Iran has stepped up threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior Revolutionary Guards commander warning Tehran would ‘burn every ship’ attempting to pass and drive oil prices to $200 a barrel.

Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have sparked queues for petrol across London, with long lines forming at stations today as drivers scrambled to fill up amid fears of further price rises. 

Brigadier General Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, made the remarks on state television on Monday, declaring the vital waterway effectively closed.

‘The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire,’ Jabbari said. ‘Don’t come to this region.’

In a separate message posted on the Guards’ Telegram channel, Jabbari warned: ‘We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region.

‘Oil price will reach $200 in the coming days.’

The rhetoric from Tehran has echoed across global energy markets, with traders weighing the risk that Iran could seek to disrupt traffic through one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for flows of both oil and gas from the Middle East, accounting for roughly a fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

Even the prospect of interference has driven the wholesale gas prices sharply higher in Britain and Europe, with benchmark contracts rising by more than 50 per cent as markets respond to fears of a tighter supply.

Pictured: Workers evacuate area around Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery as smoke rises following a reported Iranian drone strike

Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have prompted early signs of panic buying, with queues forming at petrol stations. Pictured: Queues for fuel at Costco in Liverpool today

Oil prices have subsequently skyrocketed, with the global benchmark Brent crude hiking by approximately 13 per cent to the highest level recorded since July 2024

Analysts warned gas prices in Britain and Europe could triple if Iran interrupts supply in the Strait of Hormuz.

A closure lasting several weeks could push European gas prices back towards levels seen during the upheaval that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Under Britain’s regulatory system, prolonged increases in wholesale costs feed through to household bills. 

Analysts at Stifel estimate that if gas prices were to triple from pre-crisis levels, the energy price cap could rise towards £2,500 a year from its current £1,641.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled after Iran attacked tankers in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader.

Britain’s benchmark NBP gas price jumped by about 54 per cent to around 122p per therm, with similar increases across Europe, while Brent crude rose roughly 9 per cent to about $79 a barrel. 

Most of the LNG passing through the waterway comes from Qatar, with smaller volumes from the United Arab Emirates. 

Although many cargoes are destined for Asian markets such as China and India, any interruption would increase competition for alternative supplies that typically serve Europe. 

Analysts said the prospect of close to 20 per cent of global LNG being cut off has driven the spike in prices, with the duration of any closure now the key question for traders. 

Europe relies on LNG for around a quarter of its gas consumption and storage levels remain lower than usual after a cold winter, leaving it vulnerable if disruption persists. 

‘If LNG production from Qatar/UAE was disrupted, we see a repeat of 2022: European gas prices rising to bring LNG to Europe,’ Chris Wheaton, an analyst at Stifel said. 

This could mean prices surging to about three times their pre-attack levels, with European gas prices ‘returning to levels of at least €100/MWh’ and British prices hitting 250p per therm. 

The UK gas price has gone up another 40% this morning

It comes as petrol stations appear to be running out of fuel as Brits scramble to fill up their vehicles before oil prices surge to ‘record levels’.

The conflict in the Middle East has affected the transport of fuel to the West after companies suspended sailing through the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian attacks on ships and ports.

Oil prices have subsequently skyrocketed, with the global benchmark Brent crude hiking by approximately 13 per cent to the highest level recorded since July 2024.

The UK gas price went up another 40% on Tuesday morning, making the per therm price 150 p. 

But drivers were told ‘not to panic buy’ petrol and diesel by the AA on Monday ahead of a possible increase in costs – advice many Brits appear to have ignored.

Valero Garage in Beckenham, south London, completely ran out of petrol on Monday evening after dozens of locals rushed to fill their tanks up.

A worker revealed that some residents even arrived with petrol cans in a bid to boost their longer-term fuel supplies.

Signs reading ‘Sorry out of use’, were also spotted at the nearby BP fuel station in Croydon.

Elsewhere, pictures from stations across the nation showed thousands of Brits refuelling before prices are rumoured to surge.

China urges restraint near Strait of Hormuz amid shipping fears

China called on all sides in the Middle East war to maintain safety in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas, and vowed measures to ensure its energy security.

Nearly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil supplies pass through the strait, as well as a significant amount of cargo.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared it closed on Saturday, prompting several international shipping groups to halt passage through the waterway.

‘China urges all parties to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, maintain the safety of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, and prevent a greater impact on the global economy,’ foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news conference on Tuesday.

‘Energy security is of great importance to the global economy… China will take necessary measures to ensure its energy security,’ she said.

China is the main buyer of Iranian oil, most of which passes through the strait.

Satellite image taken on Monday shows smoke after a nearby explosion

Donald Trump has today branded Sir Keir Starmer ‘unhelpful’ over his decision not to back his war with Iran and suggested the Special Relationship is in peril.

The US President said it was ‘very sad’ that relations between Britain and the United States are now ‘not like it used to be’. 

Blaming Sir Keir directly, Mr Trump said:  ‘He has not been helpful. I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the UK. It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was.’ 

He even suggested that the Prime Minister’s decision ‘could be’ because he is pandering to Muslim voters.

The US President said that he ‘loves’ the UK and its people but added it is ‘not such a recognisable country’ anymore.

‘Stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you’, he told the PM.

