Indian Embassy reports that a tanker with a Mozambique flag was attacked in Iranian waters.

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• Sources: Assailants board a chemical products tanker near Yemen in suspected hijacking.

  Sources from maritime security said that armed 'assailants' are believed to be in control of the chemical tanker Asana, which was seized by armed gangs on Friday off the southern coast of Yemen and in the Gulf of Aden. Ship tracking data revealed that the small tanker had not confirmed its flag and had named Bosaso, a port in Somalia, as its next destination. One of the maritime safety sources stated that based on initial assessments the incident seemed to be more related to Somali pirates than Yemen's Iran aligned Houthi militia. The British Navy agency UKMTO reported on Friday that an unauthorised person boarded a vessel while it was transiting east through the Gulf of Aden 65 nautical miles south of Yemen's Al Mukalla Port. Vanguard, a British maritime risk management company, said that details about the number of attackers, the circumstances surrounding the boarding and the condition of the vessel and its crew were still unclear. An official of the Greek maritime security company Diaplous confirmed that a South Korean warship was dispatched to the area. Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said that there was no armed security team on board the vessel when the incident took place. The attackers were believed to be members of a pirate group. Exon Energy of the Marshall Islands was listed as the vessel's operator in?shipping database, but it could not be contacted for comment. Sources told Reuters that Iran had asked Yemen's Houthis if the United States struck Iranian power infrastructure to be ready to shut down?the Red Sea Oil Route. This poses a new and potent threat to global energy supply. Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Renee Maltezou. Editing by William Maclean.

• Tanker switches Asia voyage via Suez amid Houthi warnings, owner says

  Torm, the owner of the Danish flagged oil products tanker Torm Innovation, announced on Friday that the vessel will be sailing to Asia via the Suez Canal with its cargo after Houthi threats against shipping in the southern Red Sea. Yemen's Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia?on?Monday. This could open a new front in the Iran War against the U.S. and expand the threat of global energy and trade outside the Gulf. The vessel will sail via the Suez Canal and around Cape Town to Asia, due to the current security situation on the southern Red Sea. The cautious approach we take to the safety of our crew is our top priority, according to a spokesperson for?Torm. Torm has suspended transits in the southern Red Sea region since January 2024. "Only after careful case-by-case analysis did we have a few ships transiting this summer", said the spokesperson. We will continue to closely monitor the situation as it evolves. According to shipping and trade data, the?Torm Innovation?loaded a cargo of approximately 500,000 barrels naphtha in the Saudi port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, with Japan as its final destination. On Friday, the vessel was sailing northwards through the Red Sea with the Suez Canal listed as its destination. If the Bab el-Mandeb 'gateway' in the southern Red Sea that leads to the Gulf of Aden is not available, it will add 30 more days to the journey for critical fuel shipments from Asia to Asia. Closed Bab el-Mandeb is a major alternative for Saudi Arabia to the Strait?Hormuz and could increase fears about shortages. The Red Sea hasn't?fully recovered from the Houthi attacks off Yemen's coastline that began in November 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza War. The attacks by the?group on merchant ships ended only with the Gaza ceasefire in October last year. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for at least one Saudi oil tanker that was attacked off the southern Saudi Port of Jizan near Yemen. Suez Canal Authority figures show that the 'earlier Houthi attacks' on Red Sea shipping has caused volumes to drop by more than half since 2023. Last year, they reached their lowest level in at least fifty years. Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Ahmad Ghaddar and Helen Popper; Editing by Elly Hardcastle and Helen Popper

• After Houthi attacks, the cost of war risk insurance for south Red Sea cruises has increased.

  Sources say that the insurance costs for shipping goods across the southern Red Sea have doubled since Thursday's attack by Yemen's Iran aligned Houthis on at least one tanker. The Houthis claimed that their forces had launched missiles and drone attacks on the Encelia and the Layla, two Saudi oil tankers. The Strait of Hormuz was essentially closed, which made the situation worse for "shipping" in the region. The strike was confirmed by maritime security sources off the coast of Jizan in southern Saudi Arabia, near Yemen's border. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, mentioned two attacks against Saudi oil tankers. The Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday, potentially opening up a new front in the U.S. war with Iran. Sources said that on Thursday, indicative "war risk premiums" for voyages in the southern Red Sea increased to more than 1% of a vessel's value from around 0.7%?on Monday and 0.3% the week prior to the Houthi announcement. Sources said that rates?for certain shipping companies and Saudi-linked vessels were as high as 3% on voyages departing from southern Saudi 'ports such as Jizan or Al Shuqaiq in the Red Sea, which would bring them closer to Yemeni territories, and transits through Bab el-Mandeb further south, leading into the Gulf of Aden. Even minor changes in war insurance can add up to hundreds of thousands of extra dollars for a 7-day trip. Sources said that rates for other Saudi Red Sea Ports, like Jeddah and Yanbu which are located further north along the coast, closer to the Suez Canal were quoted at around 0.1%, reflecting a lower level of risk for the time being. Sources said that two Chinese supertankers - which loaded Saudi oil in Yanbu earlier this week - sailed past the Bab el-Mandeb Wednesday. Uncertain was the amount of insurance paid. Houthi attacks on Yemen's coast started in November 2023. The group claims solidarity with Palestinians? during the Gaza War. Gaza's ceasefire only last October brought an end to the group's attacks against merchant ships. The successful passage of a China-owned oil tanker through Bab el-Mandeb suggests that "the blockade is likely to target vessels with Saudi and Western interests" as was the case in the 2023-25 Houthi 'Red Sea Anti-shipping Campaign", according to Hamish Kinnear. Principal?Middle East & North Africa Analyst at Verisk Maplecroft. The shipping industry is now facing increased risks due to two choke points in the trade, and several vessels have already been forced to change their routes as a result of Houthi threats. (Reporting and editing by Jonathan Saul with the Insurer, Michael Jones at the Insurer)

