Iran-US War Live News Updates: CENTCOM says US controls Hormuz, blocked $25 billion in Iran oil exports
Trump said Friday that losses among Iran’s leadership have left him with nobody to talk to and predicted the war would end “very, very soon.”
· The Indian Express · JoinUS-Iran War Live News Updates: Tensions across the Middle East stayed high on Friday, with fresh attacks and warnings reported in the Gulf, Yemen and the occupied West Bank. Several governments and armed forces issued statements, and the situation continues to evolve.
The Saudi-led coalition said it stopped a mix of weapons: a ballistic missile, two cruise missiles and three drones, fired at Saudi targets from Yemen. Separate reports described a projectile hitting a tanker near Hormuz and a fire on another ship in the Sea of Oman.
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Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy says a supertanker hit a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz and caught fire. The ship was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil, according to a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency.
Key world developments:
- The Saudi-led coalition says it stopped a missile aimed at Yanbu, plus two cruise missiles and three drones.
- Iran’s acting oil minister Hamid Bovard says Iran will respond “at the right time” to threats against its energy sites.
- Iran’s navy says a tanker caught fire in the Sea of Oman after it switched off its tracking systems.
- An Indian oil tanker with 15 crew was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump waives sanctions, tariffs on purchase of Russian oil and gas.
Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.
Live Updates
Oct 17, 2026 12:02 PM IST
IMF to 'firmly' support Iraq, more work needed on Lebanon program, Georgieva says
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Saturday that the IMF intends to support Iraq "very firmly" with a requested loan program, while there were "intense" discussions on support for Lebanon reflecting significant progress towards a loan program.
"We will get to Iraq both money and policy support. In the case of Lebanon, we are in very intense discussions with the Lebanese authorities," Georgieva told a closing news conference at IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok.
Oct 17, 2026 11:36 AM IST
Iran’s Araghchi arrives in Baghdad for OIC meeting
Iran’s foreign minister has arrived in Baghdad to attend the 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC, which Iraq is hosting for the first time in 45 years.
The Araghchi-led political delegation will hold meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the summit, where the Iranian foreign minister is expected to address attendees, according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim News Agency.
Oct 17, 2026 11:34 AM IST
Missiles hit Aden airport as Saudi-led coalition intercepts missile headed for Yanbu
Missiles struck Yemen's Aden International Airport on Friday, while a Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted a ballistic missile headed for the Red Sea city of Yanbu, a key Saudi oil hub that allows exports to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
The coalition said it had also destroyed two cruise missiles over the Red Sea and three drones in Saudi Arabia's Southern and Riyadh regions. It did not identify the attackers.
Oct 17, 2026 10:48 AM IST
Magnitude 6 earthquake strikes Pakistan region, says EMSC
An earthquake of magnitude 6 has struck the Pakistan region, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
Oct 17, 2026 10:40 AM IST
Vitol star oil trader to leave after Iran war bet losses
Star oil trader Yau Yau Lu is set to leave commodities giant Vitol by the end of the year after his team suffered several hundred million dollars in losses on a bet made at the start of the Iran war, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.
Lu and his team took losses after betting the wrong way on diesel and crude prices, though some were quickly recovered, the report said.
One person familiar with the matter told the Journal that Lu was leaving Vitol for family reasons.
The report said several Vitol rivals, including Trafigura and the trading arms of BP and TotalEnergies, have profited from disruptions caused by the Iran war.
Oct 17, 2026 09:02 AM IST
Trump waives sanctions, tariffs on purchase of Russian oil and gas
US President Donald Trump has issued a waiver from sanctions, restrictions and duties under the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, citing national interest.
In an executive order on Friday night, Trump said that it is in the US "national interests" to withhold some of the sanctions.
"I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act," Trump said.
Oct 17, 2026 08:52 AM IST
7-day stint, 1 briefing, no bar licenses: How Katie Zacharia’s White House career crumbled in a week
Katie Zacharia is leaving her post as White House press secretary just a week after being appointed to the role. A source told Fox News Digital that she was leaving, while a senior White House official said she was “transitioning out”. President Donald Trump told reporters on the South Lawn on Friday that he had advised her to reconsider taking the job. Read more
Oct 17, 2026 08:19 AM IST
Canada condemns Houthi attack on Aden’s Maashiq Palace
Canada has condemned the Houthi strikes on Maashiq Palace in Yemen’s southern city of Aden, saying the attacks have killed five people and wounded others.
“We offer our condolences to the victims’ families and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” the Canadian embassy in Saudi Arabia said in a post on X.
Oct 17, 2026 08:15 AM IST
Iranian state media shares footage of alleged tanker explosion in Hormuz
Iranian state broadcaster Press TV has shared footage it attributes to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), purportedly showing a supertanker exploding after striking a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to earlier reports by Iranian state media, the IRGC claimed that the oil supertanker caught fire while attempting to cross the strait via an “unauthorised” route. The IRGC alleged the vessel had switched off its tracking systems.
Oct 17, 2026 07:51 AM IST
Indian oil tanker carrying 15 seafarers struck by projectile in Hormuz
An oil tanker carrying 15 Indian seafarers was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on October 16, India's shipping minister said.
The vessel, MT St 3, was carrying crude oil when it was hit, according to the minister.
