Trump Seeks to Delay China Trip Due to Iran Conflict
Donald Trump has announced that his planned visit to China this month to meet with President Xi Jinping may be postponed by "a month or so".
"We’re speaking to China. I would love to, but because of the war, I want to be here. We have requested that we delay it a month or so, and I’m looking forward to meeting with him. We’ve got a war going on. I think it’s important that I be here. So it could be that we delay it a little bit, not much."
Despite speculation, a senior Trump administration official clarified that the delay is not intended to pressure Beijing to assist in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz.
"We will see whether the visit takes place as scheduled. But what I do want to parse, and there’s a false narrative out there that if the meetings are delayed, it wouldn’t be delayed because the president’s demanded that China police the straits of Hormuz."
Operations at the United Arab Emirates’ Shah gas field remained suspended on Tuesday following a drone attack, while a separate incident caused a fire in the Fujairah oil industry zone. Local media offices reported no injuries in either event.
Additionally, cited the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reporting that an unidentified projectile struck a tanker 23 nautical miles (43 km) east of Fujairah, causing minor structural damage.
The Monday attack on the Shah field, located approximately 180 km southwest of Abu Dhabi and one of the world’s largest sour gas fields, has contributed to disruptions in the UAE’s energy sector. The country’s daily oil output has decreased by more than half since the conflict began, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz prompting state oil company Adnoc to implement widespread production shutdowns, according to two sources cited by .
Oil loading operations at the UAE’s port of Fujairah, a critical export terminal, were suspended twice in recent days following separate drone attacks, though some loading has since resumed, sources indicated.
Qatar Intercepts Missile Attack; Debris Causes Fire
Qatar reported intercepting a missile attack, with falling debris igniting a fire; no injuries were reported. The information was shared through social media posts by the ministries of defence and interior.
Civil defence authorities managed the minor fire in an industrial area.
Qatar is among several Gulf states targeted by Iranian drones and missiles in recent days, in retaliation for US-Israeli operations.
Attacks in Iraq Follow Death of Kataeb Hezbollah Commander
The recent attacks in Iraq occurred shortly after the Tehran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group announced the death of its senior security commander, Abu Ali al-Askari. Details surrounding his death have not been disclosed.
Iraq’s interior ministry initially reported that a "projectile" struck the roof of the luxury al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, later clarifying that the object was a drone, according to AFP. The ministry did not specify if the building was the intended target but confirmed there were no casualties or material damage.
A street leading to the hotel, which hosts diplomatic missions including the US embassy, was blocked by a significant security presence, with firefighters and ambulances on site, as reported by an AFP correspondent. Witnesses observed a fire on the hotel roof.
Shortly after the hotel incident, a loud explosion was heard in Baghdad as air defences intercepted an attack over the US embassy. A security official stated that "air defences thwarted an attack with four rockets" targeting the embassy.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is also head of the armed forces, condemned the attacks, including a strike on a southern oil field, describing them as threats to Iraq’s "security and stability."
US Embassy Targeted; Four Killed in Baghdad Strike Linked to Iran
Further reports from Iraq indicate that the drone and rocket attack targeting the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday coincided with a strike that killed four individuals at a residence reportedly hosting Iranian advisers, according to security officials. These events have deepened Iraq’s involvement in the Middle East conflict.
The strikes followed air defences thwarting a rocket attack on the embassy and a drone-induced fire at a luxury hotel frequented by foreign diplomats in Baghdad’s Green Zone, as reported by Agence France-Presse.
Iraq has long been a proxy battleground between the US and Iran, with Iran-backed groups conducting daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and the region.
Early Tuesday, a strike on a house in Baghdad resulted in four fatalities, with initial reports indicating that two of the deceased were "Iranian advisers" to Tehran-backed groups, a security source told AFP. Another source affiliated with an Iran-backed faction confirmed the deaths occurred at a house hosting Iranian advisors in the al-Jadiriyah neighborhood.
The UAE’s air defences are actively responding to incoming missile and drone attacks, the Gulf state’s ministry of defence announced. Sounds heard in the area correspond to air defences intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter jets engaging drones and loitering munitions.
Summary of Ongoing Middle East Crisis and Regional Impact
Welcome to our ongoing live coverage of the Middle East crisis and its implications for the region, global security, and the economy.
Recent developments include a wave of drone and rocket attacks targeting the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, described by Iraqi security sources as the most intense assault since the attacks began, involving at least five drones. quoted a witness reporting a powerful explosion in the Iraqi capital.
The United Arab Emirates’ aviation authority announced that air traffic operations have returned to normal after earlier airspace closures on Tuesday. The UAE’s ministry of defence confirmed that the country’s defences were responding to incoming missiles and drones.
Donald Trump stated he will soon announce countries that have agreed to assist the US in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He criticized several allies, including NATO and the UK, for declining involvement, suggesting that South Korea, Japan, and China should contribute. Trump also warned that NATO faces a "very bad" future if it does not assist and expressed dissatisfaction with the UK.
Allies responded by emphasizing that "this is not NATO war," with the European Union stating it has "no appetite" to expand its naval mission to the Strait of Hormuz. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remarked that the conflict "is not a matter for NATO," while NATO noted that "allies have already stepped up to provide additional security in the Mediterranean." UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resisted Trump’s call to deploy warships to the strait, stating the UK "will not be drawn into a wider war" but is collaborating with allies on a plan to reopen the strait.
Trump also predicted the war would be "wrapped up" soon, clarifying it would not conclude this week but "it won’t be long."
US Vice President JD Vance deflected questions regarding his support for Trump’s war on Iran, following media reports of his private skepticism and counsel against striking Iran. Vance accused the media of attempting to "drive a wedge" between him and the president and reiterated Trump’s claim that Tehran is close to developing a nuclear weapon.
"I trust President Trump to get the job done,"he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied recent contact with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, stating their last communication occurred before the US-Israel attack on Iran. Araghchi posted on X:
"My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer’s decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran. Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public."This followed reports that a direct communications channel between Witkoff and Araghchi had been reactivated recently, with Araghchi attempting to engage Witkoff to end the war.
Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Canada, and Italy expressed "grave concern" following Israeli strikes in Lebanon. They called for meaningful engagement between Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution. They warned that a significant Israeli ground offensive could result in devastating humanitarian consequences and potentially lead to a protracted conflict.
Earlier Monday, the Israeli Defence Forces announced the commencement of "limited and targeted" ground operations against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, advising hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians not to return to their homes.
Recent reports indicate Israeli strikes have killed at least 850 people in Lebanon, including at least 107 children, and caused extensive damage.
Operations at the UAE’s Shah gas and oil field were suspended after a fire broke out due to a drone attack. Abu Dhabi authorities reported Monday night that the fire had been brought under control.
Qatar announced it intercepted a second wave of missiles from Iran following an earlier attack on Monday.
