As Iran responds to Trump's threat of annihilation with its own warning of a possible "new front" in the war, global oil prices are rising again.
Follow updates on the war in the Middle East for Friday, Sept. 25, here. See earlier developments below.
Yemen's internationally recognized government pressed world leaders anew Thursday for help defeating the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, saying that their new perch along one of the world's busiest waterways presents an international economic risk.
The Houthis - who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north for over a decade - stormed down Yemen's coast this month and seized the crucial port city of Mokha and key Red Sea islands. That gives them better surveillance of ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the sea's southern end. About 12% of the world's trade usually passes through the waterway.
The rebels have declared a blockade on Saudi shipping. While asserting there's no other threat to commercial shipping on the Red Sea, they have warned other nations not to get involved.
But the vice president of the internationally recognized government council urged world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly not to trust the Houthis' assurances - and to see a bigger picture in the strife around the strait.
"The Houthi militias' use of the safety of navigation as a tool for blackmail threatens not only Yemen. It is taking hostage the entire global economy," said the vice president, Abdullah Abdulkader al Alimi-Bawzer.
Arguing that protecting the strait "is the responsibility of every economy that depends on secure supply chains, energy security and freedom of navigation," he urged the international community to keep weapons and technology from getting into the rebels' hands.
The dozens of U.S. troops bombarded by Iranian drones at a small Kuwaiti port in the opening days of the Iran war could have relocated to safer positions in western Saudi Arabia, multiple sources told CBS News, but those plans were rejected by the unit's commanding general despite intelligence warning of a potential attack on their post.
About one week before the launch of Operation Epic Fury, most American soldiers and Air Force personnel stationed in Kuwait were moved to Jordan and Saudi Arabia — farther away from Iranian missile range. At least two options were scouted, planned and presented to the leadership of the 103rd Sustainment Command, the Army Reserve unit that ran logistics for U.S. Central Command: one was Logistical Support Area Jenkins, a U.S. military base near the southwest port city of Yanbu, and another was Prince Sultan Air Force Base, just southeast of the Saudi capital city Riyadh.
A third option, supported by the commander, Brig. Gen. Clint Barnes, was to follow the playbook from the unit that was previously deployed to Kuwait before the 103rd arrived in September 2025. During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran that July, the active unit briefly moved from their home base at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait to Port of Shuaiba, roughly 30 miles south of Kuwait City and just 65 miles southwest of Iran.
"That was a totally different scenario," one service member, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the media, told CBS News. "Missiles and drones were flying overhead between Iran and Israel and we were more worried about one of them being intercepted and falling out of the sky."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told a group of reporters in New York City that Iran shared a 7-day plan with U.S. mediators this week. If certain conditions of that proposal are met, the Strait of Hormuz would be opened at the end of the seven days and talks would be restarted to try to get a final deal.
The terms of the proposal mimic large portions of what was in the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by President Trump back in June.
CBS News reached out to a mediator and was told that talks are positive, but still early.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was more circumspect about the diplomacy, saying there had been no breakthroughs. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have been handling the shuttling back-and-forth with the mediators on the possible terms of a hypothetical truce with follow on talks.
French president Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the country would send "military means" to help shield the key Saudi oil terminal of Yanbu from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.
"We are going to send military assets, meaning soldiers, radars, and defence systems to protect this site," he said during an interview with TF1 and France 2 during the evening news.
The recent Houthi takeover of Yemen's Red Sea coast has cemented the hold of Iran and its regional allies over two key waterways in the Middle East – and the straits of Bab al-Mandab and Hormuz – both major shipping arteries for global flows of energy.
The world's biggest crude exporter Saudi Arabia has been relying on the Red Sea port of Yanbu to export its oil, after Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the Middle East war.
The Houthis have carried out attacks against facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in Yanbu.
Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said that the United States has "got to make a decision with respect to staying and escalating or getting out" of Iran.
Kennedy, who voted against the Senate resolution aimed at limiting President Trump's war powers in Iran, said that the U.S. has "achieved most of our objectives in Iran" but needed to decide what next steps would be.
