China on Monday called on all sides to immediately stop military operations in West Asia in response to US President Donald Trump’s call to join other countries, including Beijing, to help keep Strait of Hormuz open for international transport.The effective closure of the vital waterway by Iran in retaliation for airstrikes by the US and Israel has proved catastrophic for global energy and trade flows, causing the largest oil supply disruption and soaring global oil prices.China also said it is in talks with the US about Trump’s planned visit to Beijing later this month.China, a close ally of Iran and recipient of Iranian oil supplies at cheaper costs has condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and criticised the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei in American airstrikes.UK won’t be drawn into ‘wider war’: PM StarmerMarch 16, 2026 6:51 pmLondon: Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said that he will not allow the UK to be drawn into a “wider war” in the Middle East, asserting that he is working with European allies to develop a “viable plan” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Addressing a press conference at 10 Downing Street, the prime minister said that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to “ensure stability in the markets”, but added that it is not a “simple task”. He said the UK is working with “all of our allies” to bring a “viable, collective plan” to restore freedom of navigation to the region. Starmer asserted that he would not allow the UK to be drawn into a “wider war”. “I want to see an end to this war as quickly as possible. Because the longer it goes on, the more dangerous the situation becomes,” he said. PTIUS ‘fine’ with some ships getting through Strait of Hormuz, Bessent saysMarch 16, 2026 5:56 pmWashington: The United States is “fine” with some Iranian, Indian and Chinese ships going through the Strait of Hormuz for now, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday, adding that any action to mitigate higher prices would depend on how long the Iran war lasts. “We are seeing more and more of the fuel ships start to go through. The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we’ve let that happen to supply the rest of the world. We’ve seen Indian ships go out now … we believe some Chinese ships have gone out,” he told CJattvibe in an interview. “That should start ramping up before there are any of the flotillas or protective armadas in the Gulf. So we think that there will be a natural opening that the Iranians are letting out. And for now, we’re fine with that. We want the world to be well supplied,” Bessent said. ReutersTrump suggests delaying China trip; Bessent says not to pressure on Strait of HormuzMarch 16, 2026 5:50 pmWashington: President Donald Trump may delay his China trip due to the Iran war, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday it’s not to pressure Beijing on the Strait of Hormuz. Bessent said any delay to Trump’s trip to Beijing would not be because of disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics,” he said. “The president wants to remain in DC to coordinate the war and travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal.” APTrump threatens to remember which allies do not helpMarch 16, 2026 5:50 pmBeirut: Trump said on Sunday he wants to police the strait to make it safe for shipping, with his party increasingly concerned that rising prices for American consumers will hurt the Republicans in elections this fall. He did not identify the countries he said he asked to help with those efforts, but he said he won’t forget the countries that declined. He has previously appealed to China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain. “Whether we get support or not, but I can say this, and I said to them: We will remember,” Trump said. APFears of global energy crisis rise as Iran keeps stranglehold on shipping, hits Dubai airportMarch 16, 2026 5:49 pmBeirut: Fears of a global energy crisis rose on Monday as the war in the Middle East raged on, with more US-Israeli strikes on the Iranian capital and Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon. An Iranian drone strike temporarily shut Dubai’s airport, a crucial global travel hub, underscoring the threats to the world economy. Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran more than two weeks ago, Tehran has regularly fired on Israel, American bases in the region, and Gulf Arab countries’ energy infrastructure with drones and missiles. Iranian strikes on commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz and even just the threat of those attacks have also effectively stopped shipping traffic in the vital waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported. That has dramatically increased the price of oil and put pressure on Washington to do something to ease the pain for consumers. APUK seeks ‘viable’ plan to open Strait of Hormuz: StarmerMarch 16, 2026 4:56 pmLondon: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said that Britain is working with allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but “will not be drawn into the wider war.” He spoke after US President Donald Trump said he’d demanded US allies send warships to open the key oil shipment route. Starmer said Britain is discussing with the US and allies in Europe and the Gulf the possibility of using mine-hunting drones that the UK has in the region. But he signalled the UK is unlikely to dispatch a warship. Trump has berated Starmer for a perceived lack of support for the war, after the prime minister initially refused to allow the US to use British bases to strike Iran. APEU announces 458 million Euros in humanitarian aid for Middle EastMarch 16, 2026 4:23 pmThe European Union on Monday announced 458 million euros ($525 million) in humanitarian aid for the Middle East, in response to the conflicts in the region such as the US-Israeli war with Iran and Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. “In a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping up while others step back,” said Hadja Lahbib, the EU’s commissioner in charge of humanitarian crises. ReutersIndia asks its citizens not to cross Iran’s border without coordination with embassyMarch 16, 2026 4:21 pmDubai: India on Monday asked its citizens currently in Iran not to approach or attempt to cross any land border for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran. It said the embassy will not be in a position to provide assistance once individuals move outside Iranian territory without prior coordination. The embassy also posted helpline numbers that Indian nationals could reach out to in case of travel-related queries or emergencies – Telephone: +98 912 810 9115, +98 912 810 9102, +98 9128109109, +98 993 217 9359; E-mail: cons.tehrant@mea.gov.in. PTIIndia says it has not had talks with the US on deployment of warships in Strait of HormuzMarch 16, 2026 4:02 pmNew Delhi: India has not had any conversation with the US about helping ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz – a key artery of the global crude oil trade – a spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry said on Monday. ReutersIran says any end to US-Israeli war must be definitiveMarch 16, 2026 3:55 pmDubai: Iran has not requested a ceasefire, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday according to the semi-official Students News Network, and wants to ensure that any end to the war with Israel and the U.S. is definitive. Araqchi said that the Strait of Hormuz is only closed to “enemies and those supporting their aggression”. A foreign ministry spokesperson added that states not party to the war have been able to transit their vessels through the strait with coordination and permission from Iran’s armed forces. ReutersGerman foreign minister does not see role for NATO in Strait of HormuzMarch 16, 2026 3:18 pmBerlin: Germany did not see a role for the NATO defence alliance in addressing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Brussels on Monday. “I don’t see that NATO has made any decision in this direction or could assume responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz. If that were the case, then the NATO bodies would address it accordingly,” said Wadephul ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. US President Donald Trump ratcheted up pressure on European allies to help protect the strait, warning that NATO faces a “very bad” future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid. ReutersCrude futures rise to Rs 9,171/barrel on strong global cues; Brent hits USD 106March 16, 2026 2:50 pmNew Delhi: Crude oil prices rose Rs 119 to Rs 9,171 per barrel in futures trade on Monday as escalating tensions in West Asia kept supply risks in focus, even as the US explored ways to restore shipping around the Strait of Hormuz. In the international market, Brent Oil futures for May delivery gained USD 2.82, or 2.73 per cent, to USD 105.96 per barrel. PTIWe’re ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course: Israeli Envoy Reuven AzarMarch 16, 2026 1:46 pmNew Delhi: As the West Asia conflict entered its 17th day, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Monday said “we are ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course”. Interacting with reporters here, Azar also said that in the last few days, Israel consulted “diplomatic channels”, including its partners the US and countries in the region. “We are always for diplomacy. Unfortunately, we exhausted diplomacy to the extent that we had to take military action. We hope that diplomacy will be relevant again as a result of our military action,” he said. PTIOil loading operations suspended at UAE’s Fujairah portMarch 16, 2026 1:37 pmSome oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah port after another drone attack and fire. Civil defence teams are trying to control the fire. No casualties were reported.Israel says it destroyed plane used by Iran’s late supreme leader KhameneiMarch 16, 2026 1:37 pmDubai: The Israeli military said on Monday it had destroyed a plane used by Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport overnight. It said the aircraft had been used by senior Iranian officials and military figures to travel domestically and internationally, and coordinate with allied countries. Mehrabad is one of Tehran’s oldest airports, now serving domestic and regional flights. In addition to being the busiest civilian domestic airport, it is a dual-use facility housing air force assets. ReutersChina says it is communicating with all sides about the Strait of HormuzMarch 16, 2026 1:37 pmBeijing: China is in communication “with all sides” about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the foreign ministry said on Monday, reiterating the country’s call for a de-escalation of the Middle East conflict. At a regular press briefing, the ministry was asked if China had received any request from U.S. President Donald Trump to assist in ensuring the security of the Strait, a vital artery for global energy shipments. “We are in communication with all parties on the current situation and are committed to promoting the easing and cooling down of the situation,” ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters. ReutersMiddle East war disrupts pharma air routes, risks cancer drugs supplyMarch 16, 2026 1:18 pmLondon: War in the Middle East is disrupting the flow of critical medicines to the Gulf, imperilling supply routes for cancer drugs and other treatments that require refrigeration and forcing companies to reroute flights and find overland access into the region, industry executives said. The conflict, sparked by US and Israeli attacks on Iran two weeks ago and broadened by Iranian strikes around the region, has knocked out key air transit hubs and closed shipping routes, snarling the movement of goods for many products from medicines to food and oil. While there are few signs yet of major shortages, that could change if the conflict drags on, some executives said. The Gulf relies heavily on imports and some medicines have