• Aramco offers additional crude oil cargoes to the Mediterranean amid Red Sea threat, sources claim

  Five trading sources have confirmed that Saudi Aramco is offering additional 'crude' cargoes to be loaded from Egypt's Mediterranean port Sidi Kerir. This comes as a result of?Houthi threats against?Saudi shipping, which raises risks for Red Sea exports southbound through the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Two sources confirmed that the cargoes are being sold on a spot-basis, and will be supplementing Aramco's long-term buyers. Aramco supplies a few customers in Europe and North America from Sidi Kerir. The additional volumes indicate that the company wants to be more flexible in its approach after the Houthis in Yemen vowed an attack on Saudi crude exports traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, at the southern 'end' of the Red Sea. Aramco has declined to comment. Saudi state media reported later that the vessel caught fire after the attack. Since the Iran 'war caused disruptions to Gulf exports through the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has increased its crude exports from its Red Sea Port of 'Yanbu.

• Saudi Flynas orders 25 more Airbus jets

  Saudi Arabian budget airline Flynas confirmed a?order on Wednesday for 25 more Airbus aircraft, joining a wave by other airlines in the kingdom who are expanding their fleets to support Saudi Arabia’s tourism and economic diversification objectives. Flynas has now committed to a total of 235 Airbus aircraft. This order highlights Saudi Arabia as one the fastest growing markets in the aviation industry. The airline 'confirmed' orders for a further?five Airbus A330 900 widebody jets, and 20 A321neos. Flynas has increased its A321neo A330neo order to 56 jets and their A330neo A330neo commitment from 20 to the latest deal. The agreement comes after a series major Saudi aircraft purchase, including Riyadh Air’s order for '34 widebody 'aircraft from Airbus or Boeing. Flynas operates a fleet consisting of 67 Airbus aircraft. This includes two A330-300s and 61 A320neos. (Reporting and writing by Shivansh Tiwary. Editing by David Goodman, Matt Scuffham and Maria Rugamer)

• Trump: US will target Iranian power plant, bridge for each ship that targets Hormuz

  Donald Trump reiterated his threat to attack 'Iranian Infrastructure' on Wednesday. He said that the U.S. will attack a bridge, or power plant every time Tehran targets a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump wrote on Truth Social that "every time the Islamic Republic of Iran fires a missile, rocket, drone, or other weapon at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz the United States will destroy one bridge or power plant, even if it is located in or near the capital city of Tehran." U.S.-Iran attacks have intensified as an interim ceasefire signed last month unraveled?and the struggle for control of 'Strait of Hormuz' has deepened. This raises the risk of returning to a resumption of hostilities. Under Experts in international law and world leaders have condemned Trump's threats against?Iranian power plants and bridges?as being illegal under a?international law which prohibits attacks on civil targets. Reporting by Susan Heavey, Bhargavacharya and Doina Ciacu.

• Data shows that more ships are changing course in the Red Sea following Houthi threats

