US-Iran war Highlights: Strait of Hormuz tensions rise as 3 ships struck by projectiles — British maritime agency

Bahrain has joined the US-led Task Force Falcon Strike, a multinational drone initiative under US Central Command (CENTCOM).

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper welcomed Bahrain, saying the kingdom had affirmed its commitment to help build the “world’s first multinational attack drone unit.”

"We're excited to welcome Bahrain to Task Force Falcon Strike after the kingdom affirmed its commitment to join CENTCOM in building the world's first multinational attack drone unit. Bahrain is a steadfast partner in strengthening regional security and stability." - Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander

Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions rejected any deadline to surrender their weapons to the state, saying they are “not bound by any timeline or agreement.”

Kataeb Hezbollah spokesman Jaafar al-Husseini said the factions had been negotiating with the Iraqi government over how their weapons could be “regulated”.

Al-Husseini said the factions had not received a response from Baghdad on their proposals.

The statement came as US-led coalition forces completed their military withdrawal from Iraq, ending their mission in the country.

The Iraqi government has been pushing to bring weapons held by armed factions under state control, amid pressure from Washington. Earlier plans had linked the process to the US-led coalition's withdrawal.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there are “strong indications” that Iran may have been involved in the incident near RAF Fairford.

Five British men in their 20s were arrested on Sunday near the US-run air base in England.

Terror, explosives probe: The men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and planning an act of terrorism.

All five suspects were released on bail a day later as the investigation continues.

Police are investigating how the five men and three vans came to be near the perimeter of RAF Fairford late at night.

Police said they found a quantity of gasoline, described as an accelerant, in the vans but no explosives.

Burnham did not explain why British authorities suspect Iran or what the men may have been planning.

Burnham said he would provide an update “more in due course.”

33-year-old Iranian woman Mahboubeh Shahbani, sentenced to death over protests earlier this year, has appealed to the international community to save her and others facing execution.

Shahbani said her death sentence showed that other prisoners whose sentences have been upheld could also face execution.

In an audio message from prison, she urged the public, the United Nations and human rights organisations to intervene.

Iran Human Rights said 31 people, all men, have been executed in connection with the January protests since wartime executions resumed in March.

Rights groups say dozens of people could still face execution over their alleged involvement in the protests.

HRANA said she was convicted over actions allegedly intended to strengthen Israel, the US and opposition groups, while Iran Human Rights said she had used her motorcycle to transport injured protesters.

The Center for Human Rights in Iran said it believes nine women across Iran face possible execution on political and security charges. (AFP)

UKMTO said three vessels were hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

The ships included a crude oil tanker and two other vessels.

UKMTO initially identified one vessel as an LNG tanker but later described it simply as a tanker.

Brent November futures gained 0.6% to $103.19 a barrel, while WTI rose 1.3% to $90.57.

Brent is on track for a roughly 14% monthly rise, its biggest since July; WTI is headed for a 5.5% gain.

Oil prices remain supported as negotiations aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran show little progress.

An explosion was heard in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan on Wednesday, Fars news agency reported, citing the Zahedan administrative office. No damage was caused, the agency added.

An explosion was heard in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, with the source of the detonation unknown, Fars News reported.

Oil prices steadied on Wednesday but remained on track for a big monthly gain as US-Iran talks aimed at ending their war stalled, while tight fuel markets continued to underpin prices despite recovering Middle East crude supplies.

The Brent futures November contract, which expires on Wednesday, was down 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $102.43 a barrel at 0811 GMT. The more active December contract was down 18 cents to $95.98. US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 2 cents to $89.40.

Brent is headed for a monthly gain of around 13%, its biggest since July, while WTI is on track for a 4% rise.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday night and received US feedback on a proposed seven-day trust-building plan, which he will discuss in Tehran on Wednesday, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters

UK counter-terror police investigating an incident at an airbase used by the US to launch strikes in Iran said they found fuel but no explosives at the scene.

Crude oil flows from the Middle East are returning toward pre-war levels despite continued risks to shipping, according to separate estimates from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

US forces are set to withdraw on Wednesday from their last bases in Iraq, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies, which ​have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war.

Still, since its 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US has held effective control of the country's oil revenue dollars, giving Washington extraordinary leverage over Baghdad's affairs, with implications for regional dynamics involving Iran.

US forces withdraw from their remaining bases in Iraq on Wednesday, raising fears they will leave behind a security vacuum, further embolden Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias and give the resurgent Islamic State group an opening to regroup.

Iran executed two men on Wednesday who had been convicted for their role in killing four security forces during the January 2026 protests in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the Student News Networks reported.

Indian shares were flat on Wednesday as a rebound in most sectors after a two-day selloff was offset by sustained foreign selling, with the absence of a US-Iran peace deal keeping risk sentiment fragile.

Asian shares rose in early Wednesday trading, boosted by optimism about artificial intelligence and computer chips despite ongoing worries about the war in Iran.

A surprise decision by the UK's counterterrorism police to release five suspects on bail during an investigation into a suspected bomb plot at a US-operated air force base in England has deepened questions and uncertainty about the incident. Police confirmed Tuesday that no explosives were found in three vans linked to the suspects, and said the decision to grant bail was grounded in “experience and strategy."

Iran's Revolutionary Guard urged Americans in a message ahead of US midterm elections to take to the streets and rally against Donald Trump, claiming the US president's war in the Middle East has failed.

Oil steadied after its biggest drop in more than a week on signs that Middle East supply has risen to near pre-war levels after Saudi Arabia resumed flows through a pipeline that avoids the Strait of Hormuz. Brent for November traded near $103 a barrel after dropping 2.6 per cent in the previous session, while West Texas Intermediate was around $89.