Mr Trump spoke out as the Prime Minister was accused of undermining the Special Relationship by not allowing US bombers to launch their assault on Iran from British bases.

The Pentagon has also vented its fury at Mr Starmer for his ‘pearl-clutching’ over the US attacks that wiped out Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Prime Minister said yesterday that he was right, telling the Commons: ‘President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I have done, and I stand by it’.

Asked about claims the Labour leader’s decisions on Iran is because of pandering to Muslim voters, the President replied today: ‘It could be’.

As America and Israel bombed Iran for a fourth day, it was also revealed:

• The US embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked with drones as Americans in more than a dozen countries across the Middle East were urged to evacuated.
• Smoke seen rising from US-run naval base in Bahrain as Iran claimed to have destroyed it;
• Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran’s traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his bodyguards and other top Iranian officials for years before his assassination on Saturday;
• Petrol stations in some parts of the UK appear to be running out of fuel as Brits scramble to fill up their vehicles before oil prices surge to ‘record levels’;

Donald Trump has today suggested that Sir Keir Starmer’s decision not to back is war with Iran is because he is pandering to Muslim voters and being swayed by ‘foreigners that hate you’.

The Pentagon vented its fury at Keir Starmer on Monday for his ‘pearl-clutching’ over the US attacks on Iran

A plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran yesterday

Speaking to The Sun he said that Mr Starmer ‘has got his own difficulties’ in the UK and wished him luck.

‘The people of the UK, who I have a great relationship with, who I love, are sorry to hear it also… I don’t get it. But you know what? I just… I wish him a lot of luck’, he said.

Telling the PM what he needed to do he added: ‘Two very simple things.

‘Open up the North Sea. Immediately. Your energy prices are through the roof.

‘And stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you.

‘Open up the North Sea and stop people from pouring into his country from faraway lands.’

He said of the UK generally, Mr Trump said: ‘It’s also not such a recognisable country. I mean, you look at what happened over the last period of time and it’s very different.

‘London is a very different place, with a terrible Mayor. You have a terrible Mayor there, some terrible people.

‘But it’s a very different place.’

Sir Keir Starmer has seriously aggravated the White House by suggesting that the attack, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, was illegal and set to unravel.

In an outspoken intervention, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Israel for its central role in the offensive – but savaged the legalistic approach taken by Britain and other European allies.

‘Israel has clear missions for which we are grateful,’ he said. ‘Capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of our traditional partners who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, humming and hawing about the use of force.’

Sir Keir made a partial U-turn on Sunday after Iran lashed out at civilian targets in Gulf states and RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, saying US jets would be able to fly from British bases for the ‘limited’ objective of destroying Iranian missile launchers and stockpiles.

He told MPs on Monday that an estimated 300,000 British nationals in the Gulf region were ‘at risk’ as Tehran targeted hotels and airports. But he ruled out going further, saying he would not participate in US-led attempts to bring about ‘regime change from the skies’.

Donald Trump said the PM took ‘far too long’ to lift the ban on US forces flying from RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, and Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands.

An airstrike on an Iranian police centre also damaged residential buildings around it in Niloofar square in central Tehran on Sunday 

The US President said he was ‘very disappointed in Keir’ over his attempts to hand sovereignty of the strategically vital Diego Garcia to Mauritius.

Sir Keir acknowledged that Mr Trump had ‘expressed his disagreement’, but insisted it was in Britain’s national interest to abide strictly by international law.

He told MPs repeatedly that any military action had to have a ‘lawful basis’ and a ‘viable thought-through plan’ – and suggested the US had neither. Downing Street said the PM’s commitment to upholding international law was ‘iron-clad’.

Kemi Badenoch suggested that the PM was distancing himself from US actions on Iran to avoid further alienating Muslim voters and so-called ‘progressives’ who deserted Labour for the Greens in last week’s by-election. She accused Sir Keir of trying to placate voters ‘whose political loyalties are swayed by conflicts in the Middle East, not the British national interest’.

‘It isn’t international law or principle,’ she said. ‘It’s pure, partisan, political calculations from a party that has surrendered its right to govern our country.’

She added: ‘Why is it that under this Prime Minister, international law always seems to be at odds with our national interest?’ The Tory leader said British people ‘will be wondering why our country’s response has been so weak’.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the PM’s dithering was ‘pathetic’, adding: ‘Our Prime Minister is not a leader, he’s a follower, and he looks weak in the eyes of everybody.’

The PM marched against the Iraq War in 2003 and declared it illegal. He told MPs on Monday he was determined to prevent Britain being dragged into another legally questionable conflict in the Gulf.

‘We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,’ he said.

‘Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan.

‘President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes,’ he said. ‘But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest, and that is the judgment I made. I stand by it.’

Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat, who served in the Iraq war, said there was ‘zero comparison’ with the current situation as there are no plans for a UK ground invasion, although President Trump later said he was prepared to put ‘boots on the ground’.

A legal opinion drawn up the PM’s controversial Attorney-General Lord Hermer ruled that the assault on Iran could not be deemed self-defence despite the regime’s long history of attacks on the West, including targets in the UK.

Прем’єр­міністр Юлія Свириденко повідомила, що в Україні триває реалізація національної програми «Скринінг здоров’я 40+».