  Ship-tracking data showed that four tankers changed their course in the Red Sea Wednesday. Two of them indicated the Suez Canal, after Yemen's Houthi militia warned ships to avoid sailing into Saudi Arabian ports. The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, declared a naval blocade on Saudi Arabia Monday. This opened a new front in the war between the United States and Iran. It also raised the risk of global energy and trade outside the Gulf. The threat of Houthi hostile action against Saudi Arabia has started to have a general effect on the tanker industry, according to a ship broker's note. There are reports that several tankers have shifted their course to the Suez Canal after loading in Saudi Arabia's Yanbu Port in the Red Sea. Others are waiting for further instructions. RISK OF ATTACKS IS RISKIER In an advisory published by Aspides, the European Union naval force, ships with ties to Israel, Saudi Arabia, or the United States are more likely to be attacked by the Houthis. They are therefore advised to avoid travel through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, until the threat levels decrease. The advisory stated that any vessel that has recently visited,?loaded or discharged cargo in Saudi ports should reduce its electronic footprint. This includes reducing AIS (ship tracking) transmissions as well as limiting publicly accessible digital data that could facilitate targeting. According to LSEG, MarineTraffic, and Vanguard's analysis of ship tracking data, the four tankers shifted direction. Two of them signaled their destination as open water in the Red Sea. Shipping data revealed that a fifth vessel, a vehicle transporter named Liu Jiang Kou, appeared to have turned back in the Gulf of Aden Wednesday after it had indicated the Saudi Red Sea Port of Jeddah for its next destination. The manager of the vessel, China's COSCO Shipping Group, did not immediately respond to a comment request. On Tuesday, three oil tankers carrying Saudi crude for China and India turned around in the Red Sea to head towards the Suez Canal instead of the Yemeni coastline. Three oil tankers, including the Xin Long Yang managed by COSCO, made a U-turn in the Red Sea on Tuesday. They headed towards Suez Canal instead of facing Yemeni coast. Alternative to the Strait of Hormuz Saudi Arabia would lose a vital alternative to the Strait of Hormuz if the southern Red Sea gateway were closed. This could also increase fears of shortages. In a separate statement, Braemar, a ship broker in Saudi Arabia said that the Houthi embargo raised "serious" questions about the viability eastbound routes out of Yanbu port. Yanbu is the outlet for the east-west pipeline. Ship-tracking data revealed that a number of tanks were still visible Wednesday near Yanbu's Anchorage. Since the Houthi's began their attacks on Yemen's coast in November 2023, the Red Sea hasn't fully recovered. The group claimed that they were doing this in solidarity with Palestinians fighting in Gaza. Gaza's ceasefire in October last year was the only thing that brought an end to the group's attacks against merchant ships. The Houthis warned shipping companies to avoid loading or discharging cargo at Saudi Arabian ports, or else they could be targeted. Sources in maritime security said that they have received audio recordings of Houthi warnings sent to ships on the Red Sea. One shipping source, who received updates from a ship on the Red Sea, said: "They warn all ships intending to proceed into Saudi ports that they are open targets." (Reporting and editing by Jonathan Saul and Renee Maltezou. Reporting by Yannis Souliotis, Ahmad Ghaddar, and Renee Maltezou.

• Shipping data shows that more ships are changing course in the Red Sea following Houthi threats

  Ship tracking data revealed that four tankers changed their navigational course on Wednesday in the Red Sea, with two of them indicating the Suez Canal as their new destination. Yemen's Houthi milita warned ships not to sail to Saudi Arabian port after warnings from the Houthi militia. According to LSEG and MarineTraffic'ship tracking data and analyses from British maritime -risk management group Vanguard, the?vessels changed their direction. The?other two indicated their destination as a?open?waters?in the Red Sea. According to shipping data, it appears that a fifth ship, a vehicle-carrier, turned back in the Gulf of Aden Wednesday after signaling the Saudi port of Jeddah for its next destination. Following the warning by the Iran-aligned Houthis, three oil tankers carrying 'Saudi crude' for China and India turned around in the Red Sea on Tuesday. They headed towards the Suez Canal instead of tackling the Yemeni coast at the mouth of the sea. (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier; Reporting by Jonathan Saul)

• Malaysian tycoon Syed Mokhtar is urged to revoke the appointment of a port chairman who has been linked to Epstein

  Civil society groups are calling on Malaysian billionaire Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, to revoke Sultan 'Ahmed Bin Sulayem's appointment as executive chairman of logistics company MMC Port Holdings because of his alleged ties with the late?Jeffrey Epstein. Exclusively last week, it was reported that Emirati bin Sulayem would take over Malaysia's biggest port operator. This comes five months after he resigned from Dubai's DP World, amid scrutiny of his emails with financier Epstein. Epstein died in 2019 and had been convicted as a sex-offender. MMC Port operates seven ports on the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. It is part of MMC Corporation. Syed Mohktar owns a controlling interest. Syed Mokhtar, the company and its shareholders have not commented publicly on the report. A joint statement from 31 organizations dated July 20, called for Syed Mokhtar to revoke Bin Sulayem’s appointment. The report cited financial and geopolitical risks. It noted that large financial institutions such as the UK Development Finance Agency and Canada's second largest pension fund had stopped new investments in DP World due to Bin Sulayem’s alleged connections with Epstein. It is fair to say Mr bin Sulayem's?notoriety has been boosted by the Epstein documents. "If he wasn't deemed indispensable by DP World, then there's hardly a reason?why he would be indispensable to MMC Ports," the report said. MMC 'Corp did not respond to requests for comments. Bin Sulayem, who hasn't publicly commented on Epstein's email exchanges, couldn't be reached for comment. Many users questioned his suitability after his appointment as MMC 'Port. Malaysia's Transport Minister said last week in response that the government could not?interfere with the management of private firms. It stated that it could only regulate the ownership structures of companies that operate concessions and national strategic assets. Reporting by Rozanna latiff in Kuala Lumpur, and Yantoultra ngui in Singapore. Editing by David Stanway.

