Global trade is facing its worst disruption in 80 years as supply chain bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz threaten global food and fertilizer prices, the World Trade Organization's (WTO) director-general warned. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaking on the sidelines of the WTO’s Public Forum in Geneva, told Anadolu that the global trading system remains resilient, but the ongoing Middle East conflict presents a major test for the organization’s 166 member countries. She noted that global trade in goods grew by an unexpectedly strong 4.6% this year despite geopolitical pressures, while 72% of all global commerce continued to operate under WTO rules. The initial projection for overall goods trade growth was 1.9% for the entire year, but the first-quarter growth rate of 3.2% outpaced expectations. Okonjo-Iweala stated that a significant portion of the momentum was driven by the surging trade in artificial intelligence, which in turn was driven by low-or-zero tariff agreements covering $3 trillion in global semiconductor and chip shipments. Saudis give European oil buyers no supplies for next month Saudi Aramco told at least two oil refining customers in Europe that they will be allocated no crude next month under long-term agreements after the kingdom’s key pipeline to the Red Sea was attacked, people informed of the decision said, Bloomberg reported on Friday. European customers normally receive Saudi Arabian crude on so-called term contracts, ensuring a steady flow of supply every month. Those deliveries will not take place next month, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. The decision applies to all European buyers, they said. According to Reuters, Saudi ​Arabia earlier informed European customers that some crude cargoes would be cancelled after drone attacks forced the shutdown of its East-West pipeline, ​damaging three pumping stations and disrupting oil loadings at ​the Red Sea port of Yanbu. US strikes on school, sports ground were 'clear war crimes' not 'operational errors': Iran's deputy FM Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi said on Friday that the United States' attacks in Minab and Lamerd were "clear war crimes, not an operational error." In a post on X, Gharibabadi stated, "History will not forget; in Minab, a school was painted with the blood of 168 children, and in Lamerd, the sports ground turned into a slaughterhouse for civilians." تاریخ فراموش نخواهد کرد؛ در میناب مدرسه‌ای با خون ۱۶۸ کودک رنگین شد و در لامرد، زمین ورزش به قتلگاه غیرنظامیان بدل گشت. اکنون همگان تایید میکنند آنچه در میناب و لامرد رخ داد جنایت جنگی آشکار بود، نه خطای عملیاتی. آمریکا نمی‌تواند با خروج از شورای حقوق بشر، از مسوولیت خود بگریزد. — Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) September 18, 2026 The deputy foreign minister added, "America cannot escape its responsibility by withdrawing from the Human Rights Council." White House rejects UN report on alleged war crimes in Iran Separately, a United Nations fact-finding mission on Iran said it had "reasonable grounds" ​to believe the US was behind two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, and that ‌these constituted war crimes. The findings in the report by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, examined the US's conduct during the Iran war and the Iranian government's response to nationwide ​unrest that began in late December. The White House rejected the report, according to Al Jazeera. Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated that the UN Human Rights Council had "accomplished nothing for human rights while spouting unserious nonsense for decades,” as per remarks carried by The New York Post. “The only party in this conflict that has committed war crimes is the Iranian regime, which has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks against its neighbours in the region,' the spokeswoman added, according to The New York Post. Washington assumes nations have neither memory nor capacity for critical thought: Baghaei Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post on X that "Washington still seems to assume that nations have neither memory nor the capacity for critical thought." Saying that the US treated the world as if it were Pluribus — "a hive in which minds are expected to switch off, eyes lock onto Washington's lips, and its narrative is swallowed whole," Baghaei stated that on one side "stands a brutal economic war, deliberately designed to inflict maximum pain and suffering on every Iranian citizen," while on the other stood "the theatrical announcement of measures to stop Iranian officials from supposedly shopping at an American wholesale club." Washington still seems to assume that nations have neither memory nor the capacity for critical thought. It treats the world as if it were *Pluribus*: a hive in which minds are expected to switch off, eyes lock onto Washington’s lips, and its narrative is swallowed whole. On one… pic.twitter.com/x9QAvveX0G — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 18, 2026 "They look past the sanctioning of an entire nation’s livelihood, then issue solemn statements about the sanctioning of a store membership card," the spokesperson added. "The propaganda is so crude and threadbare that it exposes the naivety of the mindset that launched an unlawful war of choice against the Nation of Iran, and helped deliver the United States to the embarrassing position it occupies today," Baghaei concluded. Earlier, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to state news agency IRNA, as a British maritime agency also reported an attack. IRGC Navy: Last night, the violating tanker "Trend" flying the flag of Togo, incited and deceived by the child-killing US military, attempted to illegally pass through the Strait of Hormuz, where it was struck and came to a halt after catching fire. pic.twitter.com/bDjZVPR0sq — IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) September 17, 2026 Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic strait as Washington continues pressing its counterblockade of Iranian ports during the Middle East war. The Islamic Republic wants to charge ships for passage, attacking vessels it accuses of attempting to circumvent its preferred route. “The Togo-flagged oil tanker ‘Trend’ had been targeted and detained after a fire broke out on board” late on Thursday, the statement said, calling it an attempted “illegal passage”. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said earlier on Friday a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, with all crew reported safe and the environmental impact unconfirmed. UKMTO WARNING 138-26 Click here to view the full product.⤵️https://t.co/zPkuu2TbQN#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/ljIfursca1 — UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) September 18, 2026 The monitoring agency had also reported a “security incident” in Hormuz late on Thursday, without giving details. It was unclear if the IRGC and UKMTO reports referred to the same incident. Italian aircraft hit during air base attacks in Saudi Arabia An Italian aircraft was hit during air base attacks in Saudi Arabia, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto announced Friday. Crosetto noted he followed the situation in Saudi Arabia's Ta'if air base, "which was the target of several attacks and where Italian personnel are present as part of Operation Inherent Resolve," according to ANSA news agency. He reaffirmed that no Italian military personnel were involved. "During the attack, an Italian F-2000 aircraft was hit. It was inside the base, in a remote area. There is no other damage to vehicles or infrastructure used by our personnel,” Crosetto said. He noted that he asked to be provided with further assessment of the evolving situation, the condition of their personnel and possible operational options. Crosetto added that he had been reassured that all security measures to protect military personnel had already been put in place some time ago. “The situation is being followed with the utmost attention, with the aim of ensuring the full protection of our personnel and operating with the necessary responsibility," Crosetto further said. Shipping traffic via Strait of Hormuz stays below 10-day average, data shows Four commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf on Thursday, down from six a day earlier and below the 10-day average of about 16, preliminary shipping data showed on Friday. The figures could change as some ships typically switch off their transponders during the voyage to avoid the risk of detection in the conflict zone. Of the four vessels, three were entering the strait heading into the Gulf and one was exiting, the data from shiptracker Kpler showed at 0200 GMT. The vessels included two Panamax tankers, one Supramax ship and one Kamsarmax vessel. The waterway carried a fifth of the world’s oil and gas before the Iran conflict. Meanwhile, 23 commodity vessels transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Thursday, another maritime chokepoint on the southwest tip of Yemen and a vital trade route for oil between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The data showed 13 vessels heading towards the Red Sea and 10 towards the Gulf of Aden. They included a Panamax and a Suezmax tanker, four Supramax vessels and six Aframax tankers. The number compares with an average of around 26 ships using the strait in the past 10 days. The Iran-backed Houthis have seized Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline since last week, prompting the Saudi Arabian air force to conduct airstrikes. The spread of the war to Yemen and Saudi Arabia has raised new concerns about oil supplies by jeopardising the Red Sea route for exports, the main alternative for Gulf supplies while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is constrained. Yemeni army says 30 Houthis killed in clashes west of Taiz Yemen's army said on Friday that 30 Houthi fighters were killed and more than 60 others were wounded in 24 hours of clashes and airstrikes in the Al-Waziyah district west of Taiz. A military source quoted by the Armed Forces Media Centre said Yemeni warplanes also struck Houthi vehicles and gathering points in the clash zone. The army said earlier that its air force hit Houthi supply lines and deployment points in Taiz and in the Red Sea city of Mocha. Government forces also said they previously repelled Houthi attacks in Taiz and struck the group's positions and reinforcements. The army has stepped up strikes on Houthi sites in several provinces in recent days, with Taiz among the main fronts. Drones fly over Yemen’s Sanaa, Houthis fire anti-aircraft guns Drones were seen flying over Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Friday as the Houthi group fired anti-aircraft weapons to shoot them down, Yemeni residents told Anadolu. The residents said they spotted drones flying over several neighbourhoods, including Saawan and Al-Hasaba in the northeast of the city. The Houthi anti-aircraft fire caused explosions and sparked fear among residents, they added. Meanwhile, Yemen’s independent Belqees news website also reported that “explosions, air defence fire and gunshots were heard early Friday in the capital Sanaa.” The website quoted residents as saying that “the sounds of explosions and gunfire did not stop, causing fear and concern among residents, with the reasons remaining unclear.” It also cited Houthi-affiliated media outlets and social media accounts as saying that the group's "air defence systems were activated to counter drones flying heavily" over Sanaa. The Houthis did not immediately comment on the incident, while the identity of the drones and the party that launched them was not immediately clear. Italy ready to escort ships through Bab el-Mandeb without waiting for EU, says defence chief Italy is prepared to