Israel Assesses No Policy Shift on Iran Before Key Summit
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Israel's security cabinet met to discuss Iran, with sources indicating no policy change is expected before a US-China-Russia summit. The meeting occurred amid heightened military readiness and the upcoming arrival of a US aircraft carrier. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard reported two oil tankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with one sinking, a claim that remains unconfirmed by other maritime authorities.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli security cabinet met Sunday to discuss Iran amid heightened regional military readiness.
- Israeli sources expect no policy change on Iran before the upcoming US-China-Russia summit.
- US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt to arrive in the region soon, bolstering forces.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims two oil tankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
- One of the tankers, carrying over two million barrels of oil, reportedly sank.
- UKMTO reported an oil tanker attack in the Gulf, with crew safe but damage unclear.
Israel's security cabinet convened Sunday evening for over three hours to discuss the Iranian file amid heightened military readiness in the region. Israeli sources believe that no change in policy toward Iran is expected before the upcoming trilateral summit between the leaders of China, the United States, and Russia this week. The Iranian issue continues to maintain a state of high alert for the Israeli military and the US Central Command.
Mossad chief Roman Gofman, who recently returned from meetings in the United States, participated in the cabinet discussions. This meeting was the first in forty days. The US aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to arrive in the region tomorrow, which will bolster forces there, at least for the time being.
Russia has confirmed President Vladimir Putin's participation in an unprecedented trilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Shenzhen, China, next Thursday. The meeting is set to take place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, according to the Kremlin.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced that two oil tankers collided with naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with one sinking. Iran regularly targets ships it claims are operating without permission in this strategic waterway, through which a fifth of global oil and gas supplies passed before a war that began in late February following Israeli-US strikes on Iran. The US maintains a blockade on Iranian ports and escorts oil tankers in the strait.
The Revolutionary Guard stated that the two tankers struck naval mines in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, causing massive explosions and fires. One of the vessels, a supertanker carrying over two million barrels of crude oil, sank. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that Indian maritime authorities stated an oil tanker was attacked while heading east toward the Strait of Hormuz. All crew members were reported safe, but the extent of damage and environmental impact remain unclear. It is not yet known if this tanker is one of the two mentioned by Iran. Tehran has issued similar statements in recent weeks, while Washington claims to have cleared mines from a significant portion of the waterway.
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