The Pentagon has urged US military contractors to ramp up weapons production as stockpiles run low during the Iran war, a move that has frustrated President Donald Trump as he seeks to maintain leverage in negotiations with Tehran. Iran, meanwhile, has issued a list of demands for the US before reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including an end to the US naval blockade and withdrawal of military forces. The Iran-backed Houthi militant group has targeted Saudi Arabian forces in Yemen and a major Saudi oil refinery on the Red Sea coast, escalating tensions in the region. The conflict has also impacted peace efforts in Gaza, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting Trump's latest 15-point plan. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's absence from public view has sparked speculation about his health, with state media releasing an undated video of him giving a religious lesson. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for attacks on Saudi targets, including a major oil refinery, and have threatened to widen the conflict. The Middle East is on the brink of a wider regional conflict, with Iran's proxies posing a threat to Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping. The Pentagon's request for increased production highlights the ongoing challenges and the need for a diplomatic resolution to the Iran war.
