LIVE || Highest tension: between Trump's ultimatum and cross-border attacks in the Middle East
The most likely scenario involves an increase in attacks and a possible direct intervention to secure Hormuz, which would widen the conflict regionally and further trigger the global impact on energy, transportation and economic stability.
Israeli personnel work at the site where a residential building was destroyed by an Iranian attack.
The weekend has cemented a critical escalation in the war between Iran, Israel and the United States, with direct attacks on urban areas. Israel has intensified its bombing of Tehran, while Iran has responded with missiles that have caused civilian casualties in northern Israel. In parallel, the strategic focus has shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, already the focal point of global pressure in the conflict.
The United States has decisively raised the tone: Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran to reopen Hormuz in a matter of days, threatening massive attacks on key infrastructure if it does not do so, and even stating that the U.S. could "open" the strait by force and control the flow of oil. The standoff has put energy control at the center of the war, with maritime traffic virtually paralyzed and markets on edge.
Looking ahead to this week, the main risk is an even greater escalation if the U.S. ultimatum expires without agreement. The most likely scenario is an increase in attacks and a possible direct intervention to secure Hormuz, which would widen the conflict regionally and further trigger the global impact on energy, transportation and economic stability.
Times are Eastern Standard Time.
Iran executes man convicted of ties to U.S., Israel
Iran executed a man, Ali Fahim, convicted of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States during January's wave of anti-government protests, the judiciary said. But he is far from the only death linked to the regime.
Human Rights Activists News Agency has counted more than 7,000 dead
"Mohamad-Amin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast were hanged after the case was reviewed and the final verdict confirmed by the Supreme Court," said Mizan, the judiciary's information agency.
The two men were involved in this year's anti-government protests, which reached their peak in January.
Since the war unleashed by Israel and the U.S. attack on Iran began on March 28, executions of people linked to the protests or opposition groups have been carried out in the country, specifically members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which the regime labels a "terrorist" organization.
On Saturday, Iran also executed two MEK members, after four other convicted members of the group were hanged earlier in the week.
And on Thursday, authorities executed an 18-year-old convicted of working for Israel and the United States during the protests, following three other executions on the same grounds in March.
The regime has acknowledged more than 3,000 dead in the protests while the U.S.-based NGO Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has counted more than 7,000 dead.
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Middle East war sends prices soaring and leaves gas outages in Tehran
The war in the Middle East continues to leave palpable effects on the global economy, especially in energy and transportation. In Southeast Asia, AirAsia X, the region's leading low-cost airline based in Malaysia, announced a price increase and the reduction of routes to compensate for the pressure the conflict puts on air transport. Despite these adjustments, the company says demand for flights remains high, reflecting the market's resilience in the face of international uncertainty.
In South Asia, the war directly impacts domestic energy prices. Sri Lanka has raised the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 23%, attributing the move to the global fuel price hike triggered by the crisis in the Middle East. The effect is being felt in millions of homes, where the rise makes cooking and heating more expensive, intensifying pressure on local consumers.
Meanwhile, in the region directly affected by the conflict, Tehran faces gas outages. An attack on a university damaged a nearby energy facility, leaving parts of the Iranian capital without service, state-run IRIB television reported. The episode underscores the vulnerability of local infrastructure and anticipates possible more serious disruptions if the escalation continues.
Japanese oil tanker crosses the Strait of Hormuz
Iran threatens "far more devastating" retaliation
Iran's central military command threatened "much more devastating" retaliation if its adversaries attack civilian targets on its territory.
"If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next phases of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and extensive," a spokesman for the central command said in a statement released on Telegram by the state-run IRIB network.
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Emirates, Kuwait respond to missile, drone strikes
The air defense systems of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait responded to missile and drone attacks, the respective defense ministries reported.
Both U.S.-allied Gulf countries have been frequent targets of Iranian attacks since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28.
Oil trades higher on Monday
Both major oil benchmarks were trading higher on Monday at the start of the market day, amid pressure on global supply from the war in the Middle East.
The U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) barrel was up 0.35% at $111.93.
North Sea Brent, the global market benchmark, was up 1.57% at $110.74 a barrel.
Everything that's happened in the war so far, here:
In the last few hours, Washington confirmed the rescue of the two crew members of an F-15 fighter shot down by Iran, in a high-risk operation that evidences the intensity of the direct fighting between the two countries.
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