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US, Israel war on Iran
US-Iran ceasefire tested near Qatar as Trump awaits ceasefire response
Washington has been awaiting Tehran’s response to a new proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait to shipping and roll back Iran’s nuclear programme.
27 minutes ago
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US, Israel war on Iran
US-Iran war no closer to ending as Gulf clashes flare
9 May 2026 - 8:56PM
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South Korea
South Korea draws Gulf oil storage interest as Hormuz stays closed
9 May 2026 - 1:14PM
US, Israel war on Iran
New Israel-Lebanon talks to try to curb Hezbollah influence in region: Rubio
Marco Rubio says Washington is also awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region.
9 May 2026 - 4:56AM
First responders arrive at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Habbouch on Thursday. Photo: AFP
China energy security
China’s shipping firms brace for a new ‘era of chaos’ as Iran war drags on
Chinese shipping giants are signing long contracts and rejigging their networks, as they hedge against prolonged disruptions to global trade routes.
8 May 2026 - 9:30PM
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US, Israel war on Iran
US and Iran exchange attacks around Strait of Hormuz, testing ceasefire
New hostilities broke out as Iran reviews a US proposal to end war in the Middle East.
8 May 2026 - 11:24AM
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US, Israel war on Iran
US-Iran peace optimism fuels Asian stock market gains
Asian markets surge on hopes for an end to US-Iran conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, even with many risks still hanging over markets.
7 May 2026 - 5:00PM
A pro-government billboard in Tehran, Iran, depicts the closed Strait of Hormuz. Photo: AP
US, Israel war on Iran
US strikes Iranian tanker amid reports Washington and Tehran near deal
Trump reiterated that Iran ‘cannot have a nuclear weapon’ as both sides combined military pressure with diplomatic efforts to end deadlock.
7 May 2026 - 4:29AM
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Middle East
Israel strikes Beirut for first time since Lebanon ceasefire
The first aerial attack on the capital since April kills a senior Hezbollah commander.
7 May 2026 - 10:47AM
South Korea
South Korea rebuffs Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ call after Hormuz ship fire
A UN mandate and a global coalition are required before Seoul joins Trump’s mission to reopen the strait, officials indicate.
6 May 2026 - 9:16AM
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China food security
How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence
China accounts for about a third of global fertiliser production, and 70 per cent of the raw materials for chemical pesticides.
5 May 2026 - 8:29AM
Illustration: Henry Wong
US, Israel war on Iran
US’ Bessent urges China to help open Strait of Hormuz
Treasury chief says Beijing’s energy buys fund ‘top sponsor of terrorism’, calls for action as US asserts ‘absolute control’ over waterway.
5 May 2026 - 10:33AM
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Diplomacy
Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads
From a possible Trump-Iran joint venture to Russia-China talks, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in April 2026.
4 May 2026 - 10:30PM
Middle East
Israeli raid in West Bank leaves 1 Palestinian dead, 4 wounded
Nayef Samaro, 26, was one of five hit by gunfire; the Israeli military says troops fired after ‘terrorists’ threw rocks.
4 May 2026 - 10:02AM
US, Israel war on Iran
Trump says US will ‘guide’ ships out of Hormuz, as vessels attacked
US to launch new mission dubbed ‘Project Freedom’ as Tehran signals interference would be seen as a ceasefire violation.
4 May 2026 - 1:17PM
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The USS Michael Murphy patrolling the Arabian Sea during a maritime blockade in April. Photo: US Navy via AFP
Israel-Gaza war
Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel face ‘extreme brutality’
Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted near Greece were brought to Israel for interrogation, and appeared in court on Sunday.
3 May 2026 - 4:34PM
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Middle East
‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
3 May 2026 - 10:30AM
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US, Israel war on Iran
Trump says he’s reviewing new Iran proposal to end war
The president also has floated a new plan to reopen the Hormuz, after the US warned shipping firms against paying Iran for safe passage.
3 May 2026 - 7:09AM
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A man stands in the water as ships line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz in April. Poto: ISNA via AP
US, Israel war on Iran
Iran will not accept ‘imposed’ peace, Trump not satisfied with negotiations
US lawmakers are pressuring the President to resolve the war, while Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is attempting to ease the war’s toll on Iran’s economy.
2 May 2026 - 9:00PM
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Saudi Arabia
UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification
Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.
2 May 2026 - 5:00PM
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Middle East
Hezbollah’s cheap drones pose challenge for Israel – like ‘children’s toys’
The militant group is using devices linked to their launch site by a thin fibre-optic cable that can stretch for dozens of kilometres.
2 May 2026 - 2:48PM
2026 Xi-Trump summit
China’s UN envoy blasts US ‘bullying’ as sanctions widen before Trump-Xi talks
Curbs tied to Iran and a fragile ceasefire cast a shadow over the leaders’ planned Beijing summit as tensions between the powers mount.
2 May 2026 - 6:36AM
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China’s UN envoy Fu Cong warns US sanctions on Chinese firms over Iran risk undermining ceasefire efforts and the rule of law in international affairs. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war
US sanctions China-based operator, others over alleged Iran oil trade links
State Department targets Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal for allegedly importing ‘tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil’.
2 May 2026 - 7:38AM
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US, Israel war on Iran
Trump says hostilities in Iran ‘terminated’ ahead of war powers deadline
Trump administration argues war in Iran has ended due to ceasefire, allowing White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.
2 May 2026 - 5:00AM
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US, Israel war on Iran
Facing 60-day deadline, Trump administration claims Iran war ‘terminated’
White House signals it will ignore Friday’s War Powers cut-off, arguing April ceasefire paused hostilities.
1 May 2026 - 4:08PM
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