China’s Middle East envoy urges de-escalation of war during talks with Saudi Arabia
China’s envoy to the Middle East urged a reduction in tensions in the conflict-torn region and called for condemnation of attacks on civilians during talks with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Beijing said on Monday.
The war, triggered by US and Israeli attacks on Iran, has threatened global energy security and trade, as well as China’s oil supplies.
Beijing is a close partner of Tehran and condemned the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but has also criticized Iranian attacks on several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, since the outbreak of the conflict.
Crude Oil Prices Surpass $115 a Barrel as Iran War Threatens Production and Transportation
Oil prices surpassed $115 a barrel on Monday as the war with Iran escalated, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose to $115.31, 24% higher than its Friday closing price of $92.69.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, was selling at $116.33 a barrel. That’s up 28% from its Friday close of $90.90.
Israeli army says it attacked Hezbollah targets in Beirut
Israel’s military said it attacked the Beirut area early Monday, targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Israeli forces “attacked infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Beirut,” the army said in a brief statement.
An AFP correspondent heard a loud explosion in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, a Hezbollah stronghold.
Explosions heard in Doha as Gulf nations report new attacks
Several explosions were heard on Monday in Doha, the capital of Qatar, AFP journalists said, as Gulf countries reported new attacks and Iran intensified its retaliatory strikes across the region.
Doha has been the target of waves of Iranian drones and missiles since Iran launched an extensive retaliation campaign across the Gulf following US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry said on Monday that its forces had intercepted a missile attack.
Elsewhere in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said the kingdom intercepted and destroyed two drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field in the country’s southeast.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said the country’s air defenses were working to intercept a missile and drone attack on Monday.
Trump says ending war with Iran will be ‘mutual’ decision with Netanyahu
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that when to end the war with Iran will be a “mutual” decision to be made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Speaking by phone with The Times of Israel, Trump said Netanyahu will have his say in resolving the conflict.
“I think it’s mutual… a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything will be taken into account,” Trump said.
Iran fires first missiles at Israel under new supreme leader: state media
Iran launched its first missile attack against Israel on Monday following the appointment of the Islamic republic’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mokhtaba Khamenei, state broadcaster IRIB said.
“Iran fires the first wave of missiles under the command of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei towards the occupied territories,” IRIB said on its Telegram channel.
He posted an image of a projectile with the slogan “At your command, Sayyid Mojtaba”, a Shiite Muslim religious reference.
In Israel, sirens warning of incoming missiles sounded across much of the country’s north and center, including the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, according to the army’s Home Front Command.
Police said officers were called to at least two sites in central Israel, where local media reported debris from the interceptor fell.
Israeli helicopter landing reported in eastern Lebanon
An Israeli helicopter landing on the eastern ridge near the Lebanese-Syrian border was reported early Monday, after which heavy fighting ensued, according to the state-run National news agency.
In a statement, Hezbollah said Israeli helicopters were observed approaching from Syria, and that some troops landed on the Sarghaya plain. The group said its fighters clashed with helicopters and ground forces and that fighting continued.
No statement from Israel was immediately available on the landing and reported clashes.
Trump says oil prices ‘will fall rapidly’ once Iran conflict ends
US President Donald Trump offered reassurance to consumers as oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel on Sunday for the first time in more than three and a half years, as the Iran war hampers production and shipping in the Middle East.
“Near-term oil prices, which will fall rapidly when the destruction of Iran’s nuclear threat ends, is a very small price to pay for the security and peace of the United States and the world,” Trump said in a social media post. “ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY.”
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s supreme leader, named his successor
Iranian state television said Monday morning that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the country’s late supreme leader, has been named his successor.
He was long considered a contender, even before an Israeli attack killed his father at the start of the war, and even though he was never elected or appointed to government office.
Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard answers to the supreme leader, and the younger Khamenei will have the central voice in war strategy.
US President Donald Trump told ABC News early Sunday that he wants to have a say in who comes to power once the war ends; a new leader “won’t last long” without his approval, he said.
