival of American shipbuilding, planning to turn its Philadelphia yard into a high-volume production hub.

The investment would increase annual output from fewer than two vessels to as many as 20, pairing advanced Korean manufacturing technology with expanded U.S. capacity to build commercial ships and naval vessels.

For Maine Maritime Academy, the new ship represents a dramatic leap from the wooden schooners and comparatively simple navigation instruments that once defined maritime training along the Maine coast.

Its bridge features sophisticated navigation and communications systems, digital charts and advanced ship-control technology designed to prepare cadets for an increasingly automated global maritime industry.

Despite the technology, the fundamentals of seamanship have changed little. Cadets must still read weather and sea conditions, work as a crew and make decisions under pressure.

“We start with the basics,” said the academy’s Captain Gordon “Mac” McArthur, 56. “Rowing in an eight-person lifeboat is a large part of the fall semester freshman year. We build from tying knots and turning a wrench to the more complicated things. We are training problem-solvers and critical thinkers. The technology-based things don’t matter if you don’t have those fundamentals.”

The training ship’s arrival underscores the community’s enduring maritime identity, where centuries-old seafaring traditions meet the technology shaping the future of global shipping.

Nowhere is that contrast more evident than at Maine Maritime Academy, where the state-of-the-art ship shares the waterfront with Bowdoin, the academy’s 1921 National Historic Landmark schooner — a living symbol of the evolution from wind-powered seamanship to the digital age of navigation.

Yet, both are classrooms for learning many of the same fundamental lessons about life at sea.

The academy’s new flagship reflects Castine’s balance of maritime tradition and the future of seafaring. While Maine Maritime Academy trains the next generation of mariners for a high-tech global industry, the town is fighting to preserve the working-waterfront traditions that shaped its identity.

Just down the harbor, Eaton’s Boatyard — where wooden boats have been built and repaired since 1931 — remains a living workshop of Maine craftsmanship, proving that even in the digital age, some skills are still best learned by hand.

Eaton’s Boatyard preserves a cornerstone of Castine’s maritime heritage as the birthplace of the 18-foot wooden Castine Class sloop, designed by Mace Eaton in 1951. On July 18, 13 of the one-design racing sailboats, including two originals still owned by descendants of their first owners, competed in Castine Harbor, continuing a nearly 70-year racing tradition on Penobscot Bay.

David Biggs, honorary chairman of the 27th annual Castine-to-Camden Yacht Race, said the Downeast harbor’s maritime traditions continue to thrive as new generations embrace sailing.

“It’s still exciting to see these beautiful boats in our harbor, especially our own Castine Class Caroline B,” Biggs, 93, who has lived there with his wife, Marian, for more than 50 years, told UPI.

Though Castine has evolved from a working fishing and shipbuilding port into an upscale summer village, its identity remains firmly tied to the sea through Maine Maritime Academy, one of the nation’s leading schools for merchant mariners.

“It’s become a college town with a deep maritime soul,” Biggs said.

Kenny Eaton, 81, Mace Eaton’s grandson and the third generation of the boatbuilding family, has watched Castine’s waterfront change from a working harbor toward one increasingly shared with recreational boats and seasonal residents.

“You can’t stop change,” Eaton said. “But you hope the next generation understands that Castine wasn’t built just because it had a beautiful view of the water. It was built because people worked on it.”

That maritime connection continues among a new generation at Maine Maritime Academy.

That sense of maritime tradition also runs through families. Marin Griffin, 18, of Bangor, Maine, recently completed her freshman year at the academy and is following a path already taken by two generations before her.

“I’m the third generation in my family to attend Maine Maritime,” Griffin told UPI.

A harbor shaped by history

Castine’s ties to the sea run deep. Once a strategic outpost and later a bustling center of fishing, shipbuilding and coastal trade on Penobscot Bay, the town has evolved into a quiet Downeast harbor, while Maine Maritime Academy has carried its seafaring legacy into the modern era, training generations of merchant mariners and maritime professionals.

The State of Maine’s Captain Craig ‘Mac’ McArthur said Castine’s centuries-old connection to the Atlantic world continues to define both the school and the town.

