The price of Brent crude is on track to break records this month, surging by 51 per cent according to LSEG data.

The previous monthly record was held in September 1990 when the price of crude rose by 46 per cent amid Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, leading to the first Gulf war.

On Friday, the price of oil closed at $112 a barrel amid conflicting comments by the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, which has held up millions of barrels of oil since the outbreak of war on 28 February.

Ships have been warned to avoid entering Yemeni territorial waters as the Houthis could resume “attacks on merchant ships” in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the European Union's maritime security body has warned.

The European Union Naval Force Aspides has advised ships to avoid Yemeni territorial waters amid an increased risk of attack.

In a report published on Saturday, it assessed the threat level as “high” for Israeli-linked vessels and as “medium” for vessels not linked to Israel or the United States.

The US-Israeli war against Iran has entered its fifth week as attacks continued across the region.

On Sunday, a funeral was held for three journalists killed in southern Lebanon by Israeli strikes.

Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have “hands full of blood”, in unusually strong remarks amid the ongoing war in Iran.

Addressing tens of thousands of people in St Peter's Square on Palm Sunday, the pontiff said that Jesus cannot be used to justify any wars.

“This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he said.

“Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood',” he said, quoting a Bible passage.

Tasmanian state premier Jeremy Rockliff said on X that buses and ferries would be free until 1 July 2026. “From tomorrow, Tasmanian public transport will be free. We'll be keeping it free until 1 July,” Mr Rockliff said.

The decision was taken to ease the cost of living, he said.

“We know the rising cost of fuel is impacting the family budget, and that's why we have again taken strong and decisive action to protect Tasmanians,” the premier said in a joint statement with Kerry Vincent, the minister for infrastructure and transport.

Russian spy satellites photographed the UK-US based on Diego Garcia “in the interests of Iran”, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The pictures were taken after Iran launched two ballistic missiles at the site, according to the leader.

Images of bases in the Middle East housing American and British troops were also taken.

The Ministry of Defence has previously said it is “highly likely” that Russia shared intelligence with Iran even before the outbreak of war last month.

In a post on X, Zelensky said he had received an intelligence briefing on Saturday setting out Russian satellite activity.

He said: “On March 24, they imaged the US–UK joint military facility on Diego Garcia located in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They also captured pictures of Kuwait International Airport and parts of the infrastructure of the Greater Burgan oil field.

“On March 25, they took pictures of the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The Shaybah oil and gas field in Saudi Arabia, Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar were all imaged on March 26.

“There are no Ukrainian facilities on this list. But who is helping whom when sanctions are lifted from an aggressor that earns daily revenue and provides intelligence for strikes against American, Middle Eastern, UK, and US–UK bases and so on?”

The United States has only destroyed a third of Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, according to Reuters who spoke with sources familiar with American intelligence.

Most of the country’s stockpile is immediately inaccessible but a sizeable arsenal remains available, according to the five sources.

A third of Iranian missiles have been destroyed and another third are likely damaged or buried underground, according to the report, with a similar assessment made for its drone arsenal.

These potential operations wouldn’t amount to a full invasion, but could include raids by infantry troops and Special Operations forces, according to the outlet, which cited anonymous U.S. officials.

One source told the Post the goals being considered could take “weeks, not months,” while another estimated it could take “a couple of months.” It’s still unknown whether President Donald Trump will approve any of the plans, according to the report.

“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Post. “It does not mean the President has made a decision.”

Katie Hawkinson reports from Washington DC:

Iranian armed forces are waiting for the arrival of US forces by land and are ready to “punish” America’s regional partners, speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said on Sunday, according to state media.

He said that the US had spoken of negotiations in public while planning a ground invasion in private.

It comes amid reports by the Washington Post that the US is preparing for a ground invasion.