Overview
- U.S. forces fired on and boarded the Iranian-flagged freighter Touska near the Strait of Hormuz, a move President Trump disclosed Sunday, and Iran called it piracy and vowed to strike back.
- Tehran reversed a brief reopening and re-closed Hormuz, while the Revolutionary Guard warned ships to stay put and was reported to have forced vessels, including India-flagged ships, to turn back.
- Talks planned in Islamabad are in doubt after Iran said it is not ready for new direct negotiations, even as the White House named Vice President JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner to a U.S. delegation and a two-week truce runs out this week.
- Oil prices jumped, with Brent starting the week near 97 dollars a barrel, as traders weighed fresh risks to a chokepoint that normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
- Berlin and other European capitals said conditions are not met for a naval protection mission, citing the need for a verifiable end to fighting and an international mandate, while German officials said domestic fuel supplies remain stable for now.