“I’ve run into Maine Maritime alumni in Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, Dubai and other places around the world. Most don’t talk about their time at Maine Maritime,” McArthur said. “They talk about their time ‘in Castine.’ There is something about the remoteness of this place that prepares you for world travel.”

The academy’s legacy endures in the careers of graduates who credit its seamanship training for their success. Jon Parsons, 59, spent 23 years with Polar Tankers, transporting oil from Valdez, Alaska, while Tip Macdonald, 70, served as a ship pilot at the Port of Baltimore.

“I was a successful ship pilot at the Port of Baltimore for thirty years,” Macdonald told UPI. Both men say the academy’s rigorous instruction remains as strong today as when they attended, and that Castine continues to preserve the maritime traditions that have shaped generations of mariners.

An industry under pressure

Across coastal Maine, maritime trades are being reshaped by rising costs, technological change and a changing marine environment. Fishing remains dependent on generations of accumulated knowledge, but boats, engines, electronics, fuel and regulatory uncertainty have made entering the industry increasingly expensive.

A warming, rapidly changing Gulf of Maine is reshaping life on the water. Veteran tuna fisherman Justin McCarthy said Atlantic bluefin catches have declined and prices have fallen sharply, squeezing a fishery that once yielded five-figure paydays.

Yet, he sees hope in the next generation: his son, Mac, graduated from Maine Maritime Academy and returned home aboard the State of Maine, extending the family’s seafaring tradition.

Today’s merchant marine cadets are entering a maritime industry transformed by satellite navigation, electronic charts, automation and digital communications. Built for that environment, the State of Maine provides hands-on training with modern shipboard technology, preparing future deck officers and engineers to operate increasingly sophisticated commercial vessels.

Retired Navy Capt. Justin Cooper II, Maine Maritime Academy’s commandant of midshipmen, brings decades of naval experience to Castine. A former fighter pilot, Cooper served aboard the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Nimitz.

“We are training these young men and women to take their place in the maritime community,” Cooper told UPI. “We want them to be good leaders and to prepare them to enter the global maritime industry.”

Founded during World War II, Maine Maritime Academy still instills the discipline and seamanship demanded by U.S. Coast Guard standards. While most graduates now head into the commercial maritime industry rather than military service, the academy’s mission remains the same: preparing mariners to lead when conditions at sea turn unforgiving.

That emphasis on fundamental seamanship is reinforced by another academy vessel.

The Bowdoin, a 1921 Arctic exploration schooner, comes from an era when sailors depended on wind, weather, charts and celestial observation. Berthed alongside the State of Maine, the two vessels bridge more than a century of maritime education, reflecting both the evolution of seafaring and the enduring maritime heritage that has defined this coastal community for generations.

July 24 (UPI) — The United States and Iran traded attacks Thursday night and Friday morning, as President Donald Trump announced that damage inflicted by Iran on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz would be paid with U.S.-held Iranian assets.

U.S. Central Command said its latest wave of attacks, which were completed at 9 p.m. EDT Thursday, lasted for about two hours, 15 minutes, during which its forces hit Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communications networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities.

State-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported explosions early Friday local time across the country, with strikes in Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Omidiyeh, Qeshm and Andimeshk. Officials in Bandar Abbas reported that two people were injured.

Explosions were also reported by the IRIB in southern Khorramabad.

The Iranian Army announced retaliatory drone strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan and Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said sirens were sounding. It urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter.

The United States has been hitting Iran for nearly a fortnight as it seeks to regain freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy route that Iranian forces have tried to seize amid the war by attacking commercial tankers that try to transit it.

Maritime traffic freely flowed through the Hormuz until the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February. Iran responded with its maritime blockade of the chokepoint, causing gas prices to spike and threatening nations with an energy crisis.

Mid-June, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to lay foundations to end the war, but fighting resumed earlier this month over a dispute over what the agreement meant for control of the strait. Iran says the agreement recognizes its authority over Hormuz transit. Washington says Tehran committed to freedom of navigation.

CENTCOM said Thursday, as it has after the completion of each new wave of attacks, that it was seeking to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack vessels transiting the Hormuz.

“The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” the statement said.

