[US-Israel, Iran War Day #168] CENTCOM Denies Reports of Deaths, Suicidal Ideation Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

In Brief…

• US President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States would hit Iran “hard economically” as Washington and Tehran struggle to reach a deal to end the nearly six-month conflict.
• US Central Command said 62 commercial vessels had been redirected, three disabled and two boarded as Washington continued enforcing its naval blockade against Iran.
• Oil prices rose Friday as faltering efforts to end the Iran war and the prospect of an extended US blockade kept geopolitical risks elevated, with Brent at $87.68 a barrel.
• US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would impose measures on Iran that have “never been seen,” in an interview with Newsmax.
• The UAE and Bahrain condemned Iran’s targeting of two ADNOC tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, with the UAE saying no injuries were reported.
• The US military has lost at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones during the war with Iran, roughly a quarter of its fleet, the Washington Post reported, citing US officials.

This is a developing story that HO1 will continue to monitor.
Check back for updates.

[UPDATE] Trump says he may declare Strait of Hormuz US territory soon