«Уже нараховано 108 мільйонів гривень на рахунки для 54 тисяч українців, які зареєструвалися на проходження обстеження. Перші 1156 українців уже пройшли «Скринінг 40+», — зазначила очільниця уряду.

Нині учасників програми приймають понад 1500 закладів охорони здоров’я у всій країні. Усі вони пройшли верифікацію Міністерства охорони здоров’я та розміщені на порталі програми.

У межах програми «Скринінг здоров’я 40+» українці віком понад 40 років можуть на ранніх етапах оцінити ризики для здоров’я, зокрема серцево­судинних захворювань, розвитку цукрового діабету та стану психічного здоров’я.

Програму активно реалізують, а запрошення на проходження обстеження продовжують надходити громадянам через застосунок «Дія».

Докладна інформація про умови участі, порядок подання заявки та перелік медичних закладів доступна на сайті МОЗ: повідомляє Департамент інформації та комунікацій з громадськістю Секретаріату КМУ.

Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran’s traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his bodyguards and other top Iranian officials for years before his assassination, according to a report.

Israel gained access to almost all the city’s cameras, which are used extensively by Iran to spy on regime opponents and its own population, and tracked the movements of key bodyguards.

Images were said to be transmitted back to Tel Aviv and southern Israel, allowing Mossad to develop intimate knowledge on the guards’ addresses, work schedules, and who they were assigned to protect.

One camera angle proved especially helpful and allowed agents to track where bodyguards parked their personal cars when arriving at the Supreme Leader’s compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran. 

The hacks were part of a years-long intelligence campaign which eventually led to the killing of Khamenei on Saturday after jets, which had travelled directly from Israeli military bases for hours, fired up to 30 precision munitions on his complex.

The Supreme Leader’s body was found in rubble after the daylight bombing raid aimed at toppling the regime. 

Khamenei presided over a brutal regime for 36 years which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women, and funded terrorist proxies Hamas and Hezbollah which seek to eliminate Israel.

When Israel located Khamenei on Saturday morning, they disrupted around a dozen  mobile phone towers near Pasteur Street, making phones appear busy when called and preventing his security from receiving possible warnings. 

Smoke billowing into the sky above Khamenei’s compound on Pasteur Street in the heart of Tehran

Khamenei, who presided over a brutal regime which slaughtered thousands of his own citizens, repressed women, and funded terror organisations, was killed on Saturday morning

Israel struck and destroyed the Ayatollah’s compound (pictured) in an early morning raid 

‘We knew Tehran like we know Jerusalem,’ an Israeli intelligence official told the Financial Times. 

‘And when you know [a place] as well as you know the street you grew up on, you notice a single thing that’s out of place.’

The CIA also had a human source who provided vital intelligence, according to the newspaper. 

Combined with Israeli AI tools and algorithms which sifted through vast mountain of data on Iran’s leadership and their movements, the source allowed them to trace Khamenei to the meeting where he was hit.

Once Israel and the US became aware of where Khamenei was holding his meeting, they decided they had to act.

During a war the Ayatollah would be shifted underground into bomb resistant bunkers and acting early gave them the element of surprise.

Mossad officials planned the attack for months but decided to act immediately once they confirmed his location. 

They used traffic cameras which showed Khamenei’s meeting was on schedule, hacked phone networks, and the CIA source on the ground. 

During the strike, senior Iranian national security officials were in another part of the building.

Mossad operatives hacked into Tehran’s traffic camera network to spy on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Tehran has been pummelled by US and Israeli air strikes since Saturday, when they killed Ayatollah Khamenei

A man carries an injured woman at the site of US-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, Iran, on Monday

Two high-level military leaders – Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour – and Khamenei’s daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also obliterated in the Tehran strikes. 

The wife of Iran’s Supreme Leader, 79-year-old Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, was also killed. As was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran has since retaliated, furiously carrying out strikes across its neighboring Gulf states, with explosions in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The war spread further on Monday, with Israel exchanging fire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, US jets being downed in Kuwait and Qatar taking out Iranian fighter planes. 

But on Monday night Donald Trump warned Iran that the ‘big one’ was coming as he said he was not afraid to put boots on the ground if needed. 

Mr Trump estimated the conflict would last ‘four weeks or so’, but boasted that US and Israeli forces were ‘way ahead of schedule’.

The US President added that soldiers would be sent ‘if they were necessary’.

Donald Trump has promised swift revenge ‘soon’ after six service members have been killed in Iran and the US embassy was struck by drones in Saudi Arabia. 

The State Department told The Wall Street Journal the embassy ‘has been struck by two UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] that hit the roof and the perimeter of the chancery.’

It all comes as the United States has urged all Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East ahead of a planned ‘major uptick’ in strikes on Iran. 

Trump told News Nation Monday night that ‘you’ll find out soon’ what the retaliation will be for the attack – as well as the six US service members who have been killed – but also that he doesn’t think boots on the ground will be needed.

‘We’re doing a lot of damage. We’re inflicting tremendous damage on them,’ he said. 

Trump said that he’s getting closer to the United States’ stated objectives for the strikes, calling it ‘ahead of schedule.’ 

