Ankara dispatched its drillship Cagri Bey to search for oil off the coast of Somalia, described as a historic first deployment of a Turkish drillship beyond the country’s territorial waters. Over the weekend, reports emerged of tanks being transported through the streets of Mogadishu to secure a Turkish missile launch facility, and in late January Turkey deployed F-16 fighter jets to the Somali capital.
Israel will not agree to the deployment of foreign forces in the Gaza Strip without a workable plan to disarm Hamas and establish a mechanism to carry it out. With no such agreement in sight, Israeli officials assess that once the ultimatum period given to Hamas expires, the IDF will resume military pressure on the terrorist organization.
Tehran believes that incorporating US companies into Iran’s energy, aviation and mining sectors would create a clear American interest in preserving a future agreement. Diplomatic sources assess that the move is a calculated attempt to appeal to the business instincts of President Donald Trump and the team around him.
As Washington and Tehran prepare for another round of talks in Switzerland this week, all signs point to an approaching decision by President Donald Trump on whether to order a strike on Iran. But even if that answer comes soon, it will leave a host of far more consequential questions unresolved.
The $3.5 billion deal, set to be signed Monday, has sent shockwaves through the shipping industry. ZIM holds $3 billion in cash accumulated over the years, meaning the company’s actual operating business is being valued at only $500 million.