“Commercial vessels continue to free navigate the strait with U.S. military support.”

Late Thursday, President Donald Trump announced online that damage ships incur while traveling the Strait of Hormuz would be paid by for with the hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian assets that the United States has frozen via sanctions.

“These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do,” he said in a statement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi lashed out in response online, warning the international community that “Seizing another nation’s assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent.”

“Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one’s assets are safe,” he said in a statement.

“Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful.”

Sailors on board a Thai cargo ship that was hit by a deadly attack in the Strait of Hormuz are suing the ship’s owners, claiming they ignored warnings issued by Iran. Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng has the story.

Saronic, the company that makes the first sea drones ever to be used as kinetic weapons by American forces, announced it will build a big new shipyard in Brownsville, Texas where they plan to construct an array of crewed and uncrewed ships as big as 850 feet. It is a big step for a company whose largest vessel is a 180-foot drone boat called Marauder.

The move comes as the U.S. is struggling to come anywhere near keeping pace with China in the number of ships it can build and amid delays and cost overruns of projects underway. Boosting America’s capacity to turn out new ships and keep existing ones sailing has been a focus of the Trump administration.

The Austin, Texas-headquartered Saronic said it plans to invest more than $3 billion of its own money to build the facility, which it is calling Port Alpha. The location was chosen after a year-long search.

“Brownsville was selected after a rigorous review of workforce availability, infrastructure readiness, land scale, logistics, and expansion potential,” the company said in a release. “Initially situated on 835 acres at the Port of Brownsville, with the opportunity to expand to nearly 4,400 acres, Port Alpha will encompass a shipyard and manufacturing facility capable of producing vessels up to 850 feet. Future site expansion could support the production of vessels over 1,200 ft. The site provides hundreds of acres of waterfront access, deepwater channel connectivity, multimodal logistics infrastructure, and room for long-term expansion—everything required to anchor a next-generation shipbuilding hub.”

In an interview with TWZ earlier this month, company co-founder and CCO Rob Lehman laid out his vision for the new facility.

“Port Alpha is planned to be the largest shipyard in the Western Hemisphere,” Lehman told us. “We are seeing the need for more shipbuilding capacity, and we are answering the call with a greenfield new yard that will provide the Navy, Coast Guard — all of our sea services — the capacity that they’ve been asking for, and they desperately need.”

“We are here to help address the gaps that we are facing and do it at a speed and scale that hasn’t been seen before,” he added.

Asked about what kinds of ships the yard will build, Lehman said Port Alpha “will be capable of producing everything up to Panamax-sized cargo containers, roll on/roll offs, we are open to a variety of different ship classes, both commercial and military.”

Panamax ships — so named because they are the biggest vessels that can fit through the Panama Canal — have a maximum length of 294 meters and a maximum width of 32 meters, according to SeaRates.com. 

Panamax vs Capesize Ships: What’s the Real Difference? #panamax #capsize #ruzave

Lehman said Saronic is focusing on “how do we create a shipyard of the future that is able to support multiple types of vessels and move at a pace and a level of agility that aligns with how technology is advancing. So commercial ships, military ships, modules, everything under the sun.”

“We are keenly focused and ruthlessly focused, frankly, on what does the customer set need, what are they unable to acquire or sustain within the timelines that they require, and how can we address that? So, as long as we know what’s needed, we can put our private capital to work and not force the government to pay never-ending research and development costs.”

At the time of the interview, Lehman declined to provide any further details about the plans or the exact location. However, he did compare it to an existing shipyard the company purchased last year.

“When we acquired the former Gulf Craft yard last April, [compared] to what it looks like now, we’re investing $300 million into that yard already to expand capacity,” he noted. “We’re bringing hundreds and thousands of jobs to the Gulf Coast, and we look to take that same model and just on steroids at Port Alpha. So, unlike Gulf Craft, it’ll be a greenfield yard, so we have all of the flexibility to design the shipyard of the future without the constraints of an existing physical plant.”

In the media release issued today, Saronic claimed that “the project is expected to generate more than $160 billion in regional economic impact for Cameron County and $264.5 billion for the State of Texas, while creating up to 10,000 direct jobs. This makes Port Alpha one of the largest economic development projects in modern Texas history.”

