Image source, PA Media

The prime minister has told energy, shipping and financial service chiefs that the UK is working on a "viable plan" for the Strait of Hormuz as the war enters its fifth week.

Keir Starmer tells a round-table at Downing Street that people across the country will have concerns about energy bills, petrol and food prices "uppermost in their minds".

"The political position we've taken is straightforward, which is, we're not going to get drawn in to the conflict proper," Starmer reiterates.

He says: "We will defend British interests and British lives in the region, particularly in the Gulf allied states, and obviously our allies there.

"It's not our war, but it is our duty to protect British citizens."

Vessels aren’t only at risk of attack in the Strait of Hormuz.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued a warning about "suspicious activity" after a container ship reported "two unknown projectiles splashing in close proximity" north-east of Saudi Arabia.

It says the two incidents happened within an hour of each other.

The crew are reported to be safe and authorities are investigating.

The organisation says since the start of the war, it has received 24 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.

UKMTO is a Royal Navy-led organisation that acts as a link between merchant shipping and military forces to help ensure maritime security.

As we've been reporting, global oil and fertiliser trade have been disrupted as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.

The closure of this key shipping route - bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south - has affected economies worldwide.

Around 3,000 ships usually pass through the strait each month. It's deep enough for the world's largest crude oil tankers and is used by major oil and gas producers in the Middle East and their customers.

But since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, numerous ships have reportedly come under attack in the area.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the war in the Middle East has caused "serious disruption" to countries in the region and is "dimming the outlook for many others".

The organisation - which works with 190 member countries to stabilise the global economy - says all signs "lead to higher prices and slower growth".

The IMF highlights changes to supply chains, shipping routes, air traffic, insurance costs and longer delivery times. It also warns that fuel inflation could rise worldwide if high energy and food prices continue.

In addition, with about one-third of global fertiliser shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz now disrupted, the IMF says concerns about food prices are growing.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Image source, Reuters

US President Donald Trump has a relatively light public schedule today, and at the moment, the White House press has no expectation of seeing or hearing from him on camera.

According to a schedule released by the White House, Trump is set to take part in a "class photo" with members of the White House internship programme this morning, followed by policy meetings and "signing time" in the afternoon.

All these events are currently marked as "closed press", meaning the White House press pool - which today includes the BBC - will not be allowed in, although that could change at the last minute.

This morning, however, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced she will be holding a briefing at 13:00 ET (18:00 BST).

This is likely to be dominated by questions on Iran.

Pentagon falls silent after early news briefings on the warpublished at 16:31 BST

16:31 BST

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

Image source, EPA

The US media has been filled over the last 48 hours with anonymous briefings from Trump administration officials about potential ground operations against Iran.

But the Pentagon is saying virtually nothing on the record.

In fact, the way the administration is conveying its messaging on the war appears to be shifting.

In the first fortnight, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth held press briefings every couple of days, alongside the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine. While these were heavily choreographed with access tightly controlled, they were at least a chance to try to get some challenging questions on the record to the US military.

There hasn't been one of these briefings now for 11 days.

These updates amounted to a temporary break from the Trump administration's general approach to its communications in this term, when the messaging has been dominated by the White House.

Over the last six months, government agencies including the Departments of State and Defense have hardly held any on-the-record news briefings, lest they eclipse the daily press scrums in front of the president or briefings by his press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The Israeli military says it struck Iran's air defences near the Caspian Sea in the north of the country on Sunday.

The Israeli Air Force says the aim of the strikes was to expand Israel's "air superiority" over Iran.

Israel says Iran's air defences were hidden in a forested area.

The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, bordered by Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

Turkey says Nato air defences have "neutralised" a ballistic missile that entered Turkish airspace.

In a statement posted on X, the country's defence ministry says the munition was "determined to have been launched from Iran".

It's the fourth time Turkey says it has intercepted missiles since the war began - with previous incidents on 4 March, 9 March and 13 March.

Image source, Reuters

G7 ministers say they "stand ready to take all necessary measures" to keep the energy market stable following the war in the Middle East.

Energy and finance ministers from the group held a virtual meeting on Monday, joined by central bank governors.

A statement released after the call says banks are "closely monitoring" the impact of energy prices on inflation.

It adds: "We stand ready to take all necessary measures in close co-ordination with our partners, including to preserve the stability and security of the energy market."

Vitaly Shevchenko
Chief analyst, BBC Monitoring

Image source, UAE Presidential Court

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his allies have asked him to halt at least some of the attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure amid the global fuel crisis.

Speaking after visiting a number of Gulf states, Zelensky said:

"We have received messages from some of our partners asking about how our response strikes against Russia's oil sector, the energy sector can be reduced."

"If Russia is ready not to strike Ukraine's energy, we'll respond by not attacking theirs," he told journalists in a voice message.

It is not clear which countries he may be referring to, but the US has eased some of the sanctions imposed on Russian oil in response to surging energy prices triggered by the war in Iran.

President Zelensky's comments come after a string of long-range strikes by Ukraine against Russia's energy sector, particularly a key oil export terminal at the port of Ust-Luga outside St Petersburg.

