One of the women who was part of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's circle for years has spoken out in detail for the first time about the abuse she says she endured over the years. She described Epstein's system of manipulation as a "cult" from which it was almost impossible to escape.

The woman, who spoke to the BBC under the pseudonym Anya to protect her identity, said that only after Epstein's death in 2019 was she able to leave that life, which, according to her, was characterized by psychological control, sexual abuse and complete dependence on him.

"I'm still trying to accept the fact that I was abused for years. I wasn't chained or locked in a basement. The handcuffs were less visible, but they were there," Anya said.

According to her, Epstein himself described his operation as a "cult" and himself as its leader. She claims that she lived with about ten other young women in apartments financed by him, worked for him 24 hours a day and was constantly exposed to sexual abuse.

Bill Gates thotë se nuk ka qenë dëshmitar i krimeve, por mund të ketë qenë në prani të viktimave të Epstein

Anya says Epstein lured her with promises of a successful modeling career. After leaving Russia to work in the fashion industry and working with well-known fashion houses, she was introduced to Epstein as someone with extensive connections in the industry. She now believes she was carefully targeted from the start.

"It was a perfectly organized trap," she said, adding that the entire process was planned to gain her trust.

She says that for months, Epstein convinced her to work on her appearance, promised her meetings with important figures in the fashion world and asked for photos, including nude photos, while at the same time destroying her self-confidence by telling her she wasn't good enough.

According to her, the first sexual assault occurred while Epstein was serving a prison sentence in Florida. Later, other women in his circle told her that he was exaggerating the situation, which made her doubt her own perception of what had happened.

Publikohet letra që Epstein dyshohet se e la para vetëvrasjes

Over time, she became completely financially and physically dependent on Epstein. She had no bank account, could not rent an apartment, and he controlled her movements, contacts with other people, and even access to healthcare.

Anya claims that Epstein used various methods to keep the women under control. He threatened them with compromising photos and videos, forced them to write thank-you letters, and turned them against each other to break down trust between them.

One of the most difficult moments, according to her, was when he convinced her to remove a tattoo surgically by cutting the skin, instead of laser treatment, which has left visible scars even today.

She says that her greatest shame is the fact that, under pressure, she also participated in the behavior of other young girls.

"He created an entire ecosystem of abuse that served only him," Anya said, adding that she decided to speak out publicly to help other women recognize and leave abusive relationships. /Telegraph/

Europol has supported a large-scale international operation against an organised criminal network involved in the production of amphetamine in Germany and the Netherlands.

During the coordinated raids, several people were arrested and illegal drug laboratories were dismantled.

The investigation revealed that the criminal group specialized in producing large quantities of amphetamine, using clandestine laboratories and a logistics network to distribute the drug to various European countries.

Authorities seized drug production equipment, chemical substances, ready-made drugs, and other evidence related to criminal activity.

The operation was conducted with the participation of German and Dutch authorities, while Europol provided analytical and coordination support throughout the investigation.

The agency's experts helped exchange information and coordinate actions on the ground.

According to Europol, the production of synthetic drugs remains one of the most serious threats to security in the European Union.

Criminal organizations are increasingly using sophisticated laboratories and international networks to produce and distribute narcotics, making international cooperation crucial in the fight against this phenomenon. /Telegraph/

Russian oligarchs linked to the Kremlin have begun massively moving their capital abroad, in a signal that analysts say shows growing uncertainty about Russia's economic future.

According to estimates published by various sources, businessmen close to the government in Moscow are trying to protect their assets from potential risks, while the Russian economy is facing great pressure due to international sanctions, high military spending and the weakening of some economic sectors.

The oligarchs, who for years have been among the main beneficiaries of the Russian economic system, are suspected of fearing a new wave of state intervention, including taking control of private companies or transferring assets to state-linked structures.

"When even the people closest to power start to worry, it's a sign of deeper problems," Kremlin critics say, Bloomberg writes.

However, Russian authorities have repeatedly denied that the country's economy is in crisis and have stated that Russia has managed to adapt to Western sanctions.

