Today marks Day 78 of the US-Iran War, a conflict that has fundamentally reshaped global security and energy corridors since it erupted via massive joint US-Israeli surprise airstrikes on February 28, 2026. What began as an explosive opening campaign has ground into a tense, highly volatile "dual blockade" across the Persian Gulf, with both sides now hovering on the precipice of a renewed, large-scale military confrontation.
Reports indicate that a 'professional mechanism' will soon be unveiled by Iran to manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route, a senior Iranian lawmaker said. Ebrahim Azizi, Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on X, "In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it." He added that "necessary fees will be collected for the specialised services provided under this mechanism".
The announcement came at a time Israel launched a massive series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon, despite an extension of the truce between the two countries. The continuing bombardment has only increased scepticism about the truce among the many thousands of Lebanese driven from their homes in the south.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has arrived in Tehran for emergency talks. Islamabad is attempting to salvage the fragile, repeatedly violated ceasefire framework that originally commenced in April.
However, the economic warfare on the water continues unabated. The United States Navy is rigorously enforcing its blockade on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, costing Tehran an estimated $500 million daily. In retaliation, Iran has maintained a tight chokehold over commercial shipping traversing the Strait of Hormuz, driving global bond and commodity markets into prolonged volatility.
Catch all the latest updates on the conflict here.
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US Iran War Live Updates: Russia shares China’s position on Strait of Hormuz
Mikhail Ulyanov, the permanent representative of Russia to international organisations in Vienna, has backed China’s call for a permanent ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Russia fully shares such an approach,” Ulyanov said in a post on X, referencing Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s comments.
Wang had said China believes a solution to issues in the Strait of Hormuz “lies in achieving a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire” between Washington and Tehran, and that President Xi Jinping had emphasised in his talks with Trump last week “that force cannot solve problems and dialogue is the only right path”.
US Iran War Live Updates: Iran Sets Up New Mechanism To Manage Hormuz Traffic
Iran has introduced a new system to regulate vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Press TV. As part of the move, Tehran has cautioned the US Navy against entering the strategic waterway and stated that all commercial shipping will now be required to coordinate transit with Iranian military authorities.
The country has also released an updated map of the strait, indicating a broader zone under its asserted control.
US Iran War Live Updates: Iran Warns Of Readiness For War
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is prepared to return to direct confrontation with the United States if ongoing talks fail to yield acceptable outcomes. In parallel, a coordinated stream of messaging aimed at domestic and global audiences has sought to underline the broader fallout of the conflict, with Araghchi warning that the US-Israel war on Iran is also feeding back into the American economy.
He pointed to a sharp rise in US energy and inflation costs since the conflict began on February 28, alongside disruptions in global supply flows following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery that typically handles nearly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments.
US Iran War Live Updates: Israel Strikes South Lebanon Say After Ceasefire Extension
Israel launched a massive series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon, despite an extension of the truce between the two countries.
Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah but the strikes were preceded by an evacuation warning covering nine villages.
And the continuing bombardment has only increased scepticism about the truce among the many thousands of Lebanese driven from their homes in the south.