Dubai, UAE — US President Donald Trump has warned any country providing Iran with a “lifeline” could face “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences”, escalating pressure on Tehran amid the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said financial institutions, businesses, airports and government entities that support Iran would be targeted, but did not specify the measures Washington would impose or name any countries.
The warning came after Trump announced what he described as the “most crushing economic operation” ever imposed against a country, targeting Iran with economic warfare and isolation.
Iran dismisses US pressure campaign
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that Trump’s so-called “Economic D-Day” was designed to divert attention from economic problems inside the United States.
Araqchi warned that further pressure on Iran would fail, as the two sides remained locked in a standoff over efforts to end the war.
Hormuz traffic remains low
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was unchanged on Wednesday, with commodity vessel transits remaining at nine, according to Kpler data.
Traffic has remained sharply reduced amid conflicting claims over the waterway. Trump said on Tuesday that no talks were taking place and that the strait was open, while Iran said it remained shut.
Israel warns Turkey over Syria
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria” and said Israel would not allow any entity to threaten its security.
Turkey rejected what it called Israel’s “untenable allegations” about its military position in Syria. Israel had bombed a Syrian air base near the Turkish border after warning that Syria was close to allowing Turkish troops to deploy there.
Israel probes Hind Rajab killing
Israel’s military acknowledged that its troops opened fire on a car carrying five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and her family in Gaza in 2024 and said it had opened a criminal investigation.
France 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky said the investigation came extremely late, but described the referral as an admission that “something here went deeply wrong”.
Rights groups have said Israeli military investigations rarely result in convictions.
UK protests West Bank settlement plan
Britain summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires and demanded that Israel halt a major West Bank settlement project involving more than 1,200 homes.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called the E1 plan “an unacceptable and destructive act”, saying it would threaten the viability of a two-state solution.
The project would further separate occupied East Jerusalem from the West Bank.
Australia protests Gaza aid probe decision
Australia said it was “outraged” by Israel’s decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom and six colleagues in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia would summon Israel’s ambassador and had instructed its envoy to convey Canberra’s concerns directly.
Frankcom was among seven World Central Kitchen workers killed when their aid convoy was mistakenly hit by an Israeli air strike in April 2024.
