Friday, 14 June 2024

Israeli forces advance deeper into Rafah as diplomacy falters

Israeli forces advanced deeper into Rafah, causing many families to flee amid heavy bombardment from air, ground, and sea.
The offensive aims to eliminate Hamas' last intact combat units in Rafah, with Israel striking 45 targets across Gaza.
Israel denied launching strikes within the designated humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi.
Efforts to secure a ceasefire continue, but Hamas' demands for a permanent end to the war and Israeli withdrawal remain unmet.
Since the conflict began, over 37,000 people have been killed, with most of Gaza's 2.3 million population displaced.

US military says it destroyed Houthi patrol boats, drone

The U.S. military destroyed two Houthi patrol boats, an uncrewed surface vessel, and a drone in the Red Sea.
These actions were part of efforts to weaken the capabilities of the Iran-backed Houthi group.
The Houthis attacked three ships, causing severe injury to one crew member and sparking a fire on a cargo ship.
Two anti-ship ballistic missiles were also launched by the Houthis but caused no damage or injuries.
The Houthi attacks have disrupted global shipping routes and raised concerns about broader regional instability.

OPEC does not foresee a peak in oil demand in its long-term forecast, expecting it to reach 116 million barrels per day by 2045.
This contrasts with the International Energy Agency (IEA), which predicts oil demand will peak by 2029 at around 106 million barrels per day.
OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais criticized the IEA's report, calling it dangerous and unrealistic.
OPEC+ has implemented significant output cuts to support the market, extending some cuts until the end of 2025.
Al Ghais argues that past IEA predictions, such as peaks in gasoline and coal demand, were proven wrong.

Oil prices are set to record their best week in over two months due to a strong demand outlook.
Brent crude futures dropped to $82.41 per barrel, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell to $78.21 per barrel.
Despite a slight dip, both benchmarks gained over 3% for the week, reversing prior losses.
OPEC's positive demand forecast for 2024 and Goldman Sachs' projection of solid U.S. fuel demand supported prices.
Russia pledged to meet its OPEC+ output obligations, further stabilizing the market.

The U.S., France, and Israel have agreed to collaborate on a roadmap to reduce tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, presented by France earlier this year.
France and the U.S. have been working to defuse tensions, submitting written proposals to both sides.
French President Macron announced a trilateral contact group involving the U.S., Israel, and France to advance the roadmap.
Hezbollah intensified hostilities, launching rockets and drones at Israeli military sites, demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
There is an urgent need for increased efforts by the U.S. and France due to the escalating conflict.

Iran has quickly installed additional uranium-enrichment centrifuges at its Fordow facility and is setting up more, as reported by the IAEA.
The installation is seen as a limited response to an IAEA board resolution against Iran.
Iran plans to install eight cascades of advanced IR-6 centrifuges at Fordow, with some already verified as completed by the IAEA.
Additional centrifuge installations are planned at the Natanz enrichment plant.
The exact timeline for the Natanz installations remains unspecified.

Sweden has summoned Iraq's chargé d'affaires to protest the death sentence given to a Swedish citizen.
The Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom conveyed demands that the death sentences not be enforced.
Sweden opposes the death penalty universally.
One Swedish citizen has been confirmed sentenced to death, with information suggesting one or two others might also face the same sentence.
The individuals were reportedly accused of involvement in a shooting incident in Iraq.

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