August 29, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeKey EventsAugust 29, 2026August 29, 202612 seconds agoTrump says U.S., Venezuela reached ‘Historic’ deal on 65 billion barrels of oil U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has reached a deal with Venezuela to take control of more than 65 billion barrels of the country's proven oil reserves."This Historic Transaction MORE THAN DOUBLES American Oil Reserves, greatly increases our Oil Supply, and will substantially lower Gas Prices for all Americans, long into the future," Trump said on his Truth Social platform, describing it as the largest oil deal in world history.He said the agreement was reached in coordination with Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, and involved private-sector companies. Rodríguez welcomed the deal and said it will bring $209 billion to the country's treasury. Is Israel Really 'One Step Away' From Total Victory in Gaza?Since the October 7 disaster and throughout two years of war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that Israel was on the verge of achieving "total victory" over Hamas. Israeli soldiers in Gaza.Israeli soldiers in Gaza.He has insisted not only that such a victory was attainable, but that Israeli forces were just weeks away from completing the mission. Time and again, reality has proved otherwise. Two months into the war, at a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony held at the Western Wall on December 7, 2023, Netanyahu declared: "We will soon achieve total victory over the forces of evil and restore security not only to the south but also to the north."In August 2025, Netanyahu and his security cabinet set five objectives that had to be achieved before the war could end: disarming Hamas, securing the return of all the hostages, the complete demilitarization of Gaza, permanent Israeli security control including the perimeter zone, and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that would be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. A cease-fire agreement was signed last October, but as of August 2026, Hamas has not been defeated. The group has yet to disarm, and Israel continues to control a significant portion of the Gaza Strip – beyond the Yellow Line set out to separate the sides in the agreement – while striking Hamas targets and operatives almost daily, with dozens of Palestinians killed every month. The IDF also assesses that Hamas has used the recent period to rebuild its capabilities.Read the full articleRECAP: Pezeshkian says Oman accepts Hormuz reopening framework as Iran faces U.S. sanctions pressureHere are Friday's latest updates:■ The IDF and Shin Bet said three Palestinians were killed in an airstrike near West Bank's Jenin, including Qais Bitawi, identified as a senior Hamas operative in the Jenin refugee camp. Palestinian reports said Israeli forces surrounded the strike site and delayed Red Crescent medics, confiscating medical equipment and ordering them to leave without evacuating the wounded.■ Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF has "occupied" the Jenin refugee camp, after Israeli forces killed the three Palestinians. Katz said the camp had been evacuated of residents, "cleared" of militants and terrorist infrastructure and that Israeli forces were now permanently stationed there. He also claimed the policy had reduced militant activity in the West Bank by about 80 percent, without providing figures.■ The death toll in Lebanon has risen to 4,352, with 12,318 people wounded since March 2, the Health Ministry said. UNIFIL said it recorded 1,030 projectile trajectories in southern Lebanon in the past week, warning that the situation remains fragile despite lower levels of violence.■ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Oman has accepted a framework to reopen a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, while insisting that Washington fulfill its commitments under the Islamabad MoU. Pezeshkian added that reopening the route would require the United States to lift the naval blockade and sanctions, release Iranian funds, allow oil-related measures and investment to proceed, and press Israel to halt actions in Lebanon.■ The U.S. Treasury announced new sanctions targeting Iranian financial networks, including the manager of Bank Melli's Dubai branch and a Hong Kong-based company it said helped launder money for a sanctioned Iranian exchange house. Treasury also proposed cutting Banque Misr's UAE operation off from U.S. correspondent banking services, saying it processed about $1.8 billion for companies potentially linked to Iranian shadow-banking networks.■ Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged officials to avoid statements that could weaken public morale, warning against political infighting and divisions over "war or negotiations" and "compromise or warmongering." Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the 40-day war began on February 28, remaining out of public view since the death of his father and his subsequent elevation to Iran's leadership.■ U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Adam Schiff called the six-month war on Iran a failure, citing depleted military stockpiles, rising costs, casualties and a lack of strategy. Schumer called it "Trump's war," "disastrous" and "an abject failure," while Schiff said there was "no strategy and no end in sight" and called for U.S. troops to be brought home. The conflict is expected to feature prominently in the November midterm elections.5 minutes agoIran's Pezeshkian says Oman accepts framework to reopen HormuzIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that Oman had accepted a framework for reopening a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, while insisting that the United States must fulfill commitments under the Islamabad MoU, according to Iran International English and Iranian state television.Pezeshkian said Omani representatives had returned to talks and accepted that the route could reopen "based on the map that was agreed" with Iran.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian presents the signed memorandum on Iranian television, June. Credit: AFP/HANDOUTIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian presents the signed memorandum on Iranian television, June. Credit: AFP/HANDOUT"If this route is opened according to those frameworks, the United States must also fulfill its commitments," Pezeshkian said, adding that those included lifting the naval blockade and sanctions, releasing Iranian funds, allowing oil-related measures and investment to proceed, and pressing Israel to halt actions in Lebanon.Pezeshkian said the Islamabad MoU also envisaged about $300 billion in investment, adding that Iranian experts had been working on plans for the projects.He said Iran's imports and exports had fallen by as much as 35 percent due to U.S. sanctions and the blockade. He also said Iran was ready for cooperation and understanding with regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Pezeshkian said negotiations with the United States were not currently linked to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz."Our talks with the other side are based on the same memorandum we had," Pezeshkian said, adding that the other side had accepted the need to return to the Islamabad MoU and implement its provisions.In the NewsIRGC Navy Says It Has 'Full Control' Over Strait of HormuzIsrael Election Could Swing Shekel by Up to 3 Percent, JPMorgan EstimatesHaredim Again Block Bnei Brak Neighborhood, Cutting Off Secular ResidentsIDF Says Three Palestinians Killed in Targeted Strike Near West Bank's JeninIsraeli Judoka Gefen Primo Wins Lausanne Grand SlamRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAn Israeli Startup Is Reinventing Salmon Farming. 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