Iranian authorities in a subtle shift of maritime policy permitted about 30 commercial vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz overnight, a sign the month-long blockade throttling global energy markets may be easing. Iranian state media reported that the vessels, including several Chinese-flagged tankers, were allowed to pass under strict “managed transit protocols.” It comes after high-level diplomatic talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the two leaders reportedly agreed on the need to keep the strategic waterway open. But the IRGC said vessels associated with “hostile states” are still prohibited from passing through, despite the gesture.
The maritime de-escalation is in sharp contrast to the increasingly kinetic conflict on Israel’s northern border. On Thursday, Hezbollah said it had carried out an elaborate drone strike against Israeli military targets near Rosh HaNikra. Hezbollah said the attack was in response to ongoing violations of the ceasefire, and several people, including one civilian in critical condition, were reportedly injured. Israeli forces responded swiftly, launching airstrikes on more than 65 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, striking command centers and missile infrastructure.
Both developments suggest a region caught between hesitant diplomacy and systemic violence. The IMF warns of the potential for a global “adverse” economic scenario if the Gulf remains disrupted while rising exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah threaten to unravel the fragile U.S.-brokered truce. The current ceasefire expires this Sunday and international mediators are racing against time to prevent localized border skirmishes from escalating into a wider regional conflagration.
