US targets Iran mine-laying as war causes oil market havoc

12/03/2026 15:33 France 24

The United States said Tuesday it was striking Iranian ships capable of mining the crucial Strait of Hormuz and threatened escalation if Tehran presses ahead, as the Middle East war wreaks havoc on global oil markets. The US military posted video footage of Iranian boats blasted by missiles and other projectiles as it said it had destroyed 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint to the Gulf through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

Continua a leggere su "France 24"

Altre notizie da "France 24"

Israel strikes central Beirut after threatening to expand Lebanon operations

Israel renewed its strikes on Beirut on Thursday, as it threatened to expand operations and seize territory in Lebanon if Hezbollah did not stop its attacks. The Israeli military issued a call to evacuate ahead of the Beirut attack, after having also widened its evacuation warning for residents in...

12/03/2026 16:56 France 24

Iran's supreme leader issues first statement since his appointment

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued his first statement since his appointment as the war with the United States and Israel rages. The statement was read on state television Thursday by a news anchor. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert tells us mo...

12/03/2026 16:55 France 24

From Sudan to Lebanon: ‘Wherever we go, war follows us’

In Beirut, refugees from conflict zones like Sudan and Ethiopia have once again been caught up in war — the very thing they hoped to leave behind in their home countries. FRANCE 24's reporter spoke to families sheltering at a Jesuit church in the Lebanese capital, who have lost everything f...

12/03/2026 16:49 France 24

With Middle East in flames, Texan bunker maker sees business boom

Since the war in the Middle East began nearly two weeks ago, the phone at Ron Hubbard's bomb shelter company in Texas hasn't stopped ringing. Foreign and US clients are rushing to buy his bunkers, seeking refuge in case of air raids, nuclear fallout or apocalypse....

12/03/2026 16:43 France 24

Middle East war: Dubai targeted by fresh Iranian drone strikes

#Dubai was among the targets of fresh Iranian drone strikes early on March 12, alongside Kuwait's airport. This comes after #Iran denounced a #UN Security Council resolution that demanded strikes on the #Gulf countries stop. Eleven civilians have died since the start of Iranian attacks in the regio...

12/03/2026 16:15 France 24

France 'not sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz', Defence Minister Vautrin says

As Iran’s new supreme leader calls for the Strait of Hormuz to remain closed, France’s Minister of Armed Forces and Veteran Affairs, Catherine Vautrin, says Paris has no plans to send naval vessels to the strategic waterway. In an interview with FRANCE 24, she also stressed that France is not p...

12/03/2026 15:54 France 24

Trump says Iran shouldn't come to World Cup for 'own life and safety'

US President Donald Trump warned Iran's football team Thursday their "life and safety" would be at risk if they took part in the upcoming World Cup in North America....

12/03/2026 15:41 France 24

War in the Middle East: 'A sense of normality' back in Israel

The Israeli military said on Thursday that Hezbollah had fired around 200 rockets at Israel the night beforeFRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot reports from one of the buildings in Tel Aviv that was hit during the very first days of the war by an Iranian missile. Since then, "a sense of normality has returned...

12/03/2026 15:35 France 24

Novelist Dinaw Mengestu on the battle for freedom of expression

As he takes on the presidency of PEN America, Dinaw Mengestu explains why defending a plurality of voices is crucial at a time of censorship and revisionism. He also discusses how the organisation is working to rebuild its credibility after criticism over its failure to condemn the war in Gaza in 2...

12/03/2026 15:31 France 24

Two votes, two standards: UN resolutions on Iran war underscores diplomatic dilemmas

The UN Security Council held two votes on the Middle East war, the first since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. A Bahrain-sponsored resolution condemning Iran -- but not the US and Israel -- was adopted. A second, Russian-sponsored one, condemning Iran and the US-Israel, was vetoed. FRAN...

12/03/2026 14:22 France 24

Israel pounds Lebanon: Grieving border village calls for peace

In the south Lebanon border village of Qlayaa, hundreds mourn parish priest Father Pierre al-Rai two days after he was killed by Israeli shelling while inspecting the site of an earlier attack. Amid the funeral procession, residents implore the army for protection from the latest war between Israel...

12/03/2026 14:07 France 24

Israel army says Hezbollah fired 200 rockets in 'biggest barrage' of war

Israel's military said Thursday that Hezbollah had fired around 200 rockets at Israel the night before, in what it described as the Lebanese armed group's "biggest barrage" since the war began. FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot reports from Jerusalem....

12/03/2026 14:03 France 24

How Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy sites are shaping decision making in Washington

Sparking turmoil in global energy markets and undermining Gulf countries’ reputations for economic stability is all part of the Iranian regime’s strategy, according to a Middle East analyst. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Paymon Azmoudeh, senior consultant in the risk and compliance practice at Forward...

