LIVE US-Israeli strikes batter Iranian ships as oil prices soar

The US-Israel war with Iran has entered its tenth day with mayhem continuing across the Middle East since the fighting began last month.

If you’re just joining us, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a plan to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help oil and gas supplies flow through the passage once again

The US Navy has reportedly attacked an Iranian warship and two other vessels in the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, oil prices are surging worldwide as global markets slid today and Donald Trump has declared he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make a ‘mutual’ decision on when to end the war.

Here are the key developments on Monday afternoon.

• France has announced plans to deploy eight warships to the Middle East in a ‘purely defensive’ mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
• An Iranian warship and two other vessels have reportedly been attacked by the US Navy during airstrikes on the port city of Bandar Abbas
• NATO have shot down a second Iranian missile in Turkish airspace
• Oil prices rise to above $100 a barrel for first time in four years as global markets slid at the start of trading
• Donald Trump says he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make ‘mutual’ decision on when to end Iran war
• Vladimir Putin offers ‘unwavering support’ to Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
• Bahrain’s only oil refinery has been struck by an Iranian missile as Tehran targets energy installations across the Gulf
• The UAE confirmed two members of its armed forces were killed in a helicopter crash when the aircraft malfunctioned during the defence against Iranian drones
• Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, last night guaranteed Iran will ‘surrender’ and President Donald Trump will set the terms of their defeat
• Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was selected by the country’s Assembly of Experts to succeed his father
• Iranian state television has reported Khamenei is ‘wounded’ but did not elaborate on how the injuries were caused
• The US has identified the seventh solider killed during Operation Epic Fury

Kuwait’s emir has condemned Iran’s attacks on his country, where 12 people have been killed so far in his first public remarks on the conflict.

‘Our country has been subjected to a brutal attack by a neighbouring Muslim country, which we consider a friend, even though we have not permitted the use of our land, airspace, or coasts for any military action against it, and we have repeatedly informed them of this through our diplomatic channels,’ said Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah in a televised speech.

He also insisted on Kuwait’s ‘full and inherent right to self-defence’, speaking for the first time since Iran’s attacks began on February 28.

Donald Trump is set to review options for curbing oil prices as soon as today, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

US officials have been discussing with counterparts from the Group of Seven major ​economies a possible joint release of crude oil from strategic reserves as one of several measures currently under discussion, the ​sources said.

Other options include restricting US exports, intervening in oil futures markets, waiving some federal taxes and ⁠lifting requirements under a law called the Jones Act that domestic fuel move only on US-flagged ships.

‘The White House is in constant coordination with the relevant agencies on this important issue, as it is a top priority to the president. President Trump and his entire energy ​team have had a strong game plan to keep the energy markets stable well before Operation Epic Fury began, and they will ​continue to review all credible options,’ White House spokesperson told the outlet.

HMS Dragon remains in Portsmouth

Emmanuel Macron has attempted to display a show of strength as he announced France and its allies would deploy eight warships to the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz in response to the Iran war.

Italy, Spain and the Netherlands are all providing ships to the French-led initiative that will involve European and non-European nations helping to escort oil and gas tankers with the aim of gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz ‘as soon as possible’.

But HMS Dragon won’t appear to be joining the fleet initially as it is still to leave Portsmouth.

According to reports the Type 45 destroyer is unlikely to arrive in Cyprus before the weekend which has prompted accusations the UK was ill-prepared for the escalating crisis in the Middle East

Macron has taken a leading role in the crisis after he ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus, a fellow European Union member, to bolster its anti-drone and anti-missiles defenses.

The French president also sent last week ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defenses to the island.

Donald Trump said he has spoken to Australia’s Prime Minister about helping Iran’s National Women’s soccer team.

‘I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women’s Soccer Team. He’s on it!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

‘Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way. Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return.

‘In any event, the Prime Minister is doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation. God bless Australia!’

Earlier on Monday, Trump urged Australia to offer the players asylum, and said if Australia did not, the US would.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Tehran against taking ‘provocative steps’ after NATO defence systems intercepted a second Turkey-bound ballistic missile launched from Iran.

‘Despite our sincere warnings, extremely wrong and provocative steps continue to be taken that will jeopardise Turkey’s friendship.

‘One should not engage in such behaviour,’ he said, adding: ‘Persistence and stubbornness in wrongdoing should be avoided’.

Donald Trump said he is ‘nowhere near’ sending troops to the ground in Iran, but he is not happy with the country’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

‘We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,’ he told the New York Post on deploying troops.

However, of Mojtaba, Trump said, ‘I’m not happy with him.’

Iran may be activating sleeper cells outside of the country, according to an alert that was intercepted by the US.

The encrypted communications, believed to have come from inside Iran, was sent as an ‘operational trigger’ for ‘sleeper assets,’ according to ABC News. 

Sleeper cells are agents or terrorists planted in countries who blend in with normal civilians until they are needed to carry out an attack.

Three US B-52 bombers landed at a RAF base today after Sir Keir Starmer approved American ‘defensive’ action from UK bases.

The American flag was seen draped in the cockpit of a B-52 Stratofortress nicknamed the ‘Iron Butterfly’ as it landed on the runway at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The aircraft was used during ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ in 2003 when the US and coalition forces bombarded Saddam Hussein’s Baghdad palace.

Onlookers stood at the perimeter fence as the Cold War-era aircraft capable of firing nuclear missiles arrived on the tarmac.

B-52 bombers measure around 160ft (49m) in length and are capable of launching missiles at a distance of more than 1,500 miles (2414km).

They join a fleet of US military planes at the base after a B-1 Lancer bomber arrived on Friday, followed by two more on Saturday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country is prepared to responded to US attacks on oil and nuclear sites.

‘Nine days into Operation Epic Mistake, oil prices have doubled while all commodities are skyrocketing,’ he wrote on X.

‘We know the US is plotting against our oil and nuclear sites in hopes of containing huge inflationary shock. Iran is fully prepared. And we, too, have many surprises in store.’

Around 200 ships are said to be anchored or stranded outside the Strait of Hormuz and in nearby waters as violence continues across the Middle East.

Iran has threatened to burn any ship that attempts to navigate the waterway through its remote-controlled suicide drone boats, each armed with 500kg of explosives along key Persian Gulf coastal areas.

The situation has caused alarm in the US where Donald Trump has indicated oil and gas tankers could be escorted by the US Navy to help resume traffic.

See our graphic below mapping out where the anchored and moving ships are currently:

Vice President JD Vance said the seventh soldier killed during the military conflict with Iran ‘will be coming home tonight.’

‘I just want to say that if you are the praying type, and I certainly am, I hope you’ll spare a prayer for the six souls that we lost, for the seventh soul who will be coming home tonight, and for all of their families,’ Vance said on Monday.

The Department of War identified the soldier as Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky.

He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, which he sustained during an attack on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Pictured: Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington