Diplomats edged toward a possible breakthrough on reopening the Strait of Hormuz even as fresh US strikes hit Iran overnight, underscoring the volatile mix of diplomacy and military action driving the six-month-old conflict.
A senior Gulf official told CNN there is roughly a "50-50" chance Iran and Oman will finalize an interim arrangement on safe shipping routes through the strait by Friday. Iran's Foreign Ministry said this week that Tehran and Muscat have agreed on the geographic coordinates of a proposed corridor and are finalizing a joint statement, though a senior Iranian official cautioned that any deal would not automatically reopen the waterway to all traffic.
President Trump said the strait would reopen "soon" and warned that Iran would be "hit very hard" if it did not, as US Central Command confirmed additional overnight strikes. Iran, however, denied it is negotiating directly with Washington, insisting its talks are strictly bilateral with Oman.
The instability continued to ripple outward: Houthi forces claimed a new strike on a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, and Israel carried out fresh strikes in southern Lebanon. Oil markets reflected the uncertainty, with Brent crude rising about 1.3% to near $80 a barrel after sliding earlier in the week.