Global Express | September 13, 2026 Iran Says Commercial Vessel Struck in Strait of Hormuz

1. Iran Says Commercial Vessel Struck in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state media has claimed that an Iranian commercial vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, killing one person and wounding four. The attack took place near Qeshm Island, according to state broadcaster IRIB. The state-run IRNA news agency quoted the Qeshm governor as blaming a "terrorist enemy," while the U.S. military has not commented.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial energy chokepoint through which about 20 million barrels of oil passed daily before the war, though traffic now remains about 90% below pre-conflict levels. Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported that another vessel was hit by an unknown projectile in the strait on Saturday and caught fire.

Source

2. Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Military Base

Yemen's Houthi fighters said they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia, targeting "weapons depots and command and control centres." Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced the operation on X but did not specify the date of the attack.

Saudi civil defence forces said a projectile fell in al-Tawwal governorate near the Yemen border, injuring two people and damaging a mosque and several buildings. Yemeni government forces said they struck Houthi fighters in the Red Sea city of Mocha and carried out three airstrikes in the Taiz region on Sunday. The renewed fighting has killed more than 500 people, according to sources on both sides.

Source

3. Russian Attacks Kill at Least 11 in Ukraine Overnight

At least 11 people were killed and 96 injured across Ukraine in overnight Russian attacks between 11 and 12 September, with the Odesa region hit hardest. Ukraine's Air Force said Russia used 129 drones of various types, along with Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, eight Kalibr cruise missiles and six guided Kh-59/69 missiles.

In Odesa, a multi-storey residential building was damaged, with at least 35 people injured, including a five-month-old baby and a 17-year-old. The Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions also reported casualties. Ukraine confirmed it struck the Tolyattikauchuk plant in Russia's Samara region the same night.

Source

4. Hungary Expels 10 Russian Diplomats

Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats this week for engaging in activities "unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention," a phrase generally understood to mean espionage. Foreign Minister Anita Orban, no relation to the former prime minister, said the decision "protects Hungary's security and sovereignty."

It marks one of the toughest diplomatic sanctions against Moscow since the collapse of communism in 1989/1990. Since Peter Magyar became prime minister in May, the government has ended Viktor Orban's pro-Russia line and declared Russia a threat to Hungary's national security. The Kremlin is reportedly considering halting gas supplies in response.

Source

5. U.S. Inflation Again Outpaces Wage Growth

Consumer prices rose 3.4% in August from a year earlier, while average hourly earnings increased just 3.1% over the same period, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Real average hourly earnings fell 0.1% from July and were down 0.3% from a year earlier.

Navy Federal Credit Union chief economist Heather Long said energy is a major source of pressure, with gasoline prices rising 3.9% in August alone, accounting for more than one-third of the consumer price index's gain. Diesel touched $6 per gallon Friday. She said it is difficult to see inflation falling substantially while geopolitical pressures continue.

Source

6. Oil Returns to $100 as China Holds the Key

U.S. crude oil futures closed above $102 per barrel on Thursday, their highest close since May, up about 50% from the summer low of $68.55. This week's rally came as fighting sharply escalated in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline was shut down after multiple attacks.

Analysts say China will play a pivotal role in deciding where prices go next. As a swing consumer, China slashed its crude imports by 3 million to 5 million barrels per day during the Iran war and holds a petroleum reserve of more than 1 billion barrels. With refining margins soaring, Chinese refiners have an incentive to re-enter the market, which could tighten supply further.

Source

7. About 1,400 Yemenis Flee to Djibouti in 24 Hours

About 1,400 people fled Yemen for Djibouti in a 24-hour period, Djibouti's economy and finance minister said on Saturday, as Houthi fighters tighten their grip on the Bab al-Mandeb strait. On Friday, 500 refugees had arrived in the coastal city of Obock, including women and children, after being rescued at sea when their boats ran out of fuel.

The International Organization for Migration said Saturday that 76,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Yemen since July, with the figure quadrupling after the renewed escalation. The Houthis seized the Red Sea port city of Mocha on Thursday.

Source

8. From ISIS Bride to Informant: A Canadian Woman's Story

NPR tells the story of a young woman who joined the Islamic State and later escaped to become an informant against the group. Known only by her first initial S., she was born in Pakistan to Somali parents and raised in Canada from the age of two. In 2014, she flew to Turkey and was smuggled into Raqqa, Syria.

In Raqqa, S. was pressured to take an ISIS husband, refusing all four choices before escaping with another pregnant Canadian woman. Today, she works with authorities as an informant, helping to save others.

Source

9. Ex-Anthropic Researcher: AI Staff "Genuinely Frightened"

An AI researcher who quit Anthropic has said people working on the technology were "genuinely frightened" about the speed of its advancements. Jacob Coxon, 27, told the BBC: "If we don't slow down at the current rate of progress, there is a strong chance that we could all die in the immediate future."

His former boss, Anthropic head Dario Amodei, recently called for AI development to slow down, and the bosses of OpenAI and xAI — Sam Altman and Elon Musk — have both said they agree. Nvidia's Jensen Huang, however, dismissed the warnings as "complete nonsense."

Source

10. Hong Kong Leader to Wear Theme Tie, Badge for First Five-Year Plan

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in a social media video on September 13 that he and his team will wear themed ties, scarves and badges designed by teachers and students of the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong when he delivers the city's first five-year plan and fifth policy address on September 16.

Lee said the blue badge bearing the characters "one-five" represents Hong Kong's first five-year plan, while the tie and scarf designs draw inspiration from the technology development of the Northern Metropolis. He said he looks forward to preparing Hong Kong for a new five-year chapter of prosperity.

Source