First crude tanker passes Strait of Hormuz since US blockade – AP

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military is at a very high level of readiness and has approved plans for continued operations in Lebanon and Iran.

“Yesterday, I approved plans for the future, together with the General Staff Forum. We continue to conduct ongoing situation assessments and approve plans both in Lebanon and in Iran,” the Israeli military quoted Zamir as saying during a visit to IDF troops in southern Lebanon.

“In the joint operation with the US military, we struck the Iranian terror regime severely, stripped them of their defensive capabilities, and weakened them. Now we must not allow them achievements in the nuclear issue, in Hormuz, and in the other issues on the agenda,” Zamir added.

“Air Force aircraft are armed and ready, and the targets are loaded on the systems. We know how to launch them for a powerful strike immediately,” Zamir said.

Iran’s science minister says the country’s communications ministry is facing “considerations beyond its authority” over ongoing internet restrictions, despite repeated contacts between the two ministries.

Speaking on Wednesday, he said his office had held numerous discussions with the communications ministry about restoring connectivity.

He warned that education and technological research cannot function without internet access.

The United States says its blockade of Iranian ports has so far stopped all maritime traffic attempting to pass through.

In a post on X, US Central Command said that during the first 48 hours of the operation no vessels had made it past U.S. forces enforcing the blockade.

CENTCOM added that nine vessels complied with instructions to turn around and return toward Iranian ports or nearby coastal areas.

The International Monetary Fund expects at least a dozen countries, including some in Sub-Saharan Africa, to seek new lending programs due to surging energy prices and supply chain disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Wednesday.

Georgieva repeated her estimate that the conflict could trigger demand for $20 billion to $40 billion in IMF lending, including augmentations of existing programs and new arrangements.

She warned countries against adopting untargeted measures such as broad energy subsidies to offset rising prices, saying they would only “prolong the pain of high prices.”

Iranian and regional efforts could lead to a ceasefire in Lebanon soon, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi told Reuters on Wednesday.

“The Iranians are exercising high pressure against the Americans and they have put their conditions that the Americans should include Lebanon in the ceasefire. If they don't do it, they are going to continue their blockade of Hormuz. It's the economic card,” Moussawi said.

“The Iranians have opened up to several regional and international parties to achieve this goal,” he added.

Moussawi declined to comment on whether the Iran-backed group would abide by such a ceasefire.