Escalation in the Middle East conflict: attacks on ships, military advances and new US sanctions

Authority: Two ships shot at off Oman

Two ships were attacked again in the Strait of Hormuz. The captain of another ship observed “four unknown projectiles” hitting the two ships, the British Maritime Safety Authority (UKMTO) reported. The incident occurred around seven kilometers west of the Omani town of Khasab. A fire broke out on one of the ships, while the condition of the second ship was unclear. It is also uncertain who was responsible.

In the conflict with the USA, Iran is largely blocking traffic through the strait, which is important for global trade in oil, gas and fertilizer, with threats and attacks on ships. However, according to US media, the US military repeatedly successfully escorts ships along the Omani coast through the passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

US imposes new sanctions on Iran's supporters

The United States on Thursday imposed new sanctions on companies and individuals that the administration in Washington says support Lebanon's Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East. The US Treasury Department said the punitive measures were intended to further isolate Iran economically. The measures taken by the financial regulator OFAC are therefore aimed at companies and individuals in Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey. These are intended to finance the Iraqi Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, which is under the command of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and the Lebanese Shiite party Hezbollah.

The sanctions are part of a move announced on August 24th. “Operation Economic Outcast targets those who continue to support the faltering Iranian regime,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Whether they are funding terror, laundering money or helping Iran evade sanctions, we will find them, shut them out of the U.S. financial system and dismantle the networks that keep the regime afloat.”

UN envoy warns of danger to shipping from Houthi advance

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, warns the UN Security Council of a “new and more dangerous phase” in the Yemen war. The capture of the Yemeni port city of Mocha by the Houthi rebels gave them a direct presence at the entrance to the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This raises serious concerns about freedom of navigation on one of the world's most important waterways.

Israel: Underground Hezbollah base destroyed in southern Lebanon

The Israeli army has destroyed underground positions of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the action and announced on Platform X that the consolidation of the security zone in southern Lebanon had been completed. There was initially no confirmation of the destruction from the Lebanese side.

Houthis take over important port city of Mocha in Yemen

According to Yemeni military circles and eyewitness reports, the Houthi militia has captured the strategically important port city of Mocha on Yemen's west coast. The Iranian-backed militia thus controls an important access to the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea.

Houthi-affiliated media and social network users distributed videos purporting to show militia patrols inside Mocha. The recordings could not be independently verified.

Iran suspends freight fee for foreign ships

Iran has temporarily suspended a 10 percent freight fee for foreign ships transporting oil, gas and liquid petroleum products, according to a media report. These are deliveries to or from Iran, as reported by the parastatal Iranian news agency Fars. According to the report, the suspension is intended to reduce transportation costs and encourage foreign shipping companies to continue transporting goods to or from Iran. The USA has been blocking Iranian oil exports by sea for some time as part of its war against the Islamic Republic.

Houthis advance on the Red Sea – focus on oil route

The Iran-backed Houthi militia is on the rise in Yemen along the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. According to insiders, the militants attacked the offshore Hanish Islands in the Red Sea while government troops and their allies retreated south to the city of Dhubab. Their control, together with the nearby island of Perim, is considered the key to dominance over the Bab al-Mandab.

A blockade would cut off a key trade route for Gulf states like Saudi Arabia after Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz as the primary sea route between Asia and Europe. The shipping route, also known as the “Gate of Tears” because of the dangerous navigation conditions, has gained enormous importance in the wake of the US war against Iran. It is one of the world's most important routes for the transport of crude oil and fuels from the Gulf region via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and, in the opposite direction, for trade goods destined for Asia, including Russian oil.

Hormuz blockade drives global coal consumption

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the Iran war is driving up global demand for coal. The blockade is leading to a massive decline in liquefied gas deliveries, which is causing prices to rise sharply, said the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris. This has led countries with gas-fired power plants and free coal-fired power plant capacity to generate more electricity from coal. As a result, coal consumption in Europe, Japan, Korea, China and other markets is higher than previously expected.

As a result, global demand for coal - which was expected to decline slightly compared to last year - is now forecast to increase by 1.2 percent in 2026, pushing global consumption to a record 8.94 billion tons. Whether this trend continues in 2027 depends on whether the strait remains blocked. Given this development, coal prices would definitely have risen.

Houthis are advancing on a strategically important city in Yemen

In Yemen, fighting between government troops and the Houthi militia over strategically important areas on the Red Sea is increasing. According to eyewitnesses and military circles, the Houthi militia is advancing further towards the port city of Mocha on the west coast. According to military sources, government troops and their allies have withdrawn from the area near Hais, north of Mocha.

Mocha lies immediately north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Along with the Strait of Hormuz, it is one of the world's most important shipping routes, including for crude oil and liquid gas. With a takeover, the Iran-backed Houthis could attack and block shipping traffic in the Red Sea even more specifically than before.

