Overview
- U.S. Treasury authorized trades of about 140 million barrels of Iranian crude already loaded at sea through April 19, with Secretary Scott Bessent saying Tehran will struggle to access the proceeds.
- Israel said it hit regime targets in Tehran after earlier strikes in Beirut, while Iran launched missiles and drones at regional sites, including a reported failed attempt to target the U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia.
- Thousands of U.S. Marines are moving toward the region on the USS Boxer to join the USS Tripoli, providing options for maritime security and evacuations as additional forces are readied.
- President Donald Trump said the U.S. is very close to its objectives and is considering a gradual drawdown, urged other nations to police Hormuz, and rejected a cease-fire; Bahrain offered help as several partners signaled only conditional involvement.
- Oil prices hovered above $111 a barrel as tanker transits through Hormuz plunged and strikes on energy infrastructure—including prior hits on Iran’s South Pars gas field—kept global supply under strain.