live Trump says Iran 'no longer a threat' after 32 days of war - Middle East conflict on 2 April
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile ...
Oil prices dropped 1% on Monday after hitting five-month highs, as markets assessed the impact of U.S. strikes on Iran and potential risks to oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices fell by about 1% on Monday, retreating from five-month highs as markets evaluated the risks to global oil transit after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Brent crude futures dropped 70 cents to $76.31 per barrel, while U.S. WTI crude slipped 76 cents to $73.09.
Earlier in the day, both benchmarks had surged to $81.40 and $78.40 respectively, before fluctuating during the European session.
The price volatility followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that American strikes had “obliterated” key Iranian nuclear sites in coordination with Israeli attacks, including new strikes on Tehran and the Fordow nuclear facility.
Shipping data indicated that at least two supertankers reversed course near the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating conflict. While around 20% of global oil flows through the strait, analysts noted that a full closure remains unlikely due to the economic repercussions for Iran itself. However, asymmetric attacks on shipping remain a potential risk.
Despite no current supply disruption, analysts and investors remain cautious. HSBC projected Brent could briefly spike above $80 if the risk of closure grows but said prices may ease again if disruptions do not occur.
In Iraq, companies such as BP, TotalEnergies, and Eni evacuated some staff from oilfields as a precautionary measure, the Basra Oil Company reported.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is intensifying, with fresh strikes near Tehran, European calls for restraint, and Iran threatening to target U.S. firms in the region, raising fears of a broader escalation across the Middle East.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
Russian-flagged tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, shipping data confirmed, marking a vital and controversial delivery to an island paralysed by severe energy shortages and a suffocating U.S. blockade.
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile missile attacks, tanker incidents and rising casualties across Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf heighten risks to regional stability and energy routes.
A Russian military An-26 aircraft has crashed in Crimea, killing all 30 people on board, Russia’s Defence Ministry has confirmed.
In a major policy reversal, the U.S. Treasury has removed Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, from its sanctions list, signalling a sharp shift in Washington’s approach to Caracas.
A technical team from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has touched down in Cuba this week to launch an "independent investigation" into a deadly maritime shootout that happened on 25 February.
“He is not… the owner!” U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon wrote, temporarily halting construction of President Donald Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom, underscoring a cascade of legal, regulatory and public opposition that has engulfed the controversial expansion.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 2 April, covering the latest developments you need to know
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Russia for answering his offer of an Easter ceasefire with airstrikes on Wednesday but he praised as "positive" fresh talks with U.S. mediators aimed at resolving the four-year conflict.
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