‘I know a lot, and I will absolutely know when it’s achieved. It’s getting very close, too. We’re doing a lot of damage, we’re setting them back a lot,’ he said.

The president added that ‘you’ll be finding out very soon’ who will take over running Iran.  

Donald Trump has promised swift revenge ‘soon’ after six service members have been killed in Iran and the US embassy was struck by drones in Saudi Arabia

The conflict in the Middle East may have taken another turn as a fire at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia (pictured) was reported, as loud explosions were heard and clouds of smoke were seen in Riyadh.

Trump is not worried about attacks taking place on American soil or at US bases. 

‘No, it’s a part of war. It’s part of war, whether people like it or not, that’s the way it is,’ he said.

CNN reported that the embassy was hit by two ‘suspected Iranian drones.’ No injuries have been reported. 

‘Post is sheltering in place and reported no injuries,’ the department said.

The envoy is also limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region, it said in a statement posted on social media.

The Saudi Defense Ministry said in a statement that the drone strike resulted in a ‘limited’ fire and minor material damage. 

The strike comes just days after the president authorized preemptive strikes against Tehran. 

A fire broke out at the embassy in the Saudi capital after a blast, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday. 

Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike in Bourj Al Barajneh, in the southern suburbs of Beirut

An Iranian man works on the ruins of a police headquarters that is completely destroyed in U.S.-Israeli attacks in Tehran

The explosions and smoke came from Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, home to foreign embassies in the Saudi capital and residences of foreign diplomats, four witnesses told AFP early Tuesday morning.

‘I heard two explosions followed by smoke rising over the quarter,’ said a resident who preferred to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. 

Three people familiar with the matter said a loud blast was heard and flames were seen at the embassy early on Tuesday morning. One of the sources said the fire was minor. 

The blasts were heard as Iran pressed its campaign targeting Gulf states including Saudi Arabia with waves of missile and drone attacks in response to US and Israeli air strikes.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the State Department for comment.

State Department officials announced Monday that any Americans currently in the Middle East should evacuate immediately, and offered assistance to anyone who was struggling to arrange transportation out of the country.

That announcement came as a senior official told CNN’s Jim Sciutto that the US is preparing for a ‘major uptick’ in strikes on Iran over the next 24 hours, targeting the country’s missile production, drones and naval capabilities.

But already Iran has started firing back, killing six American soldiers and striking an American-allied fuel tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday that the ‘imminent threat’ that prompted the US to strike Iran was the threat US soldiers would face after Israel’s planned strike on the Middle Eastern country

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards now say the strait is closed and Iran will set fire on any ship which attempts to pass through.

A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was also shuttered on Monday after being hit by a drone as motorists in the UK face warnings of potential ‘record prices at the pumps’.

Meanwhile, Qatar shot down two Iranian fighter jets after it was attacked by Tehran today and forced to shut off its gas production following a drone strike.

The Qatari defense ministry announced two Su-24 bombers were brought down, while seven missiles and five drones were also intercepted during several attacks on the Gulf state.

The US launched preemptive strikes against Iran after learning Israel was about to attack — and American troops in the region faced an imminent threat of retaliation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday. 

Rubio made the revelation on Capitol Hill, where he briefed a small group of congressional leaders on the joint US-Israel offensive.

‘There absolutely was an imminent threat,’ Rubio stated. ‘And the imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded.’ 

Rubio said the Department of War determined that a defensive posture following an Israeli attack would only open the US to more casualties. Five American soldiers have died so far in combat. 

‘We went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage,’ he said. 

The revelation outraged both Democrats and Republicans.

Former President Bill Clinton did not say President Donald Trump should be subpoenaed in Congress’s sprawling Jeffrey Epstein investigation, claiming he was unaware of any wrongdoing. 

The House Oversight Committee deposed Bill and Hillary Clinton last week to determine their connections to and knowledge of Epstein. The panel released the never-before-seen videos of the hours-long depositions on Monday afternoon. 

When pressed by the top Democrat on the panel, Congressman Robert Garcia of California, on whether Trump should be subpoenaed to testify in the investigation, the ex-President turned the tables on the California lawmaker. 

‘That’s for you to decide, but he (Trump) did know him well, and I once had a brief discussion with him about it,’ Clinton, 79, told Garcia. 

It was the first time in US history that Congress had deposed a US President. Given the new precedent, Democrats have said they want to bring in Trump to testify, though Clinton refused to weigh in on whether they should or should not. 

Garcia then thanked Clinton, and the room fell silent, the video of the testimony shows.   

After a pause, Clinton spoke up, offering clarifying information and noting how Garcia never asked a follow-up.

‘I hate this,’ Clinton declared after the long pause. ‘But since there was no follow-up question, he’s never, the president, never, this is 20-something years ago, never said anything to me to make me think he was involved in anything improper.’

Bill Clinton told congressional investigators that he once spoke to Donald Trump about Jeffrey Epstein, and that the Republican described at the time how he and Epstein had a falling out over a real estate deal

Infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and associate Ghislaine Maxwell at the White House with Bill Clinton

Clinton and Epstein in a photo released by the Department of Justice 

Trump knew that Clinton had flown on Epstein’s private jet when they spoke in the early 2000s, the Democrat testified

Clinton described a conversation he had with Trump about Epstein in the early 2000s – his only discussion with the Republican on the topic. 

