Pakistan seeks urgent LNG cargoes as Iran war hits supply - Bloomberg

Four in five people in Britain are worried the Iran war will make food more expensive, The Guardian reported on Wednesday, citing an Opinium poll.

The survey found 80% of respondents were concerned about rising grocery prices as retailers pass higher costs on to consumers.

It also found 73% expected the conflict to push up prices of other products.

Businesses warned that the “window is closing” for ministers to cut energy costs for UK retailers, according to the report.

A source with long experience at Iran’s Aseman Airlines told Iran International that the carrier’s fleet has shrunk from 24 aircraft to just three, one of which is often grounded.

The source said the remaining planes suffer from serious technical issues, while frequent management changes have added to operational instability. Employees have also gone months without pay, the source added.

A senior US State Department official urged Iraqi leaders to take concrete action against militias embedded within state institutions, saying Washington is looking for “action, not words,” Asharq News reported.

The official said there is a “very blurry line” between the Iraqi state and armed groups, calling for militias to be removed from government institutions, cut off from state funding, and denied salaries.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters are playing a key role in enforcing the US naval blockade against Iran.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said a Sea Hawk helicopter had taken off from the USS Tripoli (LHA-7) in the Arabian Sea, adding that the aircraft are supporting blockade operations.

Reports on Wednesday morning said sounds of explosions were heard in Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Sirik in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province.

According to reports, the sounds were heard at around 1:30 AM local time. A message sent to Iran International also said additional explosion-like noises were heard around 4:00 AM, reportedly coming from the direction of Larak Island.

Following the reports, the public relations office of Hormozgan provincial authorities said the sounds in Qeshm were the result of countermeasures against micro aerial vehicles and reconnaissance drones. It added that no impact, damage or explosion had occurred in Qeshm.