Iran War Day 96: US Hits Iran-Bound Tanker as Lebanon Ceasefire Unravels

On Day 96 of Operation Epic Fury, the United States dramatically expanded enforcement of its blockade against Iran, firing a Hellfire missile into an Iran-bound oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf. The M/T Lexie was disabled before it could reach Kharg Island, the terminal responsible for roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, marking a major escalation in efforts to choke off Tehran's oil revenues.

At the same time, Donald Trump's push for a new Iran agreement faces its biggest challenge yet. Just hours after Trump announced that all shooting in Lebanon would stop, Israeli strikes continued across southern Lebanon, killing at least eight people. Israel insists there is no ceasefire, while Iran maintains that any attack in Lebanon is a violation of the broader US-Iran ceasefire framework.

In this episode, we examine the US tanker strike, the expanding naval blockade, the collapse of Trump's Lebanon ceasefire initiative, Iran's suspension and resumption of nuclear talks, the growing dispute between Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem, and the one-week deadline Trump has set for a new agreement.

We also cover fresh strikes on Qeshm Island, the latest developments around the Strait of Hormuz, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve falling to its lowest level since January 2024, oil market reactions, Lebanon's worsening humanitarian crisis, Israeli operations north of the Litani River, and the diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and European governments to prevent the conflict from widening further.

Topics covered include the Iran war, US-Iran conflict, Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Lebanon ceasefire, Hezbollah, Strait of Hormuz, Kharg Island, oil tanker strike, US naval blockade, CENTCOM, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, oil prices, Middle East conflict, Iran nuclear talks, Israel-Lebanon fighting, global energy markets, geopolitics, military strategy and international diplomacy.