He also called on Chinese president Xi Jinping to assist the U.S. with the war.
"The partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not exclusively an American problem, it's a world problem," Kennedy said. "Xi Jinping could open that thing up with a phone call."
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday that his country did not want to be an arena for regional wars, after Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew it into the Middle East conflict.
Lebanon has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs, especially since the start of the latest war, alleging Tehran was using it as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the U.S.
Salam's office said in a statement that he met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
Salam "stressed that Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy, and that it does not want to become an arena for regional conflicts or a venue for the exchange of messages between others," it said.
Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the broader Middle East war, which began with Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran, by attacking Israel in support of the Islamic republic on March 2.
Israel responded with major airstrikes and a ground invasion that killed more than 4,300 people.
The Senate rejected a resolution aimed at limiting President Trump's war powers in Iran on Thursday, though the Democrat-led effort picked up one new GOP supporter.
In a 49 to 50 vote, four Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — joined Democrats in voting to advance the measure. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the sole Democrat to oppose.
The concurrent resolution would have directed the president to "remove the use of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, including potential ground forces in a combat role or used for occupation, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran."
Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday as his country faces broad condemnation and growing isolation.
As Netanyahu took the stage, many attendees walked out.
"If there are any other moral cowards who haven't yet left this hall, please do so now," Netanyahu began.
Netanyahu launched a defense of his country's actions in Iran and across the Middle East.
"With our great American friends, we crushed Iran's army, navy, air force and nuclear facilities," he said, later thanking President Trump for his "bold leadership."
"We will continue to defend our state. We will continue to win because we have no other choice," he said.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's Parliament and frequent troll of the Trump administration, mocked the rising rates of Treasury yields on Thursday as 10-year yields hit a record not seen since 2007.
"Happy 5.1% 10Y America. Mashallah. Celebrate: it's the floor two years out," he posted on X.
"You wanted Iran dragged back to 1970s?" he continued. "Nobody told you Iran isn't for arrogant amateurs? We'll return you to 1970s rates, plus high gas prices, diesel shortages and bell-bottoms. Enjoy the nostalgia!"
Higher yields mean an increased cost for things like mortgage and auto loans.
Volatility has increased in recent days, with the 10-year Treasury yield hitting 5.1% on Thursday, the highest level in around two decades and the largest single-day increase since April 2025, Zillow Home Loans senior economist Kara Ng noted.
A coalition of 80 countries at the U.N. called on Thursday for the full restoration of maritime navigation in the Gulf, disrupted by Tehran after the start of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
"We call for the full restoration of navigational rights and principles without delay," said Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, reading a joint statement to journalists.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged President Trump to quickly end the Iran war through talks, Xinhua reported as their meeting was ongoing in the White House.
Xi called for the United States and Iran to resolve "issues through negotiation as soon as possible," state news agency Xinhua reported after Trump gave his Chinese counterpart a lavish welcome in Washington.
Three Iran-linked oil tankers seized by the United States and carrying nearly 6 million barrels of Iranian crude oil were in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, tracking data consulted by the AFP news agency indicated.
They did not have their destination marked on their transponders, but specialist website TankerTrackers said Wednesday on X they were heading toward the United States.
"Nearly six million barrels (valued at nearly $600 million) of seized Iranian crude oil are quietly crossing the Atlantic Ocean towards the United States of America," the post said.
One of the tankers, the Majestic X, briefly listed the U.S. as its destination from July 31 to Aug. 2, as it began heading toward the Atlantic from waters off Malaysia, according to data from maritime tracking platform Kpler.
The three tankers are sanctioned by the United States under programs aimed at limiting Iran's oil exports.
They were seized after the U.S. started a blockade of Iranian ports in retaliation for Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil exports from Gulf countries.
Two of the tankers, the Majestic X and the Tifani, are currently off Brazil's northern coast, Kpler data showed.
Both vessels were seized by the U.S. in April after loading oil in Iran, according to Kpler.
At the time of their seizure, their transponders listed China and Singapore as their respective destinations. The U.S. Department of Defense at the time described the seizures as an effort to "disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran."
