Guy Birchall

Following Bessent’s announcement, a pair of Democratic senators criticized the move as an ‘indefensible gift’ to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The law was passed by the Israeli Parliament in March, but has now come into effect after being signed off by the commander of the IDF Central Command.

The announcement of the strikes follows a May 15 operation that killed the second-in-command of ISIS globally in northeastern Nigeria.

The exchange was part of a broader deal that is set to see 1,000 captured troops from both sides returned to their homelands.

Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz for weeks in response to a U.S.-Israeli air and naval campaign that began on Feb. 28.

Andriy Yermak, a longtime ally of the Ukrainian president, denied any wrongdoing in the case, which alleges he was involved in money laundering.

The Secretary of State said that it is in Beijing’s interests to rectify the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is disrupting the global energy supply.

The leaders of 14 member states issued the call following a meeting held in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

Energy price hikes caused by the Iran war and blockage of the Strait of Hormuz have prompted the spike in Europe’s largest economy.

The plan aims to expand EU manufacturing capacity and slash reliance on suppliers in countries such as China and India.