The shift of capital by wealthier businessmen is seen as an important indicator of the climate of uncertainty, while the Russian economy continues to be dependent on state spending and the defense sector. /Telegraph/

An Iranian intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) is suspected of hitting the troop accommodation area at Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base in Jordan, where US forces are stationed.

According to preliminary reports, the strike affected the area housing military personnel. The defensive structures at this base are designed primarily for protection from shrapnel and fire, but not to withstand a direct hit from ballistic missiles.

At the moment there is no official data on the number of casualties or damage caused, but there is concern that the attack may have caused losses among American troops.

Irani goditi depo municionesh dhe baza në Irak, si dhe një anije në Ngushticën e Hormuzit

Meanwhile, Iran has carried out another attack on targets in the region, striking a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait for the second day in a row, where a fire was reported.

The attack on the water plant comes after a similar facility was hit a day earlier. Authorities believe the plants are critically important to Kuwait, as the country obtains about 90 percent of its drinking water through desalination of seawater.

The attacks are part of a broader Iranian campaign against US bases and infrastructure in the region, including Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and other military facilities.

So far, American and regional authorities have not published an official assessment of the consequences of the recent attacks. /Telegraph/

Ukrainian drones have hit the largest order processing center of Wildberries, the largest e-commerce company in Russia, in the Moscow region.

According to reports, the attack targeted one of the company's main logistics facilities, which serves as a central point for processing and distributing millions of orders across Russia.

Russian authorities did not immediately provide full details of the damage caused, while the Ukrainian side has not yet made an official statement about the operation.

Ukrainasit shkatërrojnë në zemër të Rusisë një bombardues strategjik me vlerë 26 milionë dollarë

Drone attacks on Russian territory have intensified in recent months, with Ukraine expanding its use of unmanned aerial vehicles to strike targets it considers linked to Russia's logistical, military and economic capabilities.

The Moscow region, including areas surrounding the Russian capital, has been hit several times by drone attacks, causing temporary disruptions and additional security measures.

Wildberries is one of the largest online sales companies in Russia and is considered the Russian equivalent of international e-commerce platforms. /Telegraph/

Europe and the United States are facing unusually high temperatures, while cities are being forced to seek new solutions to adapt to extreme heat waves.

Experts say cities should follow the example of several areas in Arizona, USA, which have faced extreme temperatures for years and have developed ways to protect residents from the intense heat.

Among the measures being considered are expanding green areas, planting more trees, using materials that reflect sunlight on buildings and roads, and creating fresh public spaces for citizens.

Heat waves in Europe have brought record temperatures, putting health services and local authorities on alert.

Mësim nga Franca - dikur strehoheshin pas gurëve, sot më nuk mjafton

Scientists warn that climate change is making these episodes more frequent and intense, writes the BBC .

In many European cities, traditional urban infrastructure is proving inadequate to cope with increasingly high temperatures.

The extensive concreting and lack of green spaces create the so-called "urban heat island effect", where temperatures in cities are significantly higher than in surrounding areas.

Experts emphasize that cities must change the way they plan their cities and prepare for a hotter climate, treating protection from extreme temperatures as a public safety issue. /Telegraph/

Astronomers have detected for the first time an atmosphere around a rocky planet located in the habitable zone of its star.

It is a "super-Earth" called LHS 1140 b, and this discovery represents an important step in the search for worlds that could be suitable for life. Until now, atmospheres had only been detected on gas giant planets, writes ScienceAlert.

The search for habitable worlds is based on two main criteria: the planet must have a composition similar to Earth and be at a distance from its star that allows for the existence of liquid water, writes sciencealert .

"It's the first time anyone has found an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star," said Collin Cherubim, a planetary scientist at Harvard University and lead author of the study published in the journal Science.

Measurements show that LHS 1140 b has a mass about five times that of Earth and a radius 1.7 times that of Earth. This indicates that it is rocky in composition, but its lower density than Earth suggests the presence of a thin atmosphere and possibly some water.

The planet is an ideal object for study, as it is only about 50 light-years from Earth. It orbits a red dwarf star, which is much smaller and cooler than the Sun and has about a fifth of its mass.

