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The United States expects Iran to restore oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-conflict levels and guarantee the safe passage of commercial vessels, US Vice President JD Vance declared, signalling Washington's focus on energy security.
Michigan has disclosed cyberattacks on nine of its water systems, joining Minnesota in reporting breaches of critical water infrastructure. US federal agencies confirm at least seven states were compromised, with no injuries or damage reported.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has stated the Strait of Hormuz will not revert to its pre-conflict configuration, emphasizing that Tehran and Oman are establishing a new maritime framework through bilateral talks.
Cybersecurity investigators suspect Tehran-backed hackers of launching coordinated attacks against roughly 30 American water systems over two days in late July, marking an escalation in state-sponsored digital warfare targeting critical infrastructure.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has escalated restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting vessels and declaring that no oil, gas, or fertiliser shipments may transit without explicit Iranian approval, heightening regional tensions.
US Democratic senators, led by Kirsten Gillibrand, are demanding the Trump administration release results from a military probe into a February 28 attack on an Iranian girls' school within seven days.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed grave concern over escalating military confrontations in the Persian Gulf, warning of catastrophic regional and global consequences and urging Iran and the United States to resume diplomatic negotiations immediately.
High-ranking delegations from across Asia, the Middle East and beyond gathered in Tehran on Friday to pay respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a major tribute ceremony.