PARIS, April 30: The latest developments in the Middle East war:
- Oil at four-year high -
Oil prices soared to four-year highs with US benchmark Brent for June delivery, spiking more than seven percent to $126.41, while West Texas Intermediate was up 3.4 percent to $110.31.
- 42nd vessel redirected -
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Wednesday on X that it had reached a "significant milestone after successfully redirecting the 42nd commercial vessel attempting to violate the blockade".
It said there are "41 tankers with 69 million barrels of oil that the Iranian regime can't sell", estimating the value to more than $6 billion.
- US-Germany tensions -
President Donald Trump said the United States is considering reducing its troops in Germany over Chancellor Friedrich Merz's refusal to join Washington's war against Iran -- a force estimated between 35,000 and 50,000 troops.
The threats to slash US troop numbers echo Trump's longstanding criticisms of the NATO alliance, but Merz drew Trump's fresh ire earlier this week after saying Tehran is "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table.
- Putin-Trump talks -
War in the Middle East: latest developments
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his US counterpart not to resume attacks on Iran.
In a phone call between the two leaders, Putin said Trump's decision to extend the ceasefire was "the right one", Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, including from AFP.
But he said there would be "inevitable and extremely damaging consequences" for the region and wider world if military action restarted.
Trump called the conversation "very good" and said Russian help to end the US-Israeli war on Iran was contingent on Putin ending the war in Ukraine.
- US war cost $25 billion -
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked during a fiery exchange in Congress about the cost of 60 days of conflict, and replied that it was estimated at less than $25 billion so far.
But he hit back at concerns that the United States has used up "alarming" levels of critical munitions that could deplete reserves, accusing critics of "handing propaganda to our enemies".
- Long blockade -
Trump has told national security officials to prepare for a long blockade of Iran's ports in order to compel Tehran to give up its nuclear programme, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump, according to the report, does not believe that Iran is negotiating in good faith and hopes it can be forced to suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years and accept tight restrictions thereafter.
A White House official said Trump told oil executives the blockade could be extended for months more.
- 'No more Mr. Nice Guy' -
"Iran can't get their act together. They don't know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, alongside an illustration of himself holding an assault rifle, with the caption "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
- 'Inappropriate behaviour' -
Top Iranian football officials left World Cup co-hosts Canada before the start of the FIFA Congress because of "inappropriate behaviour" by immigration officials at Toronto airport, Iranian media said.
The federation's president and deputy secretary general returned to Turkey on the first flight, several outlets reported, without giving further details.
- Record profits -
French fossil fuel giant TotalEnergies said net profit rose 51 percent in the first quarter to $5.8 billion, boosted by higher oil prices linked to the war in the Middle East.
Growth in its oil and gas production in Brazil and Libya allowed the group to offset losses in the Gulf region, which is normally equivalent to 15 percent of its total oil and gas business, the company said in a statement, while also highlighting its "ability to capitalize on rising prices".
- Refinery restarts -
TotalEnergies also said it had restarted its Satorp refinery in Saudi Arabia in mid-April, after the facility, jointly owned with the kingdom's Aramco, had been shut down following damage sustained in airstrikes.
"Following the events of April 8, which affected three units at the Satorp site and led to its shutdown as a safety precaution, the undamaged units were able to be restarted, and the refinery has been operating at a capacity of 230,000 b/d (barrels per day) since April 14," the company said.
- Lebanon ceasefire -
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun urged Israel to fully implement a ceasefire before beginning direct talks, after Israeli strikes killed more than 20 people in the last two days.
Israel has been fighting Hezbollah since early March, sending troops into south Lebanon to battle the Iran-backed militant group, with the violence ongoing despite a shaky April 17 truce.
Military chief General Eyal Zamir vowed to strike targets of the Iran-backed group north of Lebanon's Litani River if threatened.