"Twenty years ago we wondered whether other terrestrial planets existed at all. Then we discovered that they are common and found some in the habitable zone. The next question was whether any of them had managed to retain an atmosphere. Now we know that at least one of them has," said Robin Wordsworth of Harvard University.

Cherubim had previously predicted that LHS 1140 b might have a helium-rich atmosphere. To do this, he created a computer model that analyzed the processes of planetary mass loss.

The model showed that planets at the right distance from their star could lose hydrogen but retain helium, creating an atmosphere dominated by this gas.

"I call these planets 'helium-rich worlds.' I think they may not be that exotic, but a natural step in the evolution of many small planets. I wanted to test this prediction and looked for helium escaping from the planet – and I found it," Cherubim said.

To confirm the prediction, the researchers used the WINERED spectrograph at the Las Campanas Observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile.

They observed LHS 1140 b and a neighboring planet during a night in September 2024, when both bodies passed in front of their star.

By analyzing light passing through the planet's atmosphere, scientists were able to determine which wavelengths were absorbed by the gases.

They found that LHS 1140 b, unlike its neighboring planet, showed signs of a helium atmosphere that is escaping into space at speeds of hundreds of thousands of kilograms per second.

This process could be caused by the star's solar winds or by magnetic interactions between the planet and the star. However, the phenomenon appears to change over time, as it was not observed during another observation in 2025.

One of the most important aspects of the discovery is the fact that LHS 1140 b has managed to preserve its atmosphere for more than three billion years, even though red dwarfs are known for their unstable activity.

"The planet receives from its star about 42 percent of the energy that Earth receives from the Sun," Cherubim explained.

"Although it has been exposed throughout its history to the highest levels of X-ray and ultraviolet radiation that typically destroy the atmospheres of rocky planets, it has retained some of the helium it probably received during its formation," he claimed.

Scientists will now focus on further analysis to find out if the planet has oceans or other features that could support life.

The fact that this discovery was made with a telescope on Earth shows that ground-based observatories also have an important role in studying atmospheres outside the solar system, alongside space telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

"This was a confirmation of the model and I hope it is just the first of many future observations," Cherubim concluded. /Telegraph/

Firefighters in northeastern Spain are battling forest fires with the help of 30 aircraft today, after a large blaze forced the evacuation of around 1,000 people.

The situation comes after recent heatwaves that have dried out vegetation across much of Europe.

Successive waves of extreme temperatures have pushed thermometers to unprecedented levels in large areas of the continent, causing water shortages, crop damage and thousands more deaths than usual.

According to Reuters, the average temperature in Europe today is 27.5 degrees Celsius, which is 4.2 degrees higher than the average maximum temperature for July 17 in the period 1961-1990.

In France, the drought has worsened every day since late May. A nuclear power plant in the south of the country could be forced to shut down after high temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea made the water too warm to cool the reactors.

In Germany, low water levels on the Rhine River have hampered river transport, leading to increased transport costs. While temperatures have started to drop in some areas, powerful storms have appeared.

Two people have died in central and eastern France. One of the victims is a woman in the Saint-Victurnien area, in the Haute-Vienne department, who died after a tree fell on her.

In the eastern part of the country, in Dolomieu, the body of a man was found in a factory destroyed by fire. According to the AFP agency, the fire was caused by a lightning strike.

French grid operator Enedis confirmed that a total of 53,000 households were left without electricity. The biggest supply problems were recorded in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regions in the southeast and Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the southwest of France.

The Spanish meteorological service warned that temperatures will start to rise again on Sunday. In some areas of Andalusia and La Mancha, temperatures of 42 to 44 degrees Celsius are expected, due to the arrival of hot air from North Africa.

A forest fire near Ores, in the northeastern region of Aragon, spread over more than 12,000 hectares on Friday night. Around 300 soldiers are battling it, assisted by helicopters and five firefighting aircraft.

Firefighters are also trying to control blazes near Madrid and in Guadalajara province, where about 1,500 hectares have burned and a children's summer camp has been evacuated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last week that Europe faces "a deadly few weeks" due to new heat waves forming over the Atlantic Ocean.

