Middle East conflict: Trump to defend Iran war, tout peacemaker role at UN as Yemen humanitarian crisis deepens and Gulf energy tensions escalate

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Trump to tout deals, defend Iran war in UN speech

US President Donald Trump is expected to claim he is winning both on the battlefield and as a peacemaker Tuesday in a speech to the United Nations overshadowed by growing spillover from his stalled war against Iran.

Trump will likely not hold back in renewing his frequent boasts that under him the United States is “the hottest country” in the world.

He is also expected to seek to justify the Iran war, which has so far failed to fulfil White House objectives and provoked widespread economic damage over the Strait of Hormuz’s closure.

But the self-styled peacemaker could equally use the UN stage to tout his controversial efforts to end the Gaza conflict and his ongoing effort to bring more Arab countries into the Abraham Accords with Israel.

“No one knows what Trump is going to say, not even Trump’s speechwriters,” International Crisis Group’s Daniel Forti said.

“This year, we expect more of a contrast between Trump, sort of both announcing and celebrating his record as a peacemaker versus defending his ongoing military operations around the world,” said Forti.

“It’s not entirely clear what reaction Trump’s going to get from world leaders.”

France ready to help secure ‘Saudi energy infrastructure’: source

France is ready to work on “securing” Saudi energy infrastructure targeted by Iran-backed Houthis, adopting a “strictly defensive approach,” a diplomatic source said.

“France is ready to contribute to securing Saudi energy infrastructure in Yanbu and along the East-West Pipeline, within the framework of a strictly defensive approach,” the source said, emphasizing that “this in no way involves taking part in the conflict with the Houthis.”

The Houthis have carried out attacks against facilities belonging to the Saudi oil giant Aramco in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. The East-West Pipeline — a crucial crude oil export route — has also been shut down following drone attacks launched from Iraq, according to Riyadh.

Oil producers continue exporting on tankers sailing with their transponders switched off

While “visible” traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dwindled sharply, Middle Eastern producers continue exporting oil on tankers traveling with their transponders switched off, Reuters reported.

A dozen commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, down from 35 the previous weekend, according to Kpler data tracking ships using transponder and satellite information.

Kpler data showed four trackable vessels exited the strait Sunday, including two tankers carrying refined oil products, while two small oil tankers entered the Arabian Gulf.

Critics say Kpler data is “skewed”, adding that the real moves are all “off-chain”, as dozens of ships transit with automatic identification system (AIS) off using the southern route, near Oman.

UK to provide Saudi Arabia with ‘defensive’ military support: Burnham

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK will provide Saudi Arabia with “defensive air-to-air refuelling” following a request from Riyadh, after it faced attacks from the Houthis in Yemen, the BBC reported.

Yemenis flee across Red Sea as Houthis and Saudi-backed forces escalate war

Many have fled the war by crossing the Red Sea to Djibouti.

Thousands of Yemenis have taken boats across the Red Sea to Djibouti as a renewed Houthi offensive and Saudi-backed counterattacks drive a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis, threatening to reopen one of the Middle East’s most dangerous conflicts.

The latest escalation has pushed Yemen’s long-running civil war into a new and potentially wider phase, with Iran-backed Houthi forces expanding their control along the Red Sea coast while Saudi Arabia steps up airstrikes against Houthi positions.

More than 130,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen since the latest fighting began, while about 3,000 Yemenis have fled by sea to Africa, according to figures cited by Reuters. Nearly 700 people have been killed and thousands injured.

White House launches Trump TV streaming service amid media tensions

The White House has launched “Trump TV” streaming service. The move came after President Trump banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from White House grounds over what he called “fake news”.

The new service features major remarks, real-time updates, and videos in one spot. Supporters cheered it as an epic checkmate on traditional outlets, with posts hailing the direct line to the action.

Critics labeled it state media fit for dictators, highlighting divides over independent coverage. Live programming starts at 7 pm EST on Sept. 21, 2026 (3am on Sept. 22 Gulf | 7am Beijing | 8am Tokyo) as media access disputes rage on.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico have filed a lawsuit against Trump’s White ban. Major US networks later suspended White House TV coverage of Trump as he heads to New York for the UN summit.

Nasdaq jumps 2.3% to end at record as oil prices fall

The Nasdaq jumped to a new record on Monday while oil prices retreated on optimism for a diplomatic breakthrough in the US-Iran war at this week’s United Nations gathering.

The Nasdaq piled on 2.3 percent to lead major US indices as analysts also cited hopes for progress on artificial intelligence at a US-China summit.

JD Vance says Iran is driving up US fuel prices

20240718 jd vance — US Vice President JD Vance

US Vice President JD Vance has blamed Iran for rising fuel prices in the US, saying Tehran was “creating fear and threats in shipping” and driving up energy costs.

Turkish Airlines suspends Iran flights

Turkish Airlines has suspended all flights to Iran until at least March 2027, a company representative told Iran International, as Iraq also moves to halt Iranian carriers following a US Treasury warning of a worldwide shutdown.

The representative said the airline currently has no flights scheduled to Iran before March and could not guarantee that services would resume then.

Turkey has long been one of the most accessible international destinations for Iranians, with relatively affordable travel and extensive air links supporting tourism, family visits and business.

The prolonged suspension by Turkish Airlines would further reduce international air connectivity for Iranians facing growing restrictions on overseas travel.