Oct 17, 2026 07:43 AM IST
IRGC says oil supertanker hit mine in Strait of Hormuz, catches fire
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that an oil tanker had exploded and caught fire after hitting a naval mine while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported.
The report said the tanker was carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil and was attempting to illegally transit the strategic waterway through a route unauthorised by Iran.
Oct 17, 2026 07:30 AM IST
Trump waives sanctions, tariffs on purchase of Russian oil and gas
US President Donald Trump has issued a waiver from sanctions, restrictions and duties under the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, citing national interest.
"I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act," Trump said in an executive order issued on Friday evening.
Trump said he had submitted to Congress a certification that issuing such a waiver at this time is in the national interest of the United States.
Oct 17, 2026 06:59 AM IST
Norwegian teen sentenced to 20 years in prison for plotting murder in UK for Iran-linked gang
Norwegian teenager convicted of travelling to Britain to carry out a contract killing on behalf of an international crime gang linked to Iran was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, was found guilty in July of conspiracy to murder for agreeing to shoot an unknown target for 25,000 euros (21,500 pounds or USD 28,000) last year.
He was arrested at a hotel in Huddersfield in northern England with two guns and ammunition two days after arriving in the UK Natland admitted to possessing the firearms and ammunition, but said that he didn't want to go through with the plan.
Natland, who was working part time at a pizza restaurant at the time of his arrest, was recruited by a Swedish organised crime group known as the Foxtrot Network while he was playing a game online. The group has links to the Iranian government, according to counterterrorism officers from London's Metropolitan Police.
Oct 17, 2026 06:58 AM IST
UK expands non-essential travel warning to all of Saudi Arabia
Britain’s Foreign Office has widened its advice against all but essential travel to cover the whole of Saudi Arabia, extending a warning that previously applied to specified regions and cities.
The guidance, updated on Friday, maintained the stricter warning against all travel within 10 kilometres (six miles) of the Yemen border.
The ministry warned of heightened threats to airports, military facilities, ports and energy infrastructure, saying further airport attacks, disruption and cancellations were “very likely”.
Oct 17, 2026 06:43 AM IST
Saudi Civil Defence lifts early warning alerts for Abha and Khamis Mushait
Saudi Civil Defence has lifted the early warning alerts it had issued for Abha city and the Khamis Mushait governorate in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
Oct 17, 2026 06:09 AM IST
Missiles hit Aden airport as Saudi-led coalition intercepts missile headed for Yanbu
Missiles struck Yemen's Aden International Airport on Friday, while a Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted a ballistic missile headed for the Red Sea city of Yanbu, a key Saudi oil hub that allows exports to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
The coalition said it had also destroyed two cruise missiles over the Red Sea and three drones in Saudi Arabia's Southern and Riyadh regions. It did not identify the attackers.
In Aden in southern Yemen, two missiles landed on the airport grounds, the Aden Security Department said, blaming the Iran-aligned Houthi group. It said the incident was the second attack on the facility in less than a week. The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility.
Oct 17, 2026 06:03 AM IST
Trump says US blockade stopping all Iranian ships in Hormuz
US President Donald Trump says the US Navy is carrying out an effective blockade of Iran and that no Iranian ship has been able to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Oct 17, 2026 05:27 AM IST
Trump mocks popularity of the name Mohammad, common among Muslims
US President Donald Trump made a joke about the popularity of the name Mohammad in the Muslim world as he mocked Iran's presidency during a campaign speech on Friday.
"You know, if you're in doubt about somebody's name from the Middle East, just say 'Mohammad,'" Trump told a crowd in Dalton, Georgia. "You have about a 65% chance. 'Hello, Mohammad.' I've done it for years now. I've never been wrong."
Mohammad is one of the most common male names among Muslims, who often name their sons after the Prophet Mohammad, the founder of Islam.
Oct 17, 2026 05:11 AM IST
Saudi Civil Defence issues alerts for Abha and Khamis Mushait
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence says it has issued warnings through the National Early Warning Platform for Abha city and Khamis Mushait governorate.
In separate posts on X, the agency warned of a potential danger and urged residents to follow safety instructions.
Oct 17, 2026 05:09 AM IST
Yemeni army says it captured Houthi drone operating team in Taiz
Yemen’s government forces say they have captured a Houthi team specialising in operating and controlling drones in the southwestern governorate of Taiz.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the army’s 35th Armoured Brigade said its troops detained the team on the al-Aqrud–Kahlan front, southeast of Taiz.
The announcement comes amid escalating fighting in Taiz this month, with worsening humanitarian conditions and thousands displaced by clashes and restrictions on supply routes.
Oct 17, 2026 05:09 AM IST
Iran denies Saudi Arabia's accusation of involvement in Houthi attacks
Iran's foreign ministry on Friday denied a Saudi claim that Tehran had a role in Houthi attacks on the kingdom. It also offered to act as a go-between for the Houthis and Riyadh.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran "rejects any claim" that it played a part in Houthi operations, and that it is ready to use its good offices to help end the fighting if both sides ask.
Tehran has often said it does not direct the Houthis, who are part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance" with Hezbollah and armed groups in Iraq, and who act in their own interests.
In recent weeks, the Houthis have hit Saudi targets, including ships in the Red Sea, oil sites and Riyadh's international airport, where 13 people died in one attack last week.
Oct 17, 2026 05:07 AM IST
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