• Trump announces that US airlines will be able to fly to Lebanon again for the first time since 1985

  After meeting with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun on 'Tuesday', Donald Trump announced that the U.S. government would allow all domestic airlines to fly direct to Lebanon. In 1985, all U.S. flight were suspended after the hijacking TWA Flight 847, which was flying from Athens to Rome. The plane was forced to land in Beirut. A U.S. Navy Diver?died during the 17-day ordeal. U.S. officials must conduct an extensive security review at the Beirut Airport and certify it's safety before flights to Lebanon can resume. The U.S. airlines' willingness to resume flights was not clear. U.S. major airlines American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines have all halted their flights to Tel Aviv citing security reasons. The FAA stated that it was "looking forward to working with airline partners and our interagency partner to implement President's Directive and support the safe return of flights to Lebanon." U.S. State Department has issued a "Do Not Travel to Lebanon" advisory, citing the high tensions in Middle East. The?government in February ordered non-emergency U.S. employees and their families to leave Lebanon due to safety concerns. Trump ordered that the U.S. Transportation Department lifted a ban on passenger air service to Venezuela in January after the U.S. After the U.S. captured Venezuela's President,?Nicolas Maduro in a military action that month, passenger air service was resumed to Venezuela in early January. After seven years of service, American Airlines resumed its flight from Miami to Caracas in late April. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson, Christian Martinez and Mark Porter.

• Airlines protest 'double whammy" of proposed EU carbon tax on certain international flights

  Emirates' president said that a European proposal to impose carbon charges on some international flights would hit carriers?twice. He was speaking as more airlines gathered behind a global deal to halt pollution. The European Commission released proposals on Friday for the implementation of costs for emissions on international flights that depart Europe, measured at a certain point in central Europe and land in countries as far away as 5,000 km (3100 miles). If approved, the proposal will 'exclude direct flights from the U.S. to the Middle East and North Africa, but some flights from the Middle East to Turkey, for example, would be affected. This would begin in 2029. The United States and the airlines' trade association IATA have denounced the proposal, while UN's Aviation?agency has warned that it will undermine the global CORSIA agreement which requires most airlines to offset their rising emissions on international flights. "This is double-whammy, because we already have CORSIA in place," Tim Clark, Emirates President told reporters on Tuesday at the Farnborough Air Show. The aviation community supports it and sees this as the best way to address the issue. Emirates, based in Dubai, has already bought credits to support rainforests in Guyana as part of the global deal brokered by the International Civil Aviation Organization?in 2016. Airlines for America, the trade group that represents U.S. airlines, stated on Monday, in a?statement, that it did not support "a fragmented approach" to taxing emissions from international aviation. A4A said that "expanding the scope of international flights outside the European region" violates international agreements. A spokesperson for the European Commission declined to comment citing a Belgian public holiday. (Reporting by Allison Lampert and Joanna Plucinska from Montreal, Additional reporting by Makini Brrice in Paris. Editing by William Maclean.

• Saudi Arabia condemns Houthi threat of blockade; group warns escalation

  Saudi Arabia condemned Monday what it called allegations made by Yemen's Iran aligned?Houthis, that the kingdom is besieging Yemeni citizens. This was after the group announced?it would impose?a??maritime?blockade?on Saudi Arabia. The Houthis announced on Monday that they would impose an naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. This could open a new front in the war between the United States and Iran, and raise the threat of global energy and trade beyond the Gulf. The Houthis' military forces declared in their statement that they would declare "a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy based on the formula of "an eye for an ear",?effective immediately", as a response to the "unjust and oppressive siege" the Saudis imposed on the?Yemen. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has condemned the Houthi military spokeswoman for her claims that the Kingdom is imposing a blockade on Yemen and besieging it. The ministry announced that it would take "all measures necessary" to protect Saudi's ships. Yemen has been engulfed in civil war since more than 10 years ago when the Houthis took?the capital Sanaa. This prompted a Saudi-led intervention in 2015 to?support the internationally recognised government. Since then, the conflict has evolved into one the world's worst humanitarian crises. The country is now divided between a Saudi-backed administration in Aden and the Houthi government in Sanaa. Shipping data shows that cargo ships and other vessels have been regularly arriving at the port of Houthi controlled Hodeidah in recent weeks to deliver food fuel and other items. Menna Alaa, Ahmed Tolba, and Enas Asalashray report; Lincoln Feast edits.