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026, with Port Alpha expected to open for operations in 2028, the release continued. Company officials did not specify exactly what ships will be built at Port Alpha. Currently, Saronic makes three uncrewed surface vessels (USV).

Corsair, the aforementioned USV used as a kamikaze weapon, is a 24-foot vessel capable of carrying up to 1,000 lbs over 1,000 NM.

Mirage is a 52-foot USV with a range of 2,500 NM of range and 3,500 lbs of payload capacity.

Marauder is a 180-foot USV with a range of 5,200 NM and is capable of carrying up to 150 metric tons in four 40-foot containers, eight 20-foot containers, or other modular payload configurations.

The Navy is set to evaluate Marauder, as well as designs from six other companies, as part of the first round of prototyping under its latest Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) effort. This is part of a larger strategy the service rolled out in March to try to field more USVs and do so faster, as you can read more about here 

Saronic is on a roll of late. As we noted earlier in this story, three of its Corsair sea drones were used earlier this week to attack “a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. It marked the first time that the U.S. used sea drones as kamikaze attack weapons.

Last month, a Saronic Corsair USV rescued the crew of a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache that crashed in the Gulf of Oman after it was downed by Iran. That was the first known instance of a drone boat being used to recover personnel as part of a search and rescue mission, and has major implications for these operations going forward.

In December 2025, the company was awarded a $392 million contract from the Navy. The production contract was for the construction of USVs like the Corsair. 

If Port Alpha lives up to the hype, it would be a boon to the Navy and an American shipbuilding industry that struggles to get new vessels out on time and on budget, while supporting those that are already in the water. 

As we noted in previous coverage of U.S. shipbuilding woes, keeping existing vessels afloat “has been a massive challenge as the Navy’s fleet ages while demands for more hulls increase. Crumbling shipyards around the U.S.and a limited number of them that can support mainline military vessels is a huge problem that has led to major delays in maintenance, greatly harming available end strength. It is also of major concern if ships were to get damaged in battle during a conflict and need to be regenerated quickly. While some improvements and investments have been made in upgrading shipyards, it is still a glaring and highly concerning issue.”

GAO: Poor Conditions at Navy Shipyards

The situation is so dire that “the U.S. Navy has officially issued two Requests for Information (RFIs) to major South Korean shipbuilders to assess their capacity to build American destroyers and fleet tankers,” according to Naval News. Such a move “could end an 80-year ban on foreign warship construction,” the outlet added.

Given the state of U.S. shipbuilding, a lot is riding on Port Alpha and the future of this plan is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

A very large and interesting-looking vessel is taking shape at a shipyard in southeastern China. What can be seen of it so far points strongly to it being the largest naval resupply ship anywhere in the world. A vessel like this would be valuable for supporting the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) growing blue water ambitions. It would be particularly important for enabling the PLAN’s conventionally-powered aircraft carriers, their air wings, and their escorts, to operate for sustained periods of time far from Chinese shores and friendly ports.

The ship is being built at a yard on Longxue Island, which is situated just southeast of the city of Guangzhou. A review of satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates that it has been under construction since at least Febraury. A subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) operates this facility. That firm is currently known as the CSSC Offshore and Marine Engineering Company (COMEC). It was previously called Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).

COMEC/GSI’s public portfolio is focused on large commercial vessels, including oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers and cargo ships. It also builds specialized civilian designs, such as semi-submersible heavy lift ships and platforms designed to support offshore wind turbine construction.

In recent years, the yard has become well known for the construction of unique and unusual vessels with clear military or at least dual-purpose applications. This includes what may be a one-of-a-kind ostensibly civilian ‘research carrier,’ jack-up barges designed to connect together to support amphibious operations, and a stealthy trimaran drone ship. Soviet-designed Zubr class heavy hovercraft, which China has built examples of domestically under license, are also regularly seen there.

The ship being built on Longxue Island that is now drawing attention is approximately 885 feet (270 meters) long and is 121 feet (37 meters) across its widest (also known as the beam), based on available satellite imagery. There is a superstructure at the bow end with clear wings for a large bridge and a mast on top. There is also a separate superstructure at the stern end with exhaust stacks situated in front of it.