‘It was on his golf course,’ the former President began. 

Clinton said he and Trump were playing in a celebrity golf tournament for a mutual friend, Joe Torre, the former general manager of the New York Yankees. 

The charity event was an annual affair that Trump would offer up his golf course for, the Democrat said. 

‘And the day I was there, he would typically, Donald Trump, would come out and play a few holes with us, and he somehow knew I had flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s aircraft,’ Clinton testified. 

‘And he said, you know, we had some great times together over the years, but we fell out all because of a real estate deal. And he said, I’m sorry, it happened. That’s all.’

Hours later, Clinton again clarified again that Trump didn’t do anything wrong as far as he knew. 

‘You know, as I said earlier, the only conversation I had with President Trump about this was in the early 2000s, and I have no information who had that he did anything wrong.

Clinton was grilled by lawmakers after photos in the newly released Epstein files showed him swimming with Maxwell and lounging in a hot tub with an unidentified woman.

Asked about others in the hot tub, Clinton said: ‘I don’t think there’s anybody in the hot tub. I don’t even – I had forgotten that there was anybody in the hot tub, but it was big.’ 

Clinton said the photo was from a hotel where their group was staying during a work trip for his charitable foundation, adding that a member of his Secret Service detail was present at the pool.

The former president denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, stating: ‘There’s nothing that I saw when I was around him that made me realize he was trafficking women.’ 

Asked whether he felt that Epstein and Maxwell fooled powerful people, he responded: ‘I really don’t know. I’ve thought about it a lot, but if you can figure it out I’d like to know.’

Trump and Clinton at a golf tournament in 2000

President Trump has said that he does not like to see Clinton investigated in the congressional Epstein probe. However, Trump ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Clinton’s ties to Epstein in November

A painting of Bill Clinton in a dress seen in Jeffrey Epstein’s home in an image released by the Department of Justice on December 19, 2025

Trump has also defended Clinton during the Congressional investigation.

‘I don’t like seeing him deposed, but they certainly went after me a lot more than that,’ Trump said last week. ‘Look, I like him, and I don’t like seeing him deposed.’

Trump told NBC News in early February: ‘It bothers me that somebody is going after Bill Clinton.’

The statement stood in stark contrast to a November Truth Social post in which Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to probe Clinton’s ties to Epstein. 

‘I will be asking A.G. Pam Bondi, and the Department of Justice, together with our great patriots at the FBI, to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement and relationship with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, J.P. Morgan, Chase, and many other people and institutions, to determine what was going on with them, and him,’ Trump wrote on November 14.

By PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 15:46 EST, 2 March 2026 | Updated: 17:31 EST, 2 March 2026

The US military said it struck Iran’s largest naval warship following the launch of Trump’s ‘Operation Epic Fury.’

US Central Command also rebuked Iranian leadership for falsely claiming it had sunk an American aircraft carrier in the Gulf.

‘The Iranian regime’s false messaging machine continues to falsely claim that it has sunk a US aircraft carrier. The only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri, an Iranian drone carrier,’ the US Central Command said.

‘US forces struck the ship within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury.’

Tehran reportedly used the IRIS Shahid Bagheri as a launching pad for drone attacks against US military base and Gulf allies following the death of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

US military forces previously sunk 11 naval ships operated by Tehran in the Gulf of Oman since the start of the war. The extent of damage inflicted on the Iranian ship remains unclear.  

But the strike on Iran’s warship further underscores the blow dealt to the country’s naval power by U.S. and Israeli forces.

Iran has falsely claimed that hundreds of US troops were killed in retaliatory strikes. US Central Command, however, says four service members have died and 18 others were injured from strikes by Iran. 

US Central Command rebuked Iranian leadership for falsely claiming it had sunk an American aircraft carrier in the Gulf

Pentagon leaders said on Monday morning that the weekend operation against Iran started with an unprecedented 100-aircraft ‘wave’ was unleashed by land and sea

Tehran reportedly used the IRIS Shahid Bagheri as a launching pad for drone attacks against US military base and Gulf allies

President Trump warned Americans to brace for more bloodshed and in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail warned that the conflict could last up to four weeks.

‘It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,’ Trump said. 

The Iranian warship began as a commercial ship but was converted into a deadly drone launch pad in 2022. 

The ship is operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and serves as a hub for Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters.

A 180-meter flight deck was later added to the carrier, with images showing it carrying UAVs, helicopters, and medium-range air defense systems.

Pentagon leaders said on Monday morning that the weekend operation against Iran started with an unprecedented 100-aircraft ‘wave’ was unleashed by land and sea.

Meanwhile, three F-15 fighter jets being shot down by Kuwait in a friendly fire incident on Monday morning.

Footage in Kuwait captured the moment the $90million US planes fell from the sky in a cloud of smoke.

Donald Trump gave the order on Friday afternoon to launch ‘Operation Epic Fury’ against Iran

Iran retaliated to the US and Israeli strikes with a barrage of missiles at neighboring nations – some of which broke through air defense systems (seen in Dubai) 

Kuwait’s Defence Ministry said crews are safe after the crashes this morning, which saw at least two pilots eject from their planes near a US military base in Kuwait.