short shelf lives and need strict cold-chain storage, making lengthy overland shipping less practical. ReutersSome flights resume at Dubai airportMarch 16, 2026 12:48 pmDubai: United Arab Emirates officials say Dubai International Airport has gradually resumed some flights after a drone strike. Dubai Civil Aviation Authority announced flights are operating to selected destinations, according to the Dubai Media Office. Emirates airline says limited operations have resumed at the airport. APFire near Dubai airport under control after drone attack, flights suspendedMarch 16, 2026 10:41 amDubai authorities brought under control on Monday a fire caused by a drone attack near the city’s international airport that forced a temporary suspension of flights, though no injuries were reported, they said. The US-Israel war against Iran has thrown global aviation into turmoil, with flights cancelled, rescheduled and rerouted, as most Middle East airspace stays shut over fears of missile and drone attacks, while the crisis sends fuel prices soaring. Monday’s incident is the third at the Dubai airport, one of the world’s busiest international travel hubs, since Iran began its attacks on Gulf nations on February 28, with strikes Tehran has said aim at the US presence in the region. While the United Arab Emirates and Gulf countries, as well as Iraq, Jordan and Turkey, host US military facilities, Iran has used missiles and drones to target civilian facilities such as airports, hotels and ports. “A drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport affected one of the fuel tanks,” the Dubai media office said on X. Traffic was temporarily halted on road and tunnel links with the airport, police said, while the Emirates airline suspended flights with Dubai. Some flights were diverted to the Al Maktoum International Airport, the Dubai media office said on X. ReutersAustraliaMarch 16, 2026 10:04 amAustralia will not send naval ships to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a government minister said on Monday. “We won’t be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz. We know how incredibly important that is, but that’s not something that we’ve been asked or that we’re contributing to,” Catherine King, a member of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s cabinet, said in an interview with state broadcaster ABC. ReutersJapanMarch 16, 2026 10:04 amJapan does not currently plan to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday. “We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships. We are continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done within the legal framework,” Takaichi told parliament. ReutersBritainMarch 16, 2026 10:04 amPrime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the need to reopen the Strait to end disruption to global shipping with Trump, a Downing Street spokeswoman said on Sunday. Starmer also spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and they have agreed to continue talks on the Middle East conflict at a meeting on Monday, the spokeswoman added. ReutersSouth KoreaMarch 16, 2026 9:46 am”We will communicate closely with the U.S. regarding this matter and make a decision after careful review,” South Korea’s presidential office said on Sunday. ReutersMore Iranian missile strikes hit IsraelMarch 16, 2026 8:36 amCairo: Israel’s military said early Monday that Iran launched missiles toward Israel. Earlier, several strikes hit central Israel and the Tel Aviv area, where they caused damage at 23 sites and sparked a small fire. Magen David Adom, Israel’s rescue service, released video showing a large crater in a street and shrapnel damage to an apartment building. Israel’s military says Iran is firing cluster bombs that can evade some air defenses and scatter submunitions across multiple locations. APMore missile and drone attacks are reportedMarch 16, 2026 8:36 amCairo: Gulf Arab states including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain reported new missile or drone attacks a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates – the first time it has threatened a neighboring country’s non-US assets. Dubai temporarily suspended flights at its international airport – the world’s busiest – after a drone hit a fuel tank and caused a fire. Civil defense crews contained the blaze and no injuries were reported, authorities said. APCountries are cautious after Trump’s callMarch 16, 2026 8:36 amCairo: US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Jattvibe earlier Sunday that he has been “in dialogue” with some of the countries Trump had mentioned previously, and said he expected China “will be a constructive partner” in reopening the strait. But countries made no promises. Britain said Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday discussed with Trump the importance of reopening the strait “to end the disruption to global shipping,” and spoke with Canada’s prime minister about it separately. Aboard Air Force One, Trump specifically named Starmer, who he said initially declined to put British aircraft carriers “into harm’s way.” “Whether we get support or not, but I can say this, and I said to them: We will remember,” Trump said. A spokesperson for China’s embassy to the US, Liu Pengyu, said previously that “all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and unimpeded energy supply” and that China would “strengthen communication with relevant parties” for de-escalation. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said it “takes note” of Trump’s call and that it “will closely coordinate and carefully review” the situation with the US Expectations are high that Trump will ask Japan directly when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets him on Thursday at the White House. France previously said it is working with countries – President Emmanuel Macron mentioned partners in Europe, India and Asia – on a possible international mission to escort ships through the strait but has stressed it must be when “the circumstances permit,” when fighting has subsided. AP