In May, CSSC also released a picture of the COMEC/GSI yard showing the ship from the stern as viewed from near ground level. The image, which was reportedly included in a social media post marking the change in solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, shows a large hangar with two at the rear of the stern superstructure. A large flight deck and hangar are also taking shape at the stern.

A Planet Labs satellite image taken on July 2, seen at the top of this story and in parts throughout, also shows two large openings on the right side of the superstructure at the stern. These might be for launching and/or recovering small boats, including lifeboats. These could also just be apertures for crew walkways or other workspaces.

However, it is what is seen in between the two superstructures that may be the most notable aspect of the ship. There are several pillar-like vertical structures positioned relatively close to both sides of the hull. This is in line with what is typically seen on naval vessels configured to conduct at-sea refueling and replenishment of other stores. The flight deck and hangar at the stern would also allow for vertical replenishment via helicopters.

“The hull form is broad and slab-sided, with a full midsection optimised for volume rather than speed alone. This is a characteristic associated with large fleet auxiliaries designed to carry fuel, dry stores, and ammunition for carrier strike groups,” according to a report on this ship from Jane’s back in April.

The ship’s design language also follows modern PLAN standards. Its layout, in broad strokes, is very similar to that of the Type 901 replenishment ship in PLAN service now. The PLAN also operates smaller Type 903 replenishment ships that have a roughly similar configuration, as well.

Overall, the new ship under construction at the COMEC/GSI yard looks very much like a Type 901, but substantially scaled up. The Type 901 is quite large already, with a length of around 787 feet (240 meters) and a beam measuring just under 102 feet (31 meters). It also said to displace some 45,000 tons with a full load. As another point of comparison, the U.S. Navy’s newest John Lewis class replenishment oilers are just under 746 feet (227.3 meters) long and have roughly a 105-foot (32.2-meter) wide beam, according to the official fact sheet.

What other, more specific features and capabilities the new ship might have remains to be seen. What kind of armament it might have, even just for localized self-defense, is unknown. The Type 901 has four 30mm H/PJ-13 Gatling-type guns in turrets to provide close-in defense.

At-sea replenishment, in general, is a critical capability for any major navy that desires to conduct sustained blue water operations without having to rely on friendly ports. Even during peacetime in the broad expanses of the Pacific, port facilities of any kind, let alone ones capable of supporting large warships, can be few and far between and under direct threat.

For the PLAN, there is the added demand for at-sea replenishment support that comes from operating a growing fleet of so-far conventionally-powered aircraft carriers. Those carriers require steady streams of gas for their air wings on top of the fuel and other support needed to keep them sailing at all.

The PLAN is also conducting more regular operations involving full carrier strike groups with conventionally-powered escorts that also need refueling and other support to keep up. During combat operations, replenishment ships also bring vital additional supplies of munitions to forward-deployed vessels.

It really cannot be overstressed how important at-sea replenishment is to modern blue water naval operations. This was underscored just earlier this year by challenges the U.S. Navy faced in keeping its conventionally-powered warships in the Middle East fueled amid Iranian attacks on friendly ports.

“So traditionally, for 25 years, we’ve been at war in the Middle East and that war was effectively fought in the parking lot of a giant gas station,” Robert Hein, Director of Maritime Operations for the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), said during the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space exposition in April. “Iran has effectively shut down that gas station. So we’ve had to come up with really creative ways of, ‘how do we replenish the fleet?’”

You can read more about the “tanker treadmills” the Navy instituted in response, as well as other steps the service is taking now to bolster its at-sea replenishment capabilities and capacity, here.

Replenishments At Sea

It is worth noting here that America’s aircraft carriers are now all nuclear-powered, which eliminates their need to be refueled at sea. However, they still need gas for their air wings and other support to conduct sustained forward operations. Their escorts are all conventionally-powered, as well. As an aside, China may now be in the process of building its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Other fighting in the Middle East in recent years has also rammed home the vital importance of at-sea rearming capabilities for the U.S. Navy, especially methods for reloading vertical launch system cells on warships that it currently does not possess. Last year, in the midst of operations against Yemen’s Houthis, the service acknowledged that its warships were having to leave their stations in and around the Red Sea for weeks at a time to rearm in ports.