act independently to ensure its merchant vessels can pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait rather than wait for an EU naval mission, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday. Read: US State Department approves $24.3 billion F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia Crosetto said he had instructed military officials to assess the security situation and prepare a plan to guarantee safe passage through the strategic Red Sea waterway, according to Italian news agency ANSA. "Together with the chief of General Staff, we have decided not to wait for (EU Red Sea Operation) Aspides to decide whether ships can pass or not," he said at the Risorsa Mare Forum in La Spezia, a northern coastal city. Crosetto said Italy would likely take steps allowing its ships to resume transit without waiting for European procedures, arguing that delays would further hurt the economy. The Italian frigate Bergamini is currently in the African nation of Djibouti, while around a dozen Italian-flagged or Italian-owned merchant vessels are seeking escorted passage, ANSA reported. Crosetto said authorities are also examining whether existing rules allow Italian military assets already deployed in the region to be temporarily placed under national command or whether fresh parliamentary authorisation would be required. "When a sea route is interrupted, goods arrive late, costs increase, and prices for families and businesses mount," he said. Saudis and Houthis exchange strikes, Yemenis flee by boat as Middle East war spreads Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border on Thursday, and Yemenis took to boats in the Red Sea to escape fighting, ‌as the spreading Middle East war created new threats to global oil supplies. Read more: 'Anything could happen': Trump says 'big decision' incoming regarding Iran Houthi-controlled television reported Saudi airstrikes in Hajjah province close to the Saudi border near the Red Sea coast, and in the vicinity of Taiz further inland to the south. Saudi Arabia's civil defence said a Yemeni living in Saudi Arabia had been killed by debris from a drone intercepted over the western city of Taif, the first death Riyadh has announced in Houthi attacks since fighting escalated last week. ​It has previously said more than 80 people were wounded. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker caught fire after being hit while attempting what it called an ‘illegal passage’ ​through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported. The tanker came to a halt after the fire, the Guards Navy said. The spread of the ⁠war to Yemen and Saudi Arabia has raised new concerns about oil supplies by jeopardising the main alternative Red Sea route for Gulf exports while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained. US President ​Donald Trump has rebuffed pleas from the Saudis for military support to fight the Houthis, who agreed a ceasefire with the United States last year after Washington bombed the group for two months. The president ​faces the prospect of political losses for his Republican Party in November's midterm elections, partly because of higher energy prices since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February. Trump said on Thursday he is approaching a critical juncture over whether to restart massive attacks on Iran. "I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me," Trump said ​in an interview with Axios. Trump has in the past threatened major new attacks that have not materialised. Global crude prices eased slightly on Thursday but remain well above $100 a barrel after reaching their highest ​levels since May. The average US retail diesel price hit a record high on Thursday, just shy of $6.40 a gallon. The United States and Iran have held no negotiations to end the war since an interim agreement reached ‌in June collapsed ⁠within weeks. But the war will come up for discussion at the United Nations General Assembly next week, and an Iranian delegation will be able to attend, according to the US State Department. 'The sea was frightening' The fighting has driven Yemeni civilians to flee across the Bab el-Mandeb — Arabic for "Gate of Tears" — the narrow strait at the mouth of the Red Sea. In Djibouti on the African shore of the Red Sea, Wahida Omer, 50, reached land after crossing on a small boat from Yemen when her village of Dhubab came under attack as the Houthis swept into the area. Her husband had been left behind, ​and she had no idea if he was ​alive, dead or captured by the Houthis. "The sea ⁠was frightening, difficult," she said in an interview filmed by the International Organisation for Migration. Those on the boat were "crying the whole way, and we arrived still crying" with nothing to eat. The IOM says more than 100,000 Yemenis have been displaced by the latest fighting, mostly within Yemen. The Houthis, who ​have seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast since last week in a lightning advance, say the Saudi Air Force has conducted hundreds of airstrikes ​in recent days. On Wednesday, ⁠the Houthis said they had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet. "We want the Saudis to cease their blockade and occupation of our country, and to stop their aggression against us. This is our demand!" Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech, seated with a traditional dagger in his belt. Slogans on the wall behind him read: "Death to America, death to Israel, a curse upon the Jews, victory for ⁠Islam." The US ​Navy is trying to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet to the Gulf along Iran's coast, where ​a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the war, and is also imposing a blockade of Iranian ports. Iran says the strait is closed and will remain shut until Washington lifts the blockade. It is seeking an agreement with ​neighbouring Gulf states that would let it collect fees from ships passing through the strait.