Scientists monitoring so-called excess deaths said that during the heatwave in late June, thousands more people died in Europe than usual for this time of year. /Telegraph/

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has stated that Berlin will continue to work towards a close relationship with France, despite political developments in Paris and the election of the next French president.

Speaking about France's political future, Merz said that current President Emmanuel Macron will not be able to run for a new term, but expressed his belief that his successor will be guided by the common interests of both countries.

"Emmanuel Macron will not be able to be the next president of France, but I assume that whoever succeeds him will be guided by what is right and necessary for the interests of our countries," Merz said.

The German Chancellor stressed that Germany will continue to strengthen its partnership with France, regardless of the election result.

"We will do everything we can to make cooperation with our French neighbor as close, deep and based on trust as possible, regardless of how the French people vote," he said.

Merz added that this approach applies to both the Élysée Palace, the seat of the French presidency, and the National Assembly of France.

"Germany's hand will always remain extended for deeper and more reliable cooperation with France, regardless of the decisions of the voters in our two countries," the German Chancellor declared.

Otherwise, Macron cannot be president of France anymore because the French Constitution limits the president to two consecutive terms.

Macron was first elected president in 2017 and was re-elected for a second term in 2022. According to Article 6 of the French Constitution, a president cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. /Telegraph/

The United States has launched another series of airstrikes against Iran, marking the seventh consecutive night of military operations, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.

In a statement published on the X platform, CENTCOM confirmed that the attacks continue with the objective of weakening Iranian military capabilities.

"The attacks are designed to continue to degrade Iran's military capabilities, as directed by the Commander in Chief," the US military said in a statement.

Irani goditi depo municionesh dhe baza në Irak, si dhe një anije në Ngushticën e Hormuzit

The US military did not immediately provide details on the number of targets hit, their locations or the damage caused by the latest attacks.

The campaign of attacks comes at a time of high tensions between Washington and Tehran, with both sides engaged in military clashes and diplomatic efforts to manage the crisis.

According to US officials, the operations are aimed at limiting Iran's ability to develop and use military capabilities that could threaten US interests and its allies in the region. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have criticized the US attacks and warned of consequences for continuing military operations. /Telegraph/

Renowned professor at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, Daniel Serwer, has reacted sharply to the statements of the Serbian Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government, Snezhana Paunović, who stated in a television appearance that, if she had been in the position of Serbian wartime leader Slobodan Milošević, she would have "ethnically cleansed Kosovo" in 1998.

In an interview with N1 television, Serwer described the minister's statement as extremely serious and unacceptable, emphasizing that a serious institutional reaction from the Serbian leadership should be immediate.

"If Vucic had even a single part of himself that disagreed with this, he would immediately dismiss him. It is such a reprehensible statement that it is difficult to describe," Serwer declared.

According to the American professor, Paunović's failure to resign from his ministerial post shows that the issue is not just related to a personal statement, but raises questions about the broader political stance of Serbian institutions towards rhetoric related to ethnic cleansing.

The Serbian minister's statement, made during an interview on July 11 on Kurir TV, caused strong reactions in Kosovo and in the international arena.

Shtohet presioni gjerman pas deklaratës skandaloze për Kosovën të ministres serbe

Paunovic, who is part of the Socialist Party of Serbia once led by the former butcher of the Balkans, Slobodan Milosevic, was criticized for normalizing an idea related to crimes and mass deportations during the war in Kosovo.

Kosovo institutions have declared her persona non grata, while the Ministry of Justice has announced that it has taken legal steps against her. Criticism of her statements has also come from representatives of the European Union and the US State Department. /Telegraph/

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly detained a ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the Iranian Tasnim news agency, citing an informed source, Iranian forces have intercepted a Thai-flagged ship after it allegedly ignored warnings and attempted to pass through the waterway without authorization.

Meanwhile, other reports indicate that Iran has carried out attacks on ammunition depots and military bases in northern Iraq.

Images posted on social media show explosions and fires in the affected areas.

So far there are no full details on the damage or the exact targets of the attacks, writes skynews.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most strategic maritime transport points in the world, as a significant portion of global oil supplies passes through it.