A US Central Command (CENTCOM) official confirmed that American military aircraft were ‘downed’ in Kuwait on Monday morning, as an Iraqi pro-militia outlet shared footage of a US pilot after ejecting from his aircraft in Kuwait City.

A clear timetable for ending the war has not been outlined by the Trump administration.  

By JAMIE BULLEN, LIVE COVERAGE EDITOR and ROSS IBBETSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR and ADAM POGRUND, TRAINEE REPORTER

Updated: 14:41 EST, 2 March 2026

An oil tanker is burning in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by two drones, Iran claims, as the regime continues to carry out furious attacks across the Middle East, sending oil and gas prices rocketing.

An American-allied fuel tanker is on fire in the strait, a vital shipping route, following a drone attack, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have claimed. 

Three British and America ships were also hit by the IRGC in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as Iran forces the near-closure of the route in revenge for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was shut earlier on Monday after being hit by a drone as motorists in the UK face warnings of potential ‘record prices at the pumps’.  

It comes as tourists were caught on video at a restaurant in Dubai scrambling for cover after a loud bang as Iranian attacks continue to rock the Middle East. 

Dubai has been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones since Saturday and residents are on edge, with footage appearing to show diners confusing a ceremonial cannon, which notifies when people can break their Ramadan fast, with an explosion. 

Meanwhile, Qatar shot down two Iranian fighter jets after it was attacked by Tehran today and forced to shut off its gas production following a drone strike.

The Qatari defence ministry announced two Su-24 bombers were brought down today while seven missiles and five drones were also intercepted during several attacks on the Gulf state.

That comes after Qatar’s state-run energy firm said it ceased its liquefied natural gas production following two attacks in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed as the country cuts its ties with Iran.

European gas prices increased by almost 50 per cent after Iran attacked production facilities in Qatar – one of the world’s biggest exporters.

Bahrain has declared it has intercepted 70 missiles and 59 drones launched by Iran as Tehran retaliates against the Gulf states over the US-Israel war.

According to Bahrain’s National Communications Centre, the interceptions resulted in some debris falling onto sites across the island kingdom where a ship burst into flames after it was struck at port.

It comes after Iran rejected an ultimatum by Donald Trump to lay down its weapons after two days of fighting and launched new attacks on Israel and across the Middle East.

Follow the latest updates of the US-Israel war with Iran 

Breaking:Fuel tanker burning in Strait of Hormuz, Iran claims

A fuel tanker is burning in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, after it was hit by two drones, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have claimed, according to Iranian state media.

The IRGC claimed the Honduras-flagged ‘Athen Nova’ tanker, was working in ‘unison’ with the US and was targeted as it travelled across the strait.

The strait is crucial for transporting oil and prices have surged after Iran forced a near-closure of the route.

Three British and America ships were also hit by the IRGC in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz on Sunday as Iran continues to seek revenge for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A major oil refinery at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, was shut earlier on Monday after being hit by a drone as motorists in the UK face warnings of potential ‘record prices at the pumps’.

WATCH: Tourists in Dubai scramble for cover after suspected explosion

Diners at a popular restaurant in Dubai were caught on video running for cover after a loud bang as Iranian attacks continue to rock the Middle East.

Dubai has been targeted by Iranian missiles and drones since Saturday and residents are on edge, with footage appearing to show diners confusing a ceremonial cannon, which notifies when people can break their Ramadan fast, with an explosion.

Iran steps up drone attacks on Gulf states as Bahrain and Qatar face missile barrage

Iran has stepped up its attacks on Gulf states across the Middle East in retaliation over the US-Israel war which resulted in the death of its supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Saturday.

Qatar’s defence ministry said it shot down two Iranian fighter jets and intercepted seven missiles and five drones following widespread attacks across the country.

While Bahrain announced its air defences have intercepted 70 missiles and 59 drones in the latest wave of attacks

Qatar’s state-run energy firm was targeted, forcing it to stop gas production and Saudi Arabia halted operations at its huge Ras Tanura oil refinery which caught fire earlier today.

The latest onslaught comes after Iran rejected an ultimatum by Donald Trump to lay down its weapons after two days of fighting and launched new attacks on Israel and across the Middle East.

Read the Austin, Texas terrorist’s secret online manifesto

Senegalese immigrant Ndiaga Diagne, 53, murdered two people and wounded 14 more when he sprayed bullets at partygoers at a bar in Austin, Texas, early Sunday.

Investigators believe the slaughter at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was meant as payback for US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.

US defense personnel injured in Bahrain hotel strike

Two US State Department employees were injured by an Iranian drone strike on a hotel in Bahrain, according to a State Department cable reviewed by The Washington Post.

‘Two US DOW personnel were injured,’ the cable said.

The cable, which was sent on Sunday, did not provide additional details on what hotel the employees were at.

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Manama was stuck Sunday morning.

The US Embassy in Bahrain advised US citizens in Bahrain that hotels might be a target for attacks, and encouraged citizens s to avoid hotels in Manama.

Americans in Iran advised to leave

The US Virtual Embassy in Iran issued a security alert on Monday advising Americans to shelter in place or leave the country immediately.

‘Due to ongoing military operations, Americans are advised to shelter-in-place. If safe to do so, Americans should leave Iran now by land,’ the embassy said.