The third tanker, the Lenore, crossed into the Atlantic via the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa on Tuesday, according to its GPS track shown by Kpler.
The supertanker was seized by the U.S. in early June in the Indian Ocean. Its destination at the time was not specified.
The head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, said Thursday they "are not afraid of war," adding that was also the "loud and steadfast voice" of the Iranian people.
Vahidi said the message was voiced by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian from the podium of the United Nations and "reached the ears of people around the world."
Through a translator, Pezeshkian said during his speech to the U.N.'s General Assembly on Wednesday that Iran was a victim of Israel and the U.S., and the U.S. is using the Strait of Hormuz "to impose their aggression upon us."
Iran "will never bow our head or bend at the knee. Iran must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force," Pezeshkian added.
Increasingly anxious about the Iran war, senators are set to vote Thursday on a war powers resolution seeking to halt President Trump's military action, which has been largely blamed for the spike in fuel prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election.
The Senate vote, days after Trump's bombastic address to the United Nations in which he threatened to "annihilate" Iran, is likely to be the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. More Republicans are peeling away from the president as the war drags on, a rare slap back to Trump, as they campaign for control of Congress.
"They have been carrying water for this ridiculous and illegal war for months and months and months and not listening to their constituents," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who pushed the war powers resolution forward. "And now they finally are."
About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when Trump returned to office, according to a new survey from The Associated Press in partnership with KFF. The costs of groceries, gas and healthcare rank as top pain points for the rural voters.
"We've got to break the cycle," said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who said he would vote for the resolution to end the war. Tillis is not running for reelection this November after facing criticism from Mr. Trump.
War powers resolutions are largely political statements, without the full force of law, but stand among the sharper tools the House and Senate have to express disapproval of the White House, short of halting funds for Trump's military actions. As resolutions, they do not go to the president's desk for his signature.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, according to Iran's foreign ministry.
It was the first such meeting between the countries since Ukraine attacked an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea in July.
The U.S. called for Ukraine to halt such attacks in the wake of the bombing, according to multiple reports, fearing the strikes would further increase oil prices.
Both Ukraine and Iran are now embroiled in war, with Iran providing Russia with its Shahed drones for use in attacks against Ukraine.
The European Union on Thursday slammed a possible U.S. diesel export ban backed by President Trump as a "bad idea" that would hurt both sides.
The president expressed support for a ban this week as surging fuel prices from the Iran war threatened to cost the Republican Party its control of Congress in midterm elections in November.
"We believe this is a bad idea," European Commission spokesman Olof Gill told a press conference.
"We believe it potentially can have a negative impact on both sides. We're making that point to our U.S. counterparts at the highest level," Gill said.
Like the United States, Europe has contended with high fuel prices since the start of the war in late February, but it is vastly more dependent on imports.
The average diesel price at pumps across the 27-nation bloc has reached a record high of 2.23 euros per liter, according to an AFP analysis of member states' data published by the commission on Thursday.
The U.S. accounted for about 50% of diesel imports into the EU in August, according to the commission.
"We expect close partners to consult each other before taking measures that affect shared markets," Gill said.
More than 134,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since an escalation of the fighting began in June, according to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration, an agency of the United Nations.
The new figure, reported Wednesday, represents 22,425 households, the IOM said in a statement.
Yemen had known a period of relative calm since 2022, when a ceasefire was signed between the Saudi-backed government forces and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, but that broke down in June as the Iran war reignited in the region.
In recent weeks, Houthi forces have taken key territory in the country's southwest, in particular along its Red Sea coastline.
Most of the displacement has been in this area, the IOM reported, where recent fighting has been concentrated.
The United Arab Emirates has suspended flights operated by Iran's airlines to comply with U.S. sanctions over the Iran war, Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday.
"All flights by Iranian airlines to the United Arab Emirates have been canceled since midnight," ISNA said, according to the AFP news agency.
No comment was immediately available from officials in the UAE.
An Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai was canceled shortly before its scheduled departure in the morning, after tickets had been issued, one passenger told AFP.