Any military incident in this area raises concerns about the security of energy markets and international navigation.

The latest developments come at a time of high tensions between Iran and its regional and international adversaries, with the international community closely monitoring the situation. /Telegraph/

The American cities of Detroit, Chicago and Washington now have some of the worst air quality levels in the world, while New York ranks fourth for air pollution. Citizens wear masks as they do during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data from the air quality monitoring platform IQAir, the pollution index has reached alarming levels: in Detroit, the level was recorded at 435, in Chicago 330, and in Washington 242, which are considered very dangerous levels for health.

Zjarri i madh në Kanada rrethon trenin, drejtuesi filmon kalimin mes flakëve

In comparison, cities known for air pollution such as Jakarta, New Delhi and Beijing have now had better air quality.

A thick layer of gray smoke has blanketed many cities in the northeastern United States, significantly reducing visibility.

From Arlington in Virginia, where the panorama of Washington is usually clearly visible, today monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument are barely distinguishable.

Residents have also reported an unusual smell in the air, while authorities have activated the purple alert, which indicates air that is very harmful to health.

Similar situations have been reported in New York, Boston and Chicago. Residents have reported smelling and tasting smoke, while authorities have advised against outdoor activities due to hazardous particles in the air.

The source of the smoke is the large forest fires that are engulfing the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as the American state of Minnesota.

Experts warn that climate change has contributed to the expansion of areas affected by fires. Drought has made the soil and vegetation burn more easily, causing more frequent and larger fires. /Telegraph/

Russian-occupied Crimea is facing serious energy and fuel supply problems, with local authorities admitting that the situation is worsening.

The Russian-installed leader of Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, stated that residents cannot have a guarantee that gasoline will be available every day at gas stations.

"At the moment, daily fuel supplies cannot be guaranteed," Aksionov said, adding that authorities are trying to manage the situation.

Major problems have also been reported with the electricity supply. According to him, it is currently impossible to draw up a schedule that would enable an equal distribution of energy throughout the territory of Crimea.

These statements have raised concerns about a wider humanitarian crisis on the peninsula, where fuel shortages and power outages could affect food supplies and basic services.

The situation in Crimea has also been affected by developments in the war in Ukraine, including attacks on Russian-controlled energy and logistics infrastructure. Local authorities have not given a deadline for when supplies are expected to stabilize. /Telegraph/

A powerful earthquake has struck off the coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas, prompting a tsunami warning. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 7.3.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said "hazardous tsunami waves" could occur along coasts within a radius of 300 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake. The warning applies to parts of the Pacific Ocean closest to the shaking zone.

The epicenter of the earthquake was recorded near Puerto Madero, a major Pacific port and fishing town located about 13 kilometers from the border with Guatemala. The USGS initially reported a magnitude of 7.4, but later revised the estimate to 7.3. The earthquake occurred at a depth of just 10 kilometers.

Shallow earthquakes usually cause stronger ground shaking and can cause more damage. Shaking of this strength is often accompanied by other destructive consequences, such as landslides.

The governor of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara, announced that the moderate-intensity earthquake was also felt in the state capital. According to initial information, there are no reports of injuries or major material damage, he said on social media.

The earthquake shook buildings in Guatemala's capital, Guatemala City, as some residents took to the streets in fear, Reuters reported.

The tremors were also felt in the neighboring country of El Salvador. /Telegraph/

US President Donald Trump has refused to schedule a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the Israeli leader's public criticism of Washington's plan to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

According to US media, Netanyahu's statements caused anger in the White House. One US official said Trump was "very irritated", while another stated that the president believed Netanyahu "had no right" to interfere in US defense strategy.

The clash caused a potential meeting in the Oval Office to fall through. US officials said the meeting was not authorized and was not on the presidential agenda, despite the Israeli side having begun preparations for the trip to Washington, Axios reports.

Kongresi amerikan lufton për të lejuar Turqinë të kthehet në programin F-35

Tensions between the two allies have been rising ahead of Trump's trip to the NATO summit in Ankara. An Israeli intelligence claim of a possible Iranian threat to the US president was dismissed by US officials as speculative rather than a concrete plan.