12/03/2026 13:55 France 24

Ireland’s deputy PM warns of ‘near-existential moment’ for EU amid global turmoil

The European Union is facing an “almost existential moment” as it seeks to weather global turmoil. That is the warning from Ireland’s Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris. He says the current conflict in the Middle East serves as “a stark reminder of how Europe must become much...

12/03/2026 13:06 France 24

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has 'very good links with the IRGC'

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Dr H. A. Hellyer, Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for Defence and International Security Studies in London. The succession process currently unfolding in Iran must be understood within the extraordinary context of wartim...

12/03/2026 12:22 France 24

Washington tracking if Iran has activated 'sleeper cells' on US soil

As the US-Israeli war against Iran escalates, fears are rising that covert agents lying low in Western countries could be activated to retaliate. US President Donald Trump said his administration is "on top" of the possibility of Iranian cells operating inside the United States, but has offered few...

12/03/2026 11:09 France 24

Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new Supreme Leader signals continuity to international community

Amid the political uncertainty surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr Anahita Motazed Rad, Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics. As the Islamic Republic navigates a moment of acute pressure, the elevation of Mojtaba Khamen...

12/03/2026 11:06 France 24

Middle East war: Oil tankers set ablaze in the Gulf in latest Iranian attacks

Two #oil tankers were hit by Iranian explosives off the coast of #Iraq, as Tehran continues its blockade on the region. The attacks follow strikes in the Strait of #Hormuz, bringing up the number of #ships hit in the strategic passage point to at least 16....

12/03/2026 11:05 France 24

On the ground: Iran attacks Gulf infrastructures

Dubai reported a drone attack and fallen debris in two locations on Thursday while Kuwait's airport was damaged in yet another strike on the facility during Iran's Gulf campaign in the Middle East war. Iran has taken aim at US assets and civilian infrastructure around the Gulf in retaliation for US...

12/03/2026 10:59 France 24

Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s attacks on shipping worsen economic concerns

The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, topped $100 a barrel early Thursday, just days after it spiked near $120. Oil prices shot more than 9% higher as supply concerns worsened with Iranian attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz. The latest attacks...

12/03/2026 10:44 France 24

IEA announces record oil stockpile release over Iran supply disruptions

The International Energy Agency on Wednesday agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat a spike in global crude prices since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, with the US contributing the bulk of the supply....

12/03/2026 10:43 France 24

War in the Middle East: Iran attacks Gulf energy targets

Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday. The renewed drone and missile attacks against Iran's Gulf neighbours and Israel followed a warning from Tehran that it could wage a prolonged war that would "destroy" the world economy. FRANCE 24's Rochelle Ferguson Bouyah...

12/03/2026 10:41 France 24

Software on the front line: How a Florida tech firm is playing a key role in Iran war

The use of AI to facilitate attacks in Iran has ushered in a new era of tactics. Palantir, the US data analytics company has taken on a major role in war technology. FRANCE 24’s Simon Moritz and Jules Boiteau take a look at its origins and how it's used....

12/03/2026 10:38 France 24

Humanitarian crisis in Lebanon: Displaced families face despair

A new violent escalation in Lebanon – but in reality, the war that began in 2023 never truly stopped. According to the United Nations, the ceasefire signed in November 2024 between Hezbollah and Israel has been violated more than 14,000 times by Israel. Then, in late February, Iran’s supreme l...

12/03/2026 10:28 France 24

US war on Iran: 'An American war in desperate search of a strategy', expert says

FRANCE 24’s François Picard is joined by Dr. Rouzbeh Parsi, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Lund University in Sweden. According to Parsi, the current political situation in Iran should be approached with caution, as too much attention is being paid to the potential rise of Mojtaba Khamenei. The Isla...

12/03/2026 07:50 France 24

'European Union needs a bit of a revolution: There is no European strategy or foreign policy'

François Picard is pleased to welcome Sophie in 't Veld, former Dutch MEP and member of Volt Europa. She argues that the EU faces a profound structural crisis in its capacity to act on the global stage. What appears as policy debate is, in practice, an internal academic discussion with little con...

12/03/2026 07:35 France 24

China approves 'ethnic unity' law condemned by rights groups

China approved what it called an "ethnic unity" law on Thursday, which rights advocates warn could further marginalise minority groups such as the Uyghurs....

12/03/2026 06:01 France 24

Middle East war live: Israel to expand operations in Lebanon, threatens to 'take territory'

Israel's military has been instructed to expand its operations ‌in Lebanon, Defence Minister Israel ‌Katz said on Thursday, after Hezbollah fired a heavy barrage of ‌rockets at Israel overnight. Katz also warned Lebanon to stop the strikes or Israel "will take territory". Follow our liveblog...

