13 Indians rescued from ship off Oman

India's Ministry of External Affairs said that 13 out of 14 Indian crew members onboard a commercial vessel that was attacked off Oman today were rescued,

"Search and Rescue operations for the missing Indian national are continuing," it added. The Indian Embassy in Oman, it stressed, is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with the Omani authorities in the ongoing search and sescue operation

The authority condemned the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia, calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and pursuance of dialogue and diplomacy to bring peace to the region.

"The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers, civilians, and civilian infrastructure in the region is unacceptable. We also urge that free and safe navigation and flow of commerce through the international waterways in the region be restored at the earliest."

When will the war end?

US President Donald Trump reiterated that he expected the Iran war to end this year, possibly just after midterm elections due in the United States in November, resulting in a drop in oil prices.

"I will tell you this: Iran wants to make a deal so bad. They are calling constantly. They want to make a deal. They've got to make the right deal. I'm not going to make a deal that's no good," he told reporters at the Irish Open golf championship.

The US midterm elections will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Pezeshkian says meeting with Sheikh Khaled was good

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that he had held good talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi on the sidelines of the Brics leaders' summit.

"We agreed to put the past aside and look forward to the future, and how we can build a future together," Pezeshkian said.

A video of the meeting was shared by WAM. Take a look:

فيديو ..

ولي عهد أبوظبي يلتقي الرئيس الإيراني على هامش قمة "بريكس" في نيودلهي، ويبحثان دعم جهود التهدئة وخفض التصعيد وتعزيز فرص السلام والتنمية في المنطقة

#وام https://t.co/p043cLGuOO pic.twitter.com/HK7qQKyK8k
— وكالة أنباء الإمارات (@wamnews) September 12, 2026

Pakistan implements petrol relief scheme

Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has launched a special relief scheme, "taking immediate notice of the recent tensions in the Middle East and the resulting surge in global oil prices, which is placing an increased burden on the publi, according to a statment by the Prime Minister's Office.

As per the programme,

A relief of 100 rupees per litre on petrol will be provided to users of motorcycles, rickshaws, Chingchis, and vehicles up to 800 CC.
A relief of 100 rupees per litre will be provided on 20 litres of petrol per month for two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles, including motorcycles, rickshaws, and Chingchis.
A relief of 100 rupees per litre will be provided on 30 litres of petrol per month for small vehicles; vehicles up to 800 CC

"Its implementation within the limits of Islamabad will take effect on the night between Monday and Tuesday, while across Pakistan, including Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, it will take effect on the night between Wednesday and Thursday".

Registration for this special relief scheme has been launched, and its procedure will be communicated to the public through an awareness campaign, the statement said.

Supporters of the Pakistan's Markazi Muslim League (PMML) party shout slogans during a protest against rising fuel prices triggered by the Middle East war, in Karachi on May 17, 2026

Sharif condemns 'reckless' Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Sharif stresses Pakistan's solidarity with Saudi Arabia

Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The two leaders discussed the latest developments in the region and efforts to de-escalate tensions.

During the call, Sharif reiterated his condemnation of recent Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, stressing Pakistan's solidarity with Riyadh.

Israeli strike kills two people in Gaza, medics say

Meanwhile, on another separate front in the Middle East, an Israeli airstrike on Sunday killed at least two Palestinians in a vehicle and wounded 13 others in the Gaza Strip, medical staff said, according to Reuters.

The strike in the Tel Al-Hawa neighbourhood in western Gaza City, left the vehicle mangled, according to footage circulated on social media. Local medical staff told Reuters that they urged people to provide information that could help identify the two people who were killed and whose bodies were dismembered by the explosion.

The Israeli military said the strike targeted two Hamas militants, without giving further information.

Crew of vessel attack in Hormuz being evacuated

The UKMTO said that local authorities are evacuating the crew of a vessel that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz earlier, according to Reuters.

UAE top diplomat on UAE, Iran leaders meeting

UAE top diplomat Anwar Gargash said that Sheikh Khaled's meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit "embodies the UAE’s approach grounded in the dual pillars of deterrence and diplomacy, as neither can stand without the other."

"Deterrence bolsters the credibility of diplomacy, while diplomacy succeeds when it emanates from a position of parity and capability, ultimately forming the optimal path toward achieving stable and sustainable regional security."

He said that it is " worth noting that President Pezeshkian expressed, during the protracted crisis, positions and statements characterised by balance and rationality — stances that cannot be ignored at this delicate juncture."

Iraq to reopen Iran crossings after drone attack from shared border

Iraqi authorities announced on Sunday a timeline to reopen three crossings with Iran, a day after closing them following a drone attack originating from their shared border on a Saudi pipeline, reported AFP.

After the Friday night attack on the East-West pipeline, Baghdad sacked the military commander in Missan province near the Iran border, after authorities determined the drones were launched from there.

The government then closed three crossings, citing the need to reorganise operations and boost intelligence efforts to stop violations.

Two Iraqi security sources told AFP on Saturday that drone launchers were found near the al-Shib border crossing in Missan.

The government's security media cell said Sunday that "after reviewing operations at the border crossings," they would gradually reopen for passengers and trade on a timeline from Sunday until Thursday.

The crossings are Shalamsheh in Basra, al-Shib in Missan, and al-Mandali in Diyala.

Shalamsheh and al-Shib reopened to passengers on Sunday but not to trade, the government media cell said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and an alliance of Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions said they hadn't struck the pipeline, though Riyadh had previously accused Iraqi groups of targeting its oil infrastructure.

Iran authorities say one dead after ship struck in Strait of Hormuz

A ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, killing one person and injuring three, local Iranian authorities said, as Tehran and Washington clash over the strategic waterway, as per AFP.

"A merchant vessel was struck around 5:00 am (0130 GMT) this morning off the coasts of Hengam and Qeshm islands. One person was killed and three others were injured," Qeshm city governor Amir Teymouri said, according to state TV, without specifying the origin of the strike.

Several explosions were reported overnight around Qeshm, the largest island in the Hormuz strait.

The deadly incident comes a day before a meeting between Iran and Gulf states in Oman, which also borders the strait, over the blockaded route crucial for global oil and gas trade.

Oil supplies under threat

The latest attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz brought fresh concerns about Iran-related threats to energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline.

The British navy-affiliated agency ‌UKMTO said it had a report of a projectile hitting a vessel as it moved through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. The amount of da...

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