There may be a possibility that the ship under construction at the COMEC/GSI yard could be something other than a huge new at-sea replenishment ship, but this seems extremely unlikely. As noted, the ship has an array of distinct features that are exactly what one would expect to see on a replenishment vessel, and an overall configuration in line with that of the Type 901.

The new ship’s large size, both in terms of length and width, will offer far more internal volume for fuel, munitions, spare parts, food, and everything else needed to keep a carrier strike group operating far out to sea. China has a growing number of other ships that will require blue water support, too. This includes its massive Type 076 amphibious assault ship, which is expected to carry a substantial air wing, as well as a growing number of smaller Type 075 types.

Chinese PLA Navy’s First Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship “Sichuan” Conducts First Sea Trial

The appearance of this ship at the COMEC/GSI also comes as the PLAN continues to modernize and expand its fleets across the board, in scale and scope, with a clear eye toward more regular and sustained blue water operations. China has been investing heavily in establishing a network of naval port facilities around the Pacific and elsewhere globally to help support these activities, as well. As noted, having to rely on friendly ports is not always desirable or even possible, especially during a conflict when the countries in question may be neutral parties.

The steady flow of warships and other naval vessels, many of them very large, from shipyards across China underscores the PLAN’s broader ambitions. As TWZ regularly points out, this has created an increasingly worrisome disparity between Chinese and U.S. naval shipbuilding capacity, or lack thereof in the latter case. The U.S. government has been trying to reverse this trend, including by leveraging foreign shipbuilders, but significant challenges remain.

Satellite imagery shows significant progress on the new ship of interest at the COMEC/GSI yard since the start of this year. More insights into the design and capabilities of what is likely to be the world’s largest dedicated naval replenishment vessel should emerge as that work wraps up.

AS the train rumbles out of the station, our heads turn to admire the stunning views from the dining car’s windows.

When the conductor announces each new destination, a feast of flavours is served up while we admire the changing landscapes.

But what’s even more incredible is the fact I am currently on board the largest cruise ship in the world — and sailing the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The Royal Railway is the latest immersive dining experience to be savoured on board Legend Of The Seas.

You’ll begin your journey at the station — with the chance to pick up a cocktail or two from the bar — before entering an authentic train carriage and sitting down to a five-course feast as the train travels along Marco Polo’s ancient Silk Route including China, India, Turkey and Italy.

With some culinary corkers on the menu such as butter chicken, grilled lamb chops and Silk Road Shrimp, plus to-die-for Italian desserts, it’s a world away from a soggy sarnie on platform three at Clapham Junction.

NO KIDDING

Five of the best cruises for adults with luxury spas and all-inclusive drinks

CRUISING WITH SHIRL

I learned to dance with Shirley Ballas on a UK cruise

Like everything on this gargantuan ship — the third Icon-class vessel from Royal Caribbean — the attention to detail is staggering.

With 28 restaurants, eight neighbourhoods, six waterslides and room for 5,610 passengers, the multi-billion-dollar floating city certainly made an entrance in Malaga earlier this month. And I was one of the first on board the largest cruise ship in the world.

Billed as the ultimate family vacation, this next-generation newcomer is a riot of colour and energy from dawn to dusk, and there is something to float everyone’s boat, from lazy beach retreats to thrilling theme parks.

Holidaymakers of all ages will easily keep hunger pangs at bay grazing on food from 28 venues — the most you’ll find at sea — with every neighbourhood bringing something to the table.

Other new eateries include Hollywoodland Supper Club. Inspired by old Hollywood, this multi-course dinner is accompanied by live jazz and craft cocktails, giving guests the chance to get glam.

While this and the Royal Railway come at quite a hefty extra cost — around £144pp — there are a staggering 13 complimentary eateries included in the price of your cruise.

In the AquaDome Market you can take another global foodie tour with stalls serving up everything from Korean rice bowls to tapas bites and crepes, plus a new juice and smoothie bar for health-conscious sailors.

