live U.S.-Iran standoff continues as Hormuz shipping and diplomacy remain uncertain
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
The Israeli army has begun a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza City as part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariot 2,” the military said.
The operation is aimed at taking control of Gaza City and targeting Hamas strongholds, according to the Israeli Defence Forces
Troops from the 98th Division entered the city with coordinated fire support from air and naval units. Dozens of sites were struck, including military buildings, observation posts and booby-trapped structures. Gaza residents reported heavy bombardment as the ground offensive expanded. Israeli forces are operating across the division’s sector with support from air, ground and naval units.
Earlier on Tuesday, army spokesperson Dafrín said the operation is expected to continue for several months. More than 350,000 civilians have reportedly evacuated the city as part of ongoing safety measures.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation’s objectives include defeating Hamas, securing the release of hostages and disarming the group. Speaking at the headquarters of the 162nd Division, whose forces are operating in Gaza City, Katz said: “From Hamas, we need only two things: to release all the hostages and to disarm. The force of this attack directly targets Hamas and also increases leverage for the release of hostages.”
Katz added that taking control of Gaza City is a key step, describing it as “Hamas’s main governing symbol.”
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
Five years after Evergrande's debt crisis rattled global markets, founder Hui Ka Yan has been sentenced to life in prison, marking a dramatic new chapter in the downfall of China's former property giant.
South Korea estimates North Korea possesses between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads, its defence minister said on Thursday, citing a range significantly higher than U.S. President Donald Trump's recent assertion that Pyongyang has 57 nuclear weapons.
Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least sixteen people and injured more than forty others, Ukrainian officials said, with fires reported across the city and Poland activating defensive air operations.
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