He was speaking after visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan. His tour of the Middle East is now over and he is heading back to Kyiv.

Jordan is banning the use of air conditioning in government buildings as the war increases economic pressure on Gulf states.

In a directive reported by the state-run Jordan News Agency today, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan is also restricting the use of government vehicles and putting a two-month hold on international trips for official delegations and committees.

The government has previously acknowledged the impact that rising fuel and energy costs are having.

As Israel continues its attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon, and US-Israeli forces exchange fire with Iran, here are some pictures showing the aftermath of the strikes.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

More than 6,000 people have been taken to hospitals in Israel since the start of the war with Iran, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

The ministry says 121 patients are still receiving medical treatment - one is in a critical condition and 16 are considered to be serious.

In the past 24 hours, 232 casualties have arrived at hospitals across the country, the ministry adds.

Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has repeated that Iran has never sought, and is not seeking, nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a news briefing today, he says both parliament and the public are concerned about the benefits of being a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The treaty, entered into force in 1970, aims to stop the spread of nuclear weapons but allows countries the right to develop and research nuclear energy.

Baghaei says Iran is still committed to the treaty as it remains a member, but is questioning whether it can enjoy the rights it provides.

Iran has said it is not seeking to make nuclear weapons, but the US has accused it of doing otherwise.

Last year, International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years.

As we've mentioned, US President Donald Trump has warned that if a deal with Iran isn't reached soon, the US will target locations including Kharg Island.

But what is Kharg Island?

It is a small island 15 nautical miles (28km) off the coast of Iran. Ninety per cent of Iran's crude oil passes through a terminal on the island.

Taking the island would effectively cut the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' economic lifeline, affecting its ability to conduct the war, says security analyst Mikey Kay.

This move could also choke off Iran's oil exports, give the US military a platform to launch attacks against the mainland, and be used as leverage to pressure Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

But a US operation would be difficult. A landing force would have to travel considerable distances, either by naval vessels or as part of an airborne force.

Iran has reinforced its defences on Kharg Island in recent weeks, including deploying more military personnel and air defences, sources told CNN.

• You can read more about Kharg Island here

Image source, Reuters/Google

No evidence of 'great progress' in US-Iran talkspublished at 14:50 BST

14:50 BST

Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent

Wars are unpredictable but there is still no proof of the “great progress” President Trump says the US is making in what is, so far, only indirect messaging with Tehran.

Iran has not formally replied to the 15-point plan shared with them by Pakistan. But leaked copies underscore it is tantamount to a surrender document.

Distrust runs very deep after the last two rounds of mainly indirect diplomacy, in February, and June last year, were shattered by US-Israeli air strikes.

Iran is making it clear it no longer wants to work through that channel, led by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, which it now sees as subterfuge.

That's why there's a lot of talk about US Vice-President JD Vance stepping in.

Official sources in the region say there is still no agreement to hold talks - no movement in closing very wide gaps. Trump’s description of a "new and more reasonable" regime is also belied by a system now militarised and dominated by hardliners who replaced assassinated clerics and commanders.

As the US moves toward possible escalation, that is Iran's main emphasis too.

Image source, EPA

Spain's government says its airspace is closed to US planes involved in attacks on Iran.

Defence Minister Margarita Robles tells reporters the government refused to "authorise either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war".

The ban on the use of military bases was announced in early March, prompting an angry reaction at the time from US President Donald Trump, who threatened trade retaliation against Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described the US and Israeli attack on Iran as reckless and illegal.

Hundreds of US Special Forces personnel - including elite Navy Seals and Army Rangers - are now in the Middle East, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

Thousands of US marines and paratroopers are also in the region, CBS reports.

Sources tell CBS the deployments are intended to give Donald Trump alternative options in Iran, including operations that could involve opening the Strait of Hormuz, taking oil from Kharg Island or seizing Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

US Central Command (Centcom) declined to comment on this development.

On Saturday, Centcom said 3,500 sailors and marines had arrived aboard USS Tripoli in the Middle East.

Image source, Reuters

In an interview with Fox News on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the global oil market is well supplied "and we want to get back to the normal".

"The market is in deficit 10 to 12 million barrels a day, and we're making up for that deficit."

He says there will be freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, "whether it is through US escorts or a multinational escort".

You can see the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in our previous post.

Hormuz ship transits continue at sluggish pacepublished at 14:07 BST

14:07 BST

Image source, MarineTraffic

By Joshua Cheetham

Just three ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz today, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler.

Before the US-Israel war with Iran began, almost 140 commercial ships passed through the strait each day, according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre.

All three ships broadcast they had "Chinese owner and crew" according to their publicly-available position broadcasts - showing some vessels are signalling their links to China in an attempt to pass safely.

Two of the vessels seen on tracking sites today are container ships owned by China Shipping Container Lines. The third is a bulk carrier owned by Pole Star Shipping Line.

The government in Tehran has effectively closed the narrow Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war in Iran, leading to spiking oil prices and concerns over the supply of some commodities.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to allow some ships to sail through the strait. But it’s unclear which ships these are, who owns them, or where their cargoes are heading.