I also worked my way around some of the bars including 1400 Lobby Bar, which is inspired by the history of shipbuilding, and Lou’s, which evokes moody New Orleans and New York jazz bars with live performances and cocktails.

Those wanting a livelier tipple should head to the brilliant Dueling Pianos, which buzzes well into the early hours.

Outside, the mega resort facilities are designed for non-stop family fun — minigolf, rock-climbing and a surf simulator can all be found on decks 16 and 17 — and thrillseekers can dangle daringly over the water on Crown’s Edge, a part skywalk, part zipline experience 154ft above the ocean.

This playful ship is certainly making a splash, with Category 6 holding the crown as the largest waterpark at sea, while Royal Bay is the largest pool on the waves.

Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are nestled in the purpose-built Surfside family neighbourhood, while it’s strictly adults-only at The Hideaway with its suspended infinity pool and DJ, and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.

Early nights are out — the last thing you’ll want to do is sleep for fear of serious FOMO.

The ship’s entertainment offering is next level and I was captivated by everything I watched. This included Roald Dahl’s West End-worthy Charlie And The Chocolate Factory complete with a 15-strong live orchestra, AquaTheater’s Shockwave, where synchronised swimmers, high divers and aerialists highlight the power of water, and the ice-skating spectacle with drones at Absolute Zero’s show, Fusion.

Alongside live music and tribute bands, there are themed parties including a Y2K dance party, karaoke sessions, live trivia and silent discos.

Those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships will be pleased to see the return of well loved spaces including Royal Promenade with its floor-to-ceiling ocean views.

There’s also the Pearl — the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture — weighing as much as a Boeing 747 — and the open-air Central Park, with over 30,500 lush plants as well as restaurants, live music, and pick-up windows for sushi and champagne.

With 29 types of accommodation, when it comes to hitting the sack, you and your tribe will slumber in style. On Legend Of The Seas, there are more rooms with ocean views and for groups of three, four, five and more.

The Surfside Family Suites are ideal for two adults and two kids, with the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabins accommodating six, and Surfside Family View Balcony cabins sleeping three or four.

To really push the boat out, check into the exclusive four-deck Suite Neighbourhood or the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three- storey pad that can sleep up to eight people.

Inside there’s a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces, and three balconies — lucky residents even get a money-can’t-buy experience with Royal Caribbean’s second Chief Dog Officer, a playful golden retriever pup named Skipper.

This showstopper of a ship is truly the stuff of Legends.

WASHINGTON — A tentative armistice between the United States and Iran reached less than a month ago appeared all but dead Wednesday after the two sides traded fresh military strikes, and as President Trump directed further attacks on the Islamic Republic.

The escalation marked a dramatic turn after the Trump administration spent weeks selling a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran that proved controversial across the political aisle, lifting oil sanctions and a naval blockade on Iran in exchange for the promise of talks over the status of the Strait of Hormuz and its decades-old nuclear program.

Now, speaking to reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said he believed the truce — which diplomats describe as a memorandum of understanding — was “over” and that it was a “waste of time” dealing with Iranian leadership.

“They’re scum. They’re sick people,” Trump said of Iranian leaders, whom he had characterized last month as “very rational people” and “very nice to deal with.”

The president’s dim views of the ceasefire agreement’s fate were shared by Iran’s foreign ministry, which issued a statement on Wednesday saying the American attacks, the reinstatement of a U.S. naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel’s continuing attacks in Lebanon rendered “important and fundamental” parts of the deal “ineffective.”

The truce’s unraveling was underscored by Trump ordering the U.S. military to launch a series of strikes against Iran on Wednesday afternoon to “further degrade their ability to threaten” the commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement on social media.

Earlier in the day, Trump signaled that the United States planned to “hit them hard” and floated the possibility of taking over Kharg Island, which is vital to Iran’s economy. His remarks quickly prompted oil prices to rise and global stock markets to fall, a worry that Trump acknowledged but which did not seem to sway his decision-making in relation to Iran.

“If we hit Iran, oil goes up a little bit, it is all right,” Trump said. He later added that the United States may “do some other thing that could lift it a little bit, but I don’t think it’s gonna lift it a lot at all.”

