International

US Allows Limited Russian Oil Sales Amid Gulf Crisis

By BPN News Desk March 13, 2026

The United States has issued a temporary sanctions license allowing the sale, delivery, or offloading of Russian crude oil and petroleum products that were already loaded onto vessels on or before 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 12, 2026. The authorization remains valid until April 11, 2026, as global energy markets react to the […]

Op-Eds Opinion

Energy Security or Energy Illusion? India’s LPG Crisis Explains the Truth

By BPN News Desk March 12, 2026

The images dominating global television screens today show missiles streaking across Middle Eastern skies, oil facilities burning and military aircraft crossing hostile airspace. But far away from these battlefields, the consequences are unfolding in a far more ordinary place: the Indian kitchen. As tensions around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz escalate, reports of LPG

International

Khamenei Says Hormuz Closure Is Leverage

By BPN News Desk March 12, 2026

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz should be used as leverage in the ongoing war, marking his first public statement since taking over the country’s top post. The message, read on state television rather than delivered on camera, also signalled that Iran intends to continue military pressure […]

International

Israel Reports New Missile Launch From Iran

By BPN News Desk March 12, 2026

Israel said on Thursday that it had detected another missile launch from Iran, triggering air raid sirens in Jerusalem and other areas as its defence systems moved to intercept the incoming fire. Explosions were heard over Jerusalem during the interception attempt, adding to tensions as the conflict continued with repeated cross-border strikes. Israel Missile Alert […]

International

Iran Warns Pakistan Over War Accountability

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that global order and international security could be endangered if those responsible for the ongoing war are not held accountable. The remarks, reported by Iranian state media, came during a conversation between the two leaders as regional tensions continued to rise. Pezeshkian Warns

International

Saudi Arabia Downs Drones Near Shaybah

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted seven drones heading toward the strategically important Shaybah oil field, underscoring the growing risk to Gulf energy infrastructure as Iran’s regional attacks widened. The latest incident added to concerns over oil security, regional air defence strain and the vulnerability of critical energy assets during the ongoing conflict. Saudi

International

Israel To Raise Defence Budget By $13 Billion

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

Israel is preparing to expand its defence budget by nearly 40 billion shekels, or about $13 billion, as the government moves to finance the growing cost of its war with Iran. The proposed increase would amount to roughly 2% of Israel’s gross domestic product and reflects the scale of the country’s current military operations and […]

International

Iran Launches Fresh Strikes Across Region

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

Iran launched a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes in the last few hours, targeting Israel and US-linked positions across the Middle East as the regional conflict entered another intense phase. Iranian state media described the barrage as the heaviest since the start of the war, while several countries in the Gulf activated air […]

International

US Lawmakers Fear Iran Ground Troops

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

Democratic lawmakers in the United States have raised fresh concerns that President Donald Trump could expand the war with Iran by deploying American ground troops, following classified briefings from administration officials. The unease comes as questions grow in Washington over the scale, cost and end goals of the conflict. US Lawmakers Raise Iran Ground Troop […]

International

Pentagon Says 140 US Troops Wounded

By BPN News Desk March 11, 2026

About 140 US service members have been wounded in the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to the Pentagon, marking the first broad official injury count since the fighting began. The figures show the toll the war has taken on American forces deployed across the Middle East, even as Washington says most of the injuries have […]