President Donald Trump recently claimed that the U.S. is "hopefully toward the end" of its conflict with Iran and suggested he had spoken directly with Iranian officials, who reportedly are interested in reaching a deal. However, Iranian officials have made it clear that peace talks will not resume unless all of their demands are met. Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, Iran’s military spokesperson, praised the resilience of the Iranian people, stating that their 200 nights of resistance have disrupted enemy plans, and vowed that the armed forces will defend the country at all costs. Oil prices surged to $108 per barrel, fueled by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, and escalating hostilities between U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Iran's foreign minister was reportedly urged by his Chinese counterpart to reopen the strait and return to an interim deal with the U.S. signed in June, as global energy markets continue to feel the strain of supply disruptions. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which imposes new sanctions and tariffs on Iran and Russia. The bill, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham, extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 for five more years. It passed the Senate with an 86-11 vote, with support from both Republicans and a number of Democrats, and now awaits President Trump’s signature. Oil prices later dipped after reports that Saudi Arabia was offering to send more crude oil through Oman, alleviating fears of supply shortages in the Middle East. Brent crude futures dropped $1.24 to $104.59 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures fell $1.14 to $101.29. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said no decision had been made regarding military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz, despite earlier speculation that South Korea was considering such a move. Cho is set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington to discuss regional security. The U.S. military has asserted that commercial shipping continues to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran’s blockade of its maritime trade and attacks on commercial vessels. U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins stated that traffic through the strait "continues to flow," with the U.S. facilitating the movement of over 900 million barrels of crude oil through the critical waterway. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East and a return to diplomatic efforts, stressing the need to stop actions that harm civilians and to restore navigational rights and freedoms in the region. A building collapse in Gaza City killed at least 16 people, including 12 women and children, after the structure gave way overnight into Wednesday. The building had been known to be unstable due to damage from Israeli airstrikes earlier in the conflict, highlighting the worsening living conditions in Gaza amid a stalled ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted an incoming Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter restricted airspace over the holy city. This was the second attempt by Houthi rebels to target Mecca, following a similar attack in 2017. The Houthi political bureau denied targeting the holy city, calling the claim "an outright lie."