‘If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building. Have a supply of food, water, medications and other essential items.’

The embassy also advised citizens to have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on US government assistance, as well as to avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile and stay aware of their surroundings.

Officials warned that the Iranian government may restrict or prevent departures from Iran, and US-Iranian dual nationals must exit Iran on Iranian passports.

As of Monday, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz is open, and Turkish land border crossings with Iran are open for entry by Turkish and third country nationals.

US-Israeli strikes will continue ‘as long as it takes’

A key Israeli diplomat has suggested that Israel and the US will continue to strike Iran for ‘as long as it takes’

Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, said the civilian impact at home, including deaths, is part of the ‘sacrifice’ for future generations.

‘We all know those we have lost, despite the sacrifice, we are determined,’ he said. ‘We will not stop until we achieve our objectives.’

At least nine people were killed in Beit Shemesh in Israel when an Iranian missile hit a residential area.

Four American troops have so far been killed.

The US and Israel have given separate answers about how long they believe the conflict will last.

On Sunday, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Donald Trump said it would last four weeks.

But earlier today he said the US ‘projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that’.

Chilling map shows where 250 million Americans could perish in a nuclear strike

As the risk of retaliation grows, a sobering new projection is forcing Americans to confront a chilling question: What would happen if the conflict spiraled into a nuclear strike on US soil?

To help visualize that threat, a newly circulated map models the potential devastation, showing how a large-scale nuclear attack could impact major population centers across the country.

According to the analysis, up to 250 million Americans, roughly 75 percent of the population, could be killed if key cities along the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest and South were targeted.

Iran confirms death of seven key commanders

Iran has for the first time confirmed the death of key commanders of the armed forces.

According to the Iran’s Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Tasnim news agency, seven have died.

They include:

• Brigadier General Mohammad Shirazi, head of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief
• Brigadier General Saleh Asadi, Deputy for Intelligence of the Armed Forces General Staff
• Major General (Air Force) pilot Mohsen Darehbaghi, Deputy for Logistics and Support of the Armed Forces
• Brigadier General Akbar Ebrahimzadeh, Deputy Head of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief
• Brigadier General Gholamreza Rezaeian, Head of the Intelligence Organization of Faraja (Law Enforcement Command)
• Brigadier General Bahram Hosseini Motlagh, Head of the Planning and Operations Department, Operations Deputy of the Armed Forces General Staff
• Brigadier General Hassan-Ali Tajik, Head of the Logistics Department of the Armed Forces General Staff

WATCH: US bombers reportedly used in Iran night attack take off

‘Scared’ Rio and Kate Ferdinand stuck in Covid-like lockdown in Dubai amid ‘terrifying’ explosions

Rio Ferdinand, who moved to Dubai in August last year with his wife Kate and three children, has spoken out about the ‘terrifying’ explosions which have rocked the city.

‘Been a different week for me, not going to lie,’ the Manchester United legend said.

‘Home-schooling a bit today. It’s frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets – I don’t know what it is – going above us, and you’re hearing big bombs, and what that is we don’t know as we don’t know the details of what they are,’ he added.

Read more below:

What to know about the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and about a fifth of the world’s oil passes through it.

Tankers traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran, carry oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran. Most of that oil goes to Asia.

Any disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is highly disruptive to the oil trade.

The strait is not officially closed, but tanker traffic has dropped sharply as satellite navigation systems were disrupted, data and analytics firm Kpler said on X on Sunday.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center reported attacks on several vessels in the area on either side of the strait and warned of elevated electronic interference to systems that show where ships are.

A bomb-carrying drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which leads into the strait from the east, killing one mariner, Oman said.

Iran has been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz and is believed to have launched multiple attacks.

Key Updates

• Donald Trump says he’ll put US boots on the ground in Iran ‘if necessary’

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• Starmer: UK will not join US and Israel in Iran attacks

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• Starmer stands by decision not to join US and Israel in Iran strikes

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• Flights to resume from Dubai tonight

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• Hegseth calls on Iranians to seize ‘incredible opportunity’ as US missiles rain down hell

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• Hegseth vows to crush Iran and promises vengeance after 4th US soldier dies

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• Pete Hegseth says ‘we didn’t start this war’ as he reveals Iran nuclear plot

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• US confirms fourth soldier has been killed by Iran attacks

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• Qatar ceases gas production after Iranian drone strike

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• Iran target Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in latest strikes

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• RAF shoots down two drones heading for British base

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• Trump hits out at Starmer after US blocked from British military bases

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• US confirms three F-15 jets crash over Kuwait

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• Cypriot airport evacuated after suspicious object found in airspace

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• RAF base in Cyprus warns soldiers to take cover following ‘security threat’

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• Bomb-carrying drone boat attacks oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

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• Iran steps up drone attacks on Gulf states as Bahrain and Qatar face missile barrage

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• Israel claims it has struck senior Hezbollah operative in Beirut

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• Expert warns Saudi oil refinery attacks marks ‘significant escalation’

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• Saudi Arabia shuts down one of world’s largest oil refineries following drone attack – report

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• Israel to target Hezbollah chief after taking out Khamenei

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• Trump warns fighting could go on for ‘next four weeks’

