Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States meets a set of conditions that include lifting a naval blockade, paying compensation for war damage, ending economic sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Monday. The closure of the waterway, which normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil, has become the most enduring consequence of the widening conflict and continues to weigh on global energy markets.
"It is up to the U.S. side to stop and make amends for its illegal and destructive actions," spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran. Iran is holding separate talks with Oman on a potential temporary shipping corridor, but Baghaei said any actual reopening depends on negotiations with Washington. The impasse has kept oil prices volatile ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November and has forced tankers to seek longer, costlier routes.
Canadian energy markets watch Hormuz standoff
The disruption matters for Canada as both a major oil producer and a consumer exposed to global price swings. Canadian crude benchmarks have tracked international gains since the strait was effectively closed to commercial traffic. Analysts in Calgary and Toronto say a prolonged closure would tighten global supply enough to support higher prices for Western Canadian Select, though the benefit would be offset by higher refining and transportation costs for eastern provinces that rely on imported barrels.
Global Affairs Canada has not issued a specific statement on the Hormuz closure but has previously called for freedom of navigation in accordance with international law. Canadian naval vessels have participated in multinational maritime security operations in the region in past years.
Israel declares West Bank town a closed military zone
In the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military declared the Christian-majority town of Taybeh a closed military zone on Monday, barring Israeli settlers and other non-residents from entering. The order follows months of arson, vandalism and incursions by extremist settlers from surrounding settlements. Palestinian residents and journalists are exempt unless soldiers determine their presence poses a threat.
The designation reflects the army's struggle to maintain order across the territory, where the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 87 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers or soldiers so far in 2026. Parts of Taybeh fall under Area B, where Israel retains security control while the Palestinian Authority handles civil affairs. Residents have long complained of slow military and police response to settler attacks.
Yemen's internationally recognized government said Houthi rebels killed seven people and wounded 30 in a Sunday attack on the Red Sea port town of Mokha. The dead included four military personnel and three civilians. The strike is part of the largest wave of Houthi attacks on government-held positions since a 2022 truce. With the Strait of Hormuz largely off limits, shipping has increasingly shifted toward the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising the stakes for security along that corridor.
In Gaza, beekeepers are attempting to restart honey production after more than two years of war devastated the sector. Before the conflict, apiaries were concentrated in agricultural lands near the perimeter fence, areas that remain under Israeli military control. Producers have returned to zones near the Yellow Line dividing the territory and found enough surviving hives to resume operations in Gaza City and parts of Jabalia. They say Israel's blockade on materials needed for beekeeping continues to constrain recovery. "The bee sector is an important sector for sustainability, ecological balance and farming," said Ibrahim al-Dabbeh, head of the Cooperative Association of Beekeepers.
Based on reporting by Global News.