12/03/2026 03:41 France 24

US war on Iran: Using military force to achieve political outcomes rarely produces lasting stability

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and International Security at the University of Portsmouth. For Mr. Townley, the most striking feature of the current US operation against Iran is the gap between clear military action and ambiguous political strategy...

11/03/2026 21:54 France 24

Iran may tap into organised crime to carry out terror attacks, expert says

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Graig Klein, Assistant Professor in Terrorism and Political Violence at Leiden University in The Hague, explains that Iran may tap into organised crime in order to carry out terror attacks in Europe in retaliation for the war waged by the US and Israel, adding t...

11/03/2026 20:47 France 24

BREAKING NEWS

12/03 17:24 - Trump claims surging oil prices benefit US as Pentagon reportedly tells lawmakers Iran war cost $11.3bn in first week – live 12/03 17:20 - British tourist among 20 charged in Dubai over videos of Iranian missile strikes 12/03 17:19 - Fallout From Iran War and Oil Shock Deliver Another Blow to World Economy 12/03 17:14 - Middle East war creating ‘largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets’ 12/03 16:56 - Israel strikes central Beirut after threatening to expand Lebanon operations 12/03 16:55 - Iran's supreme leader issues first statement since his appointment 12/03 16:55 - PM says Mandelson appointment was mistake as No 10 denies cover-up 12/03 16:49 - From Sudan to Lebanon: ‘Wherever we go, war follows us’ 12/03 16:47 - Lincolnshire council approves AI datacentre despite emissions warnings 12/03 16:47 - Lebanon appeals to Israel’s allies to stop strikes as death toll rises 12/03 16:43 - With Middle East in flames, Texan bunker maker sees business boom 12/03 16:26 - A war with no exit: Could the Iran conflict end in a nuclear Middle East? 12/03 16:16 - War With Iran Puts Further Strain on America’s Pessimistic Farmers 12/03 16:15 - Middle East war: Dubai targeted by fresh Iranian drone strikes 12/03 16:04 - U.S. sailors injured in fire aboard aircraft carrier supporting Iran war 12/03 16:04 - ‘We make a lot of money’: Trump downplays rise in gas prices during Iran war 12/03 15:54 - France 'not sending any vessels to the Strait of Hormuz', Defence Minister Vautrin says 12/03 15:44 - Dismay as ancient heritage sites across Iran damaged in US-Israel bombing 12/03 15:41 - Iran’s president sets terms to end the war: Is an off-ramp in sight? 12/03 15:41 - Iran’s president sets terms to end the war: Is an off-ramp in sight? 12/03 15:41 - Trump says Iran shouldn't come to World Cup for 'own life and safety' 12/03 15:35 - War in the Middle East: 'A sense of normality' back in Israel 12/03 15:33 - US targets Iran mine-laying as war causes oil market havoc 12/03 15:31 - Novelist Dinaw Mengestu on the battle for freedom of expression 12/03 15:00 - Putin’s ‘hidden hand’ lies behind Iran’s drone tactics, UK defence secretary says 12/03 14:45 - Italy’s Meloni breaks with Trump over Iran war 12/03 14:28 - Putin's 'hidden hand' likely helping Iran against Trump, says UK minister 12/03 14:22 - Two votes, two standards: UN resolutions on Iran war underscores diplomatic dilemmas 12/03 14:18 - Bunker-busting bombs loaded onto US planes at UK airbase amid Iran war 12/03 14:18 - Bunker-busting bombs loaded onto US planes at UK airbase amid Iran war 12/03 14:11 - Iran War Causing Largest Ever Oil Disruption, I.E.A. Says 12/03 14:08 - Drug use on Ukraine’s front lines ‘rampant among Russian troops’ 12/03 14:08 - Drug use on Ukraine’s front lines ‘rampant among Russian troops’ 12/03 14:07 - Israel pounds Lebanon: Grieving border village calls for peace 12/03 14:05 - Why Does Oil Matter So Much to the Global Economy? 12/03 14:03 - Israel army says Hezbollah fired 200 rockets in 'biggest barrage' of war 12/03 14:00 - Venice Biennale risks losing EU funding over planned Russia involvement 12/03 14:00 - Iraqi official urges Australia to take back alleged IS fighters during meeting with ambassador 12/03 13:59 - Caught in the crossfire: US-Israel war on Iran fractures Gulf economies 12/03 13:59 - Caught in the crossfire: US-Israel war on Iran fractures Gulf economies 12/03 13:57 - How Iran war laid bare the world's reliance on Gulf oil and gas 12/03 13:55 - Can Iran’s asymmetric warfare hold US-Israeli military power at bay? 12/03 13:55 - Can Iran’s asymmetric warfare hold US-Israeli military power at bay? 12/03 13:55 - How Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy sites are shaping decision making in Washington 12/03 13:53 - Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei issues first statement as