Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are resuming faster than many analysts predicted, but fresh hostilities in recent days are threatening the trend.
Why it matters: The rebound in shipments is good news for the tight oil market and is helping push prices lower.
The U.S. and Iran agreed to stop attacking each other, according to a senior U.S. official, as the two sides plan to hold talks this week in Qatar's capital to work out their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters: The ceasefire is barely 11 days old and already on shaky ground with renewed strikes by both sides and President Trump's threat to restart the war and "complete the job."
This story is based on conversations with six U.S., Israeli and Lebanese sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
Four days of nonstop negotiations in Washington this week between the Israeli and Lebanese governments were propelled by one clear shared interest: weakening the influence of Hezbollah and Iran in Lebanon, according to U.S., Israeli and Lebanese officials.
Why it matters: The framework brokered by the Trump administration is the most significant political agreement between Israel and Lebanon in four decades — but all parties involved know the vision of peace it lays out may never materialize.
Over the past few days, tension between the U.S. and Iran has been escalating with another exchange of strikes on Saturday. President Trump threatened on Truth Social to resume the war and "complete the job."
Why it matters: The U.S. and Iran are bombing each other again, putting the tenuous ceasefire in doubt again.
Benjamin Netanyahu lost the Democrats. Now a growing number of Republicans are souring on him and his country, too.
Why it matters: More Republicans, especially younger ones, turned on Israel as its military leveled Gaza — and then Netanyahu alienated President Trump and his team as they sought to end the Iran war.
The U.S. military conducted fresh strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for an attack Saturday morning on a commercial tanker, as President Trump threatened the possibility of restarting the war.
Why it matters: The second wave of U.S. strikes in Iran over the last 24 hours comes amid increasing tensions in the strait —and could put the shaky U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding at risk.