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• How global shipping could be impacted by US-Israel war with Iran
  

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• ‘Several’ US warplanes crash in Kuwait but crews survive, officials say

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• UK draws up overland rescue plan for 94,000 Britons trapped in Gulf states

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• Cyprus president confirms Iranian drone struck British RAF base

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• US military insiders warn America’s stockpile of missiles and interceptors could run dry

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• Fighter jet crashes over Kuwait near US military base – report

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• RAF base in Cyprus struck by drone

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• US Embassy in Kuwait urges Americans to take shelter

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• Israel launches strikes on Lebanon as conflict widens

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• Iran rejects Trump ultimatum and vows no surrender as Tehran launches new attacks

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Sir Ed Davey today claimed ‘tax exiles’ and ‘washed-up old footballers’ in Dubai should start contributing to Britain’s Armed Forces in the wake of the Iran strikes.

The Liberal Democrat leader delivered an astonishing rant in the House of Commons as MPs quizzed the Prime Minister on the Middle East crisis.

Iran’s retaliation to US and Israeli attacks has threatened hundreds of thousands of British nationals across the Middle East, with the Government working on plans for a possible mass evacuation.

The UK played no role in the strikes on Iran, but RAF jets have since begun defensive operations as the Iranian regime lashes out and fires missiles and drones at its neighbours.

In a question to Sir Keir Starmer on Monday afternoon, Sir Ed asked if the PM agreed if was ‘only right’ that British expats based in the region ‘start paying taxes to fund our Armed Forces just like the rest of us do’.

He also singled out Isabel Oakeshott, the fiancee of Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice, as among ‘tax exiles… who mock ordinary people who stay in the UK and pay our taxes here’.

Ms Oakeshott, a broadcaster, relocated to Dubai from the Cotswolds in the summer of 2024.

She has previously said her decision to move was partly-motivated by the Labour Government putting VAT on private school fees.

Sir Ed Davey claimed ‘tax exiles’ and ‘washed-up old footballers’ in Dubai should start contributing to Britain’s Armed Forces in the wake of the Iran strikes

Isabel Oakeshott, a broadcaster and the fiancee of Reform MP Richard Tice, relocated to Dubai from the Cotswolds in the summer of 2024

Sir Ed asked the PM: ‘We rightly expect our brave Armed Forces to protect British citizens around the world in crises like this.

‘But that includes tax exiles like Isabel Oakeshott and washed-up old footballers who mock ordinary people who stay in the UK and pay our taxes here.

‘So as we protect them, does the PM agree it’s only right for tax exiles to start paying taxes to fund our Armed Forces just like the rest of us do?’

In response to the Lib Dem leader, Sir Keir said: ‘I want to be clear, it is my duty, our duty to protect all UK nationals in the region and we will endeavour to do everything we can in order to do so.’

The Lib Dems said, according to 2024 estimates, there are approximately 240,000 British nationals living in Dubai alone.

They added that many British nationals migrate to the UAE as they not required to pay personal income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax.

By contrast, US citizens residing abroad are subject to tax on worldwide income, which is generally the same as if they were residing in the US, the party said.

Responding to Sir Ed’s comments in an interview with TalkTV, Ms Oakeshott said: ‘I’m going to take this as a badge of honour!

‘He’s like a talking potato standing up there, having a go at so-called tax exiles. I don’t understand what the point was he was trying to make.

‘I’m guessing the context was ‘should the British Government be organising a mass evacuation of tax exiles?’.

‘Let me tell him, first of all, most people who live in Dubai, they are non-resident of the UK for tax purposes (but) continue to pay UK tax on UK earnings and on their assets in the UK.

‘So we continue to be UK taxpayers. We may not pay as much as we did, but we probably pay an awful lot more than the average person. So that is a complete misunderstanding of the level of contribution that is being made by many people.

‘Secondly, the tax exiles are not asking to be rescued. I don’t know anyone that’s asking to be rescued. Those evacuation plans are targeted at this point for tourists.’

Mr Tice claimed Sir Keir had ‘humiliated us on the international stage’ by failing to back the American and Israeli action against Iran

Earlier on Monday, Ms Oakeshott claimed British citizens in Dubai were ‘not queuing up to be ‘evacuated’ at taxpayers’ expense’.

‘They’re chill. Tourists see it differently. Sorry to blow the lazy Lefty narrative,’ she added in a post on X.

She has also used social media to heap praise on the defence forces of the United Arab Emirates in recent days.

In his own question to the PM on Monday afternoon, Mr Tice – the MP for Skegness –  hailed US and Israel for ‘degrading the military capability’ of Iran.

The Reform deputy leader also claimed Sir Keir had ‘humiliated us on the international stage’ by failing to back the American and Israeli action.

Sir Keir is said to have declined a US request to use British military bases to launch its initial strikes on Iran after a legal opinion, drafted for by Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer, emphasised the primacy of international law.

The PM replied to Mr Tice: ‘I think he is saying… it is perfectly right for a British PM to deploy and take action, which would not be lawful.

‘I simply and fundamentally disagree. I think it is a very important principle, when we’re talking about our personnel, that we ensure that what we’re asking them do to … is lawful.

‘I believe in that fundamentally, I’m surprised if he doesn’t.’