Germany preparing to join UK-led Hormuz security effort

A vessel fired warning shots after being approached by a small craft carrying five people north of Yemen’s Socotra island, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said Friday.

UKMTO said it received a report of the incident 98 nautical miles north of Socotra.

The agency said the warning shots forced the small craft to change course.

Authorities are investigating the incident, UKMTO said.

France may consider imposing windfall taxes on companies that have made exceptional profits from the surge in energy prices during the Iran war, Finance Minister Roland Lescure said Friday.

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  Iran war delivers windfall profits to energy, banks and defense firms - BBC

“If there are particular companies that have made an exceptional amount, maybe we will impose additional taxes, I’ll say it that way, but this debate will take place in the fall,” Lescure told Sud Radio.

Reuters reported that several French opposition politicians have called for windfall taxes on oil companies such as TotalEnergies since the war began in late February.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz was an issue for all NATO allies, though “maybe not for NATO as an alliance,” Reuters reported.

Speaking ahead of a NATO meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rutte also welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to send 5,000 US troops to Poland.

He said the United States would continue to play a key role in Europe’s nuclear and conventional defense, but added that Europe would have to step up gradually.

“Let’s be clear: the trajectory we are on – which is a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO, making sure we will over time, step by step, be less reliant on one ally only ... will continue,” Rutte told reporters.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said it was up to Washington to decide US troop levels in Europe, but added that it was clear Europe must take on a greater defense role.

Iran may be planning a surprise missile and drone attack against Israel and Persian Gulf states, Israeli intelligence officials warned, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The warning was raised during a situational assessment with senior Israeli military officials and Defense Minister Israel Katz, according to the report.

Israeli security officials said Tehran could try to act before the United States and Israel conclude that diplomacy is no longer viable and move toward military action.

The report said the warning comes as the United States and Iran continue ceasefire negotiations and as President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly differ over how to proceed with Tehran.

Israeli military officials have held discussions with American counterparts to improve readiness, including sharing intelligence on unusual Iranian activity, the report said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also held security briefings with military commanders and maintained contact with US counterparts to coordinate a possible response in the event of an Iranian attack.

The report added that US military equipment transfers to Israel have increased sharply over the past month.

Iran has held talks with Oman about charging fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with Muscat potentially sharing in the profits, The New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

The report said the talks focused on fees for services provided to vessels, rather than tolls charged for transit itself, which would be illegal under international law.

The New York Times said Oman, a US ally, initially dismissed the idea of partnering with Iran in the waterway but has more recently seen potential benefit in the plan.

The report, citing Iranian officials, said Oman had expressed willingness to raise the proposal with Persian Gulf neighbors and the United States, even as Washington pushes for freedom of navigation to be restored in the blockaded strait.