Media: US fighter jets damaged in attack in Jordan

According to a media report, several US military aircraft were damaged in night attacks on the Muwaffaq Salti air base in Jordan. This is reported by CBS reporter Jennifer Jacobs on Platform X. An A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft was hit. Furthermore, around eight F-15 fighter jets were slightly damaged.

Report: Iran conflict could last until end of Trump's term in office

According to a newspaper report, senior advisers in the White House have warned US President Donald Trump that the conflict with Iran could last until the end of his term in office. The advisers included Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday (local time), citing US government circles. In internal discussions in the Oval Office and in the situation center, they pointed out that Tehran could continue to withstand pressure from the USA. As a result, the dispute could drag on until after Trump's presidency ends in January 2029. The White House did not immediately respond to a query from the Reuters news agency.

The advisers' assessment contrasts with Trump's public statements. The president said on Wednesday that he expected the war to end “immediately after” the US congressional elections in November. Iran is trying to influence the vote, but will not be able to maintain its resistance for much longer. Trump also admitted that diplomatic talks were still possible, but that they would not be preferred.

Reports of explosions in southern Iran

According to local media reports, explosions occurred in the Strait of Hormuz area in southern Iran. The state news agency Irna reported that the island of Gheschm in the strait as well as the cities of Sirik and Minab were affected, citing official sources. The explosions occurred at sea, it said. The cause of the explosions and the exact circumstances initially remained unclear.

The US military has recently attacked Iranian oil tankers several times in the Strait of Hormuz or adjacent waters. According to its own statement, it was reacting to attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards on US warships in the region.

Trump: War ends immediately after US congressional elections

US President Donald Trump says he expects the war against Iran to end “immediately after” the US midterm elections in November. The government in Tehran is trying to influence the vote, but will no longer be able to hold out, he says. After the elections on November 3rd, oil prices would also fall.

US agency EIA raises oil price forecasts due to war in Iran

The US Energy Agency (EIA) is raising its oil price forecasts for the current and next year. The reason is the rapid decline in global inventories due to delivery failures from the Middle East as a result of the Iran war, the authority said. For the North Sea Brent variety, the EIA expects an average price of around $91 per barrel (159 liters) this year, an increase of almost five percent compared to the previous estimate for 2026. The price for the US WTI variety is expected to average $84.65 and will therefore also be almost five percent higher. The report is dated September 3rd and does not yet take into account the recent escalation in the Middle East.

IAEA reports Iran to UN Security Council for nuclear violations

The 35-member Board of Governors of the UN Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has passed a resolution against Iran. This means the Islamic Republic will be reported to the UN Security Council for violating its nuclear non-proliferation obligations, diplomats say. It is the first time such a step has been taken in 20 years. The Iranian representation to the international organizations in Vienna criticizes the decision on Platform X as “biased” and “political”. The decision follows a resolution dated June 12 last year in which Iran was found not to be complying with its commitments. The next day, Israel and shortly afterwards the USA began bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. A second decision was required to forward it to the Security Council.

Austerity measures: Iran's president proposes car-free day

In view of the threat of supply shortages, Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian has proposed a car-free weekday. The conservative-moderate head of government called for “one day a week without a car” at a cabinet meeting, the state news agency Irna reported. The approach must start with the government and state institutions before calling on the population, he said.

Dead and injured in explosion at weapons depot in Syria

In Syria, at least 14 people were killed in an explosion at a weapons depot in the northwest of the country, according to authorities. The press department of Idlib province said eleven people were injured. The explosion occurred in the city of Sarmada. It was said that the number of operas could still increase. No reasons were given for the explosion.

According to the Syrian Defense Ministry, weapons and war material were stored in the temporary depot for further transport. Several ministry employees were also injured in the explosion.

Just a few days ago there was an explosion in a weapons depot in the town of Binnisch in Idlib, which also left people dead and injured. Civil defense and employees of the Red Crescent aid organization in Syria continued to search for survivors under the rubble on Wednesday.

Protests against possible Hormuz deployment in South Korea

In the South Korean capital Seoul, dozens of people responded to a possible military deployment in the Strait of Hormuz. They called on the government to reject any US demand to help secure the waterway, which has been largely blocked by the Iran war. The protest participants chanted accusing the US government of putting pressure on their country to provide military aid.

The South Korean government under President Lee Jae Myung says it has sent military investigators to the Middle East to get their own picture of the security situation. However, a decision on military support had not been made, it was said from Seoul.

US President Donald Trump justified the early termination of a joint military exercise with South Korea in August by saying that the country had refused support for the US-Israeli war against Iran. He told Fox News last week that Seoul was not prepared to provide aid, even though the US itself was ensuring South Korea's security with a military presence in Asia. Iran has announced “severe consequences” if South Korea takes part in US operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran announces expanded maritime restricted area

Iran is expanding its maritime restricted area near the Strait of Hormuz. The new restricted area