Supreme Leader amid war 12/03 13:53 - Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei issues first statement as Supreme Leader amid war 12/03 13:51 - How corporations have collaborated with US military over the decades 12/03 13:51 - How corporations have collaborated with US military over the decades 12/03 13:43 - Unexplained Moscow internet blackouts spark fears of web censorship plan 12/03 13:35 - Jimmy Kimmel Addresses the Notion of a Drone Strike on California 12/03 13:10 - ‘He Seems Really Bad at Getting Advice’: 3 Opinion Writers on Trump and Iran 12/03 13:06 - Ireland’s deputy PM warns of ‘near-existential moment’ for EU amid global turmoil 12/03 12:49 - 'What if we're left with ruins?': Doubts creep in for Iranians who supported war 12/03 12:24 - Weather warnings issued as colder weather and mountain snow forecast 12/03 12:22 - Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has 'very good links with the IRGC' 12/03 12:21 - Iran escalates attacks on infrastructure and transport networks across the Gulf | First Thing 12/03 12:18 - AI scams drove UK reports of fraud to record 444,000 last year 12/03 12:11 - Iran war reality check: Why the US miscalculated Tehran’s political resilience 12/03 12:10 - Shell CEO’s pay jumps 60% despite slump in profits at oil company 12/03 12:00 - Colon cancer now leading cause of cancer deaths under 50 in US 12/03 11:43 - Oil price tops $100 again as Iran strikes economic targets across Middle East 12/03 11:09 - Washington tracking if Iran has activated 'sleeper cells' on US soil 12/03 11:09 - The war of signals: How Russia and China help Iran see the battlefield 12/03 11:09 - The war of signals: How Russia and China help Iran see the battlefield 12/03 11:06 - Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new Supreme Leader signals continuity to international community 12/03 11:05 - Middle East war: Oil tankers set ablaze in the Gulf in latest Iranian attacks 12/03 11:02 - Ground Down by War, Hezbollah’s Loyal Base Shows Cracks 12/03 10:59 - On the ground: Iran attacks Gulf infrastructures 12/03 10:54 - Pete Hegseth’s Rhetoric of Violence 12/03 10:44 - Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s attacks on shipping worsen economic concerns 12/03 10:43 - IEA announces record oil stockpile release over Iran supply disruptions 12/03 10:41 - War in the Middle East: Iran attacks Gulf energy targets 12/03 10:38 - Software on the front line: How a Florida tech firm is playing a key role in Iran war 12/03 10:32 - How the Iran war may affect your money and bills 12/03 10:28 - Humanitarian crisis in Lebanon: Displaced families face despair 12/03 10:23 - Ukraine strikes Russian electronics plant that builds missile components 12/03 10:20 - What role has cyber warfare played in Iran? 12/03 10:15 - Trump says Iran war is ‘very complete, pretty much’ as economic toll rises | First Thing 12/03 10:12 - We attacked Iran with no clear plan for regime change, Israeli security sources say 12/03 10:07 - 'Fingers on the trigger': Deadly warnings for Iranians being urged to take action 12/03 10:00 - The $11 Billion Cost for One Week of War, and a New ‘Millionaires’ Tax’ 12/03 10:00 - ‘America’s mortal enemy’: Pete Hegseth expressed extreme antipathy toward Iran for years 12/03 09:03 - War in Ukraine spills into Hungarian election campaign 12/03 09:03 - How Hegseth Came to See Moral Purpose in War as Weakness 12/03 09:02 - How Russia’s Scorched-Earth Attacks Put Ukraine’s Power Grid Near Collapse 12/03 09:00 - News24 | Trump administration spent $11.3bn in first few days of Iran war, may ask for more cash 12/03 08:33 - ‘We know where he lives, where he sleeps’: Ex-Ukrainian general threatens Orban 12/03 08:33 - Hungary’s Orbán claims Ukrainians ‘threatened’ his family as election campaign ramps up 12/03 08:30 - Iran war: What is happening on day 13 of US-Israel attacks? 12/03 08:30 - Iran war: What is happening on day 13 of US-Israel attacks? 12/03 08:12 - France walks ‘fine line’ as US-Israel war on Iran escalates 12/03 08:12 - France walks ‘fine line’ as US-Israel war on Iran escalates 12/03 08:09 - Analysis: The war on Iran is at a crossroads 12/03 08:09 - Analysis: The war on Iran is at a crossroads 12/03 07:53 - ‘A US military victory in Iran without a political one is not a victory’ 12/03 07:53 - ‘A US military victory in Iran without a political one is not a victory’ 12/03 07:50 - US war on Iran: 'An American war in desperate search of a strategy', expert says 12/03 07:42 - In the US-Israeli war on Iran, who will run out of missiles first? 12/03 07:42 - In the US-Israeli war on Iran, who will run out of missiles first? 12/03 07:35 - 'European Union needs a bit of a revolution: There is no European strategy or foreign policy'