Middle East live: Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on normalising relations with Israel
Middle East live: Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on normalising relations with Israel
President Donald Trump on Thursday said a civil nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia is “totally subject” to Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords. Trump also threatened Yemen’s Houthis with “major military punishment” for attacking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and said he would hold Iran responsible for any Houthi attacks. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.
Palestinian Authority raises alarm as Israeli banks plan to cut ties
Israeli banks have informed their Palestinian counterparts that they intend to end critical banking services within weeks, said Palestinian and Israeli officials, raising fears of an economic crisis in the West Bank.
These banking links are essential for financing imports from Israel to the occupied Palestinian territory, including electricity, water, fuel and food, as well as for transferring wages earned by Palestinians working in Israel.
“This is not simply a technical banking matter. These channels are a cornerstone of the infrastructure that underpins our trade, our commerce, and the daily life of millions of people,” Palestinian Monetary Authority governor Yahya Shunnar told journalists.
Israel’s finance ministry has confirmed that two banks had proposed cutting ties with their Palestinian counterparts.
“In light of the overall risk environment and the growing concern over private lawsuits against banking entities, the Israeli banks recently announced their intention to discontinue providing correspondent banking services,” the ministry said on Wednesday.
Israel says Saudi joining Abrahams Accords would be ‘historic’ for regional peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would be a significant step towards peace in the Middle East.
“Saudi Arabia’s joining of the Abraham Accords would be a historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East”, Netanyahu’s office said after President Donald Trump announced that a US-Saudi nuclear deal would be contingent on the kingdom recognising Israel.
How Houthi strikes on oil tankers will impact the Middle East war
Yemen’s Houthi rebels say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers. The Houthis are supported by Iran, and the attacks in the Red Sea could be a new front for the war between the US and Iran. How will this affect the conflict?
France calls on Houthis to stop attacks on Saudi tankers
France has called on the Houthi to stop their attacks on Saudi tankers, saying that the strikes marked a major escalation and were irresponsible.
“Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers are irresponsible and a serious escalation,” a spokesperson for the French foreign ministry told reporters at a news conference.
The Iran-backed Houthis struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea earlier today as part of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening to create a second chokepoint on global oil supplies alongside the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli civilian kills two West Bank Palestinians behind stabbing, army says
An Israeli civilian killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank after they allegedly stabbed another Israeli who was trying to extinguish a wildfire near a settlement, the military said.
Violence in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, has escalated since the start of the war in Gaza.
“Earlier today, a fire broke out in the area adjacent to the community of Itamar. During the extinguishing attempts, two terrorists stabbed an Israeli civilian,” the military said.
It added that another Israeli identified the attack and “eliminated” the two Palestinians, without specifying how they were killed.
The wounded Israeli was stabbed in the chest and evacuated to hospital in serious condition, health officials said.
Trump says US will hold Iran accountable for Houthi attacks
President Donald Trump has posted another message on his Truth Social platform, this time threatening Yemen’s Houthi militants, who said they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis had acted responsibly since US targeted them a year ago for attacking commercial shipping, said Trump. “Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night. Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves …,” he wrote.
- Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on recognising Israel
- Saudi Arabia confirms vessel hit in Red Sea by Houthi rebels
- Iran’s army says it attacked US bases in Kuwait, according to state media
- Trump says US will hold Iran accountable for Houthi attacks
- Israel says Saudi joining Abrahams Accords would be ‘historic’ for regional peace
Trump says Saudi nuclear deal contingent on recognising Israel
President Donald Trump has said the nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia signed Wednesday is contingent on the Gulf kingdom recognising Israel.
The deal to establish a civilian nuclear programme in the Gulf country “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Kuwait says drone attack hits Abdali border crossing with Iraq
Kuwait’s army has said the Abdali border crossing with Iraq was hit by a drone attack, causing material damage but no casualties.
Located in Kuwait’s northern Al-Jahra Province, Abdali is the country’s main land border crossing with Iraq and a key route for passenger and commercial traffic between the two countries.
EU urges Houthis to stop attacks in Red Sea
Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen must cease all actions that endanger international shipping and the lives of seafarers, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday.
Recent threats by Yemen’s Houthis to impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia “pose a direct threat to regional stability and constitute a dangerous escalation”, Kallas said in a statement.
The Houthis on Thursday said they struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of a blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening to create a second chokepoint on global oil supplies alongside the Strait of Hormuz.
Kallas said such attacks were “unacceptable” and inflamed the already fragile situation in the region.
“Navigation must be unimpeded, in the Strait of Hormuz as well as in the Red Sea,” the EU’s top diplomat said.
UK withdraws remaining diplomats from Iran
Britain said on Friday it had withdrawn remaining diplomatic staff from Iran as the conflict between Iran and the United States escalates.
“Due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,” the Foreign Office said on its website.