The disagreements come at a time when support for Netanyahu in Washington is weakening. Senior American officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have criticized some members of the Israeli government for their stances on US policy on Iran.

Meanwhile, voices against military aid to Israel are also growing in the US Congress. More than 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to cut $3 billion in military aid, in a sign of growing divisions over US policy toward the Netanyahu government. /Telegraph/

Drone footage released by Madrid firefighters on Friday shows the aftermath of a forest fire that forced the evacuation and isolation of residents north of the Spanish capital.

A man was arrested on Thursday (July 16) on suspicion of deliberately setting the fire that broke out in the municipality of Lozoyuela, the government representative in Madrid told Cadena SER radio.

As of Friday, the fire remained out of control, while authorities were carefully monitoring weather conditions, which are considered a key factor in efforts to bring the flames under control.

The forest fire has engulfed around 700 hectares of land in the Lozoyuelas area.

The Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) warned that temperatures will start to rise again from Saturday, with some inland parts of Andalusia expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. /Telegraph

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The Netherlands is officially facing a water shortage, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management announced.

The National Committee for the Coordination of Water Distribution (LCW) has recommended that the situation be raised to the second level of alert for real water shortages.

Authorities and water supply companies are considering new measures for distributing available reserves, although it has not yet been decided which concrete measures will be implemented.

The Dutch government emphasizes that drinking water continues to be available, but citizens are urged to use it carefully and avoid wasting it, media reports.

The water shortage is expected to initially affect river shipping, industry and agriculture. Low water levels make it difficult for ships to navigate, forcing them to carry less cargo to avoid getting stuck at the bottom of rivers. Factories may also face restrictions on discharging water for cooling, as shallower rivers heat up more quickly.

Earlier, on July 1, the Netherlands was placed on the first level of warning for possible water shortages. Now the country has moved to level two, while level three would mean a full-blown water crisis.

River levels have continued to fall due to drought and high temperatures. In some areas, canals and streams have dried up, while authorities are preparing measures such as the use of dams and additional pumps to maintain fresh water supplies. /Telegraph/

Former director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), retired General David Petraeus, has stated that Ukraine's capabilities in the use and production of drones have reached extraordinary levels, leaving even the United States behind in this field.

"Ukraine is now using 10,000 or more drones a day. That's just amazing," Petraeus said.

According to him, last year alone, Ukraine produced about 3.5 million drones, while the United States produced approximately 300,000.

"We don't have anything similar to what they have," the former CIA chief stressed, underlining the great importance that drones have taken on in modern warfare.

Petraeus said the conflict in Ukraine has changed the way military operations are conducted, turning unmanned technology into a key factor on the battlefield.

The massive increase in Ukrainian drone production has been driven by the need to confront the Russian military, while Kiev has invested heavily in developing the domestic unmanned vehicle industry. /Telegraph/

Despite the escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, maritime traffic in this vital route remains very limited.

According to data from maritime intelligence analysts at Kpler, only 13 merchant ships were recorded passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Eight of them left the Persian Gulf, while five entered it.

Only one ship - a cargo ship entering the Persian Gulf - reportedly used the southern route near the coast of Oman, which has been promoted by the US military as a safer passage, CNN writes.

Irani synon bazat ushtarake ndërsa SHBA-të nisin një valë sulmesh

According to Kpler, most of the ships that passed through on Wednesday used the route near the Iranian coast. On Thursday, the MarineTraffic platform showed that two oil tankers left the Gulf near Iran, while another was sailing near the coast of Oman.

The volume of maritime traffic is about a tenth of the pre-war average, although some ships are sailing without turning on the transmitters that indicate their location.

Iran has repeatedly warned that all ships must obtain its permission to use the waterway. An Iranian military spokesman said on Thursday that implementing the rules set by Iran is the only way to reopen the strait, which Tehran declared closed after the latest wave of US attacks began.

Following drone attacks on several ships near the strait over the past week, US forces announced on Thursday that they had again struck Iran's missile and drone capabilities, as well as coastal surveillance facilities, "to further weaken Iran's ability to threaten innocent sailors serving on merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz." /Telegraph