As Trump signals the continuation of fighting, his administration has been seeking more than $67 billion in funding to cover expenses related to the Iran war, a request that Congress has not yet approved as lawmakers have been split over the president’s handling of the conflict.

“The American people are paying the price for Trump’s total failure in Iran,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement Wednesday. “Our troops are back in harm’s way and high gas costs are continuing to punish working families.”

The president’s stance on the war marked the latest setback to a fragile truce that has barely held since the 14-page agreement was signed June 17, as the U.S. and Iran engaged over the last few weeks in cycles of attacks and counterattacks.

Trump was noticeably angrier at Iran on Wednesday as he cast doubt over the deal. Last month, Trump had complimented Iranian leadership for trying to reach a peace deal and celebrated the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for the world’s oil and gas. But based on his remarks, it was clear he was out of patience.

“I am not happy with them,” Trump said. “They’re cuckoo. There’s something wrong with these people. For 47 years, they’ve been the bully of the Middle East and they are not the bully anymore. They are not the bully anymore.”

Trump expressed frustration with Iran’s negotiators and their resistance to abiding by U.S. demands to reopen the strait. When asked if he intended to send troops to Iran, the president dismissed the idea.

“Why would I go in now?” Trump said. “I’d go in when they’re completely eliminated or an agreement is made.”

Still, the president kept the door open for negotiations, saying that his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner “want to negotiate.”

“They’re good people, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, but they have to come back to me,” Trump said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with [the Iranians]. They’re liars.”

The latest breakdown to the ceasefire followed a now-familiar chain reaction of tit-for-tat attacks, starting with a series of strikes on three oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, including a Qatari vessel carrying natural gas, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

The Qatari tanker was off the coast of Oman when it was hit and caught fire, the maritime monitor said, in what experts say was a move to thwart ships attempting to use an alternate transit route to the one Iran specified. Iran did not claim responsibility, but a report on Iranian state television said the Qatari tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings to turn back.

The two other vessels were damaged but were able to continue to their destination, according to the U.K. group.

Qatar, which has played a vital role in facilitating negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, condemned the attack on its tanker as “unacceptable.”

The U.S. responded with a wave of strikes against more than 80 Iranian targets aimed at “impos[ing] heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway,” according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. That tally included roughly 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in the strait.

Iranian state media said U.S. strikes targeted Sirik, Qeshm Island and Bushehr and Bandar Abbas, while a U.S. drone strike on the port city of Mahshahr killed one Revolutionary Guard member.

Ahead of the strikes, the White House revoked the 60-day temporary license given to Tehran to sell and deliver oil during the truce.

Iran’s military countered with its own strikes on 85 U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait; it also shot down an MQ-9 drone, according to a statement on Wednesday.

Kuwait said its military intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones, but that none had resulted in material damage or casualties.

Global oil prices surged 6% on news of Trump’s reversal on the deal, rising to more than $78 a barrel, down from the peak during the war but still above prewar levels.

The renewed violence appeared to have little effect on the funeral for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Feb. 28, in the war’s opening hours.

The funeral, a days-long period of mourning, is set to end on Thursday, when Khamenei’s body will return from Iraq to be buried in the city of Mashhad, his birthplace. Negotiations were to begin once more.

In his remarks Wednesday, Trump said Iranian leaders had asked for a “timeout” to attend the funeral, and that he had promised not to kill them.

“And I said give it to them, and they start shooting missiles,” Trump said.

Whether those talks — which were meant to deal with the thorniest issues between the two countries, including the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program — will go ahead remains unclear. Iran, for its part, maintained a defiant attitude.

“The era of bullying and extortion is over,” wrote Mohammad Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker. “It leads nowhere. We don’t fold.”

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to the supreme leader, posted on X that Trump’s policy had “driven the region towards fire.”

“We had previously warned that the region is not a place for the political gambling of small countries, and we have repeatedly proven that adventures are met with an immediate response,” he wrote.

He added that the Axis of Resistance — a reference to Iran’s network of allied groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen — would not be “silent against humiliation and adventurism” and has “its finger on the trigger.”

Bulos reported from Beirut and Ceballos from Washington.