Britain in June withdrew its embassy staff from Iran, following in the footsteps of other European nations as well as Australia and New Zealand.
The withdrawals came after Israel launched renewed air strikes on Iran claiming its arch enemy was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
Kremlin declines comment on report that Russia may have helped Iran strike CIA facilities in Gulf
The Kremlin on Thursday declined to comment on a Reuters report that US intelligence analysts were investigating possible Russian assistance in Iranian drone attacks on CIA facilities in the Gulf.
Four people familiar with US intelligence told Reuters that the officials had not yet reached firm conclusions about the possible Russian involvement in the attacks on CIA facilities.
But they cited the strikes’ effectiveness and apparent precision, as well as Russia’s broader technical support for Iran, as possible evidence.
Oman says it is working with Saudi Arabia, Yemeni parties and UN to resume political track to stability
Oman said on Thursday it is coordinating with Saudi Arabia, Yemeni parties and the UN special envoy for Yemen to resume the political track aimed at achieving security and stability in the region, according to a foreign ministry statement.
The ministry also stressed the need to avoid escalation and any threats that could worsen the situation in the Red Sea and endanger freedom of navigation.
Marco Rubio addresses Middle East and Ukraine conflicts • FRANCE 24 English
Watch again as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addresses the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine at the end of the ASEAN summit in Manila.
Jordan army says it intercepted Iranian missiles, drones
Jordan said on Thursday that it had intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, as Tehran responded to US air strikes by hitting Washington’s allies in the region.
The Jordanian army said in a statement it had intercepted three missiles on Thursday morning, while a fourth landed in an uninhabited area, and that it had intercepted six drones on Wednesday evening, with no casualties or material damage.
Iran army vows to continue strikes so long as country is under attack
The Iranian army said Thursday that it would continue its strikes around the region until the attacks on Iran stopped, state television reported.
“The armed forces’ retaliatory attacks will continue as long as the US attacks on the country’s infrastructure and coastal areas continue,” said army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia according to state TV, adding that the country was ready for “every enemy scenario”.
EasyJet profit slides on Iran war impact as suitors circle
Takeover target easyJet on Thursday said third-quarter profit slumped 70 percent, bruised by volatile fuel prices and a travel-wary consumer due to chaos caused by the Iran war, but indicated somewhat clearer skies heading into peak summer.
The budget airline reported an £85 million ($113.8 million) profit for the three months to June 30, a far cry from the £286 million it logged last year. Results of easyJet, and rival Ryanair earlier this week.
The British airline said, however, that consumer confidence was increasing into the peak summer period and there was strong demand from travellers booking tickets closer to the date of travel.
“As consumer confidence increases, we are seeing the load factor gap close for peak summer and an extension of the booking curve,” CEO Kenton Jarvis said in a statement.
Oil prices rise for a fifth day on supply concerns amid chokepoint threats
Oil prices rose for a fifth day on Thursday on increasing concerns about supply availability amid attacks on tankers in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis and strikes between the US and Iran that have once again nearly shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures rose $2.42, or 2.6 percent, to $96.49 by 06:40 GMT, the highest since June 8, having settled up more than $3 at $94.07 in the previous session, just shy of a six-week high.
US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $1.59, or 1.8 percent, to $88.42, after Wednesday’s rise of 3 percent.
Iran Guards destroy US military equipment in Jordan
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the country’s military, said on Thursday that they had attacked and destroyed several American military assets in Jordan.
The targets included a radar for the US THAAD missile defence system, a Patriot system, a C-RAM radar and a helicopter hangar, according to a statement from the Guards aired by state TV.
Iran’s army says it attacked US bases in Kuwait, according to state media
Iran’s army and its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday said they attacked several US bases in Kuwait following attacks by American forces on Iran.
The Guards claimed attacks on Ali Al Salem base, Camp Udairi and a telecommunications tower, while the army said it targeted Camp Doha, Ali Al Salem base and Camp Arifjan, according to separate statements by the forces carried by state TV.
Yesterday’s key developments:
• President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer of remains ceremony at a military base in Delaware for four US service members killed in the Iran war. Of the four slain soldiers, three were killed in an Iranian missile attack on a military base in Jordan and another died in a separate incident in northern Iraq.
• Trump threatened Iran’s civilian infrastructure, warning that the US would destroy a bridge or power plant every time Tehran attacked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked a US Senate committee for an additional 70 billion dollars to fund the war in Iran as Senators demanded explanations of the military’s strategy.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
Think about it: yemen’s Houthi rebels say they have attacked two Saudi oil tankers. That speaks volumes.
Red Sea is in a tough spot here, curious how they navigate it.
Hard to look at 85 million and not question the official narrative.
Considering “This is not simply a technical banking matter, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
If president Donald Trump on Thursday said a civil nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia is “totally subject” to Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
The detail about president Donald Trump on Thursday said a civil nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia is “totally subject” to Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords is something people should sit with.