The United States moved Thursday to temporarily loosen sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea, allowing them to reach international buyers as the Trump administration seeks to bring down global energy prices that have surged during the war in Iran.
The Treasury Department issued the temporary waivers, which will remain in effect until April 11. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that releasing Russian oil currently stranded on tankers could inject hundreds of millions of barrels of crude into global supply, helping ease prices that have climbed close to $100 per barrel amid the conflict involving Iran.
The policy shift marked a notable change in Washington’s approach to punishing Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the United States and other members of the Group of 7 have imposed sweeping sanctions aimed at restricting the Kremlin’s energy revenues. Those measures included placing a price ceiling on Russian crude and targeting a so-called “shadow fleet” of ships that exporters have used to transport oil while avoiding sanctions.
As the war with Iran has intensified, the Trump administration has been exploring ways to reduce economic strain tied to rising fuel costs. Last week, officials already allowed Russian oil that had been sitting offshore to proceed to India. At the same time, the administration has been working on a $20 billion maritime insurance guarantee through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, which typically provides financing and investment support for international businesses and projects.
Bessent said Thursday that the limited sanctions relief would not meaningfully strengthen Russia financially, though he acknowledged that Moscow could see some benefit.
“To increase the global reach of existing supply, Treasury is providing a temporary authorization to permit countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” he wrote in a social media post. “This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction.”
Speaking on a podcast Thursday, Bessent said it was “unfortunate” that Russia might receive any financial upside from the situation created by the Iran conflict, but he expressed hope that the benefit would last only a “micro period.”
Senior Democrats in the Senate sharply criticized the administration’s decision to loosen the sanctions, arguing that the move was meant to blunt the economic fallout from a war they blame on President Trump.
“This war has resulted in huge spikes in gas prices for Americans, who are now paying more at the pump than at any point in either of President Trump’s two terms,” they wrote in a joint statement.
The decision also represents a reversal from policies adopted last summer, when the administration imposed steep tariffs on India in response to its purchases of Russian oil.
“In one fell swoop we’ve undone a huge amount of pressure on Russia,” said Edward Fishman, a senior fellow and director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
According to the commodities analytics firm Kpler, roughly 130 million barrels of Russian crude are currently being transported at sea.
The administration’s move may also widen differences between Washington and European governments. Several European leaders have voiced concern over Trump’s military action against Iran and remain committed to maintaining strict economic pressure on Russia.
Fishman said he doubts the policy will succeed in lowering oil prices, pointing out that a similar decision last week allowing shipments to India did not produce a noticeable impact on the market. He also observed that Russian oil prices have been climbing since the conflict with Iran began and suggested that the temporary relief could eventually become permanent.
“I do worry that this is effectively the destruction of the oil sanctions on Russia,” said Mr. Fishman, the author of “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.”
{Matzav.com}Authorities have identified the man responsible for the attack Thursday at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, as a 41-year-old Lebanese-born U.S. citizen, according to information provided to CBS News by the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS officials said the suspect, Ayman Mohamad Ghazali of Dearborn Heights, legally entered the United States in 2011 after being sponsored by his then-wife, who is a U.S. citizen. He later obtained American citizenship in 2016. According to DHS, Ghazali arrived on an IR1 immigrant visa and submitted his application for naturalization on Oct. 20, 2015.
West Bloomfield Police Chief Dale Young said police were dispatched to the synagogue shortly after noon following reports of gunfire. Officers responded to what he described as an “active shooter situation” at approximately 12:19 p.m. on March 12, with first responders arriving within about five minutes. Investigators said the suspect drove a vehicle directly into the building.
Officials reported that the vehicle burst into flames after crashing into the structure.
“Temple security officers engaged the individual and neutralized the threat,” Young said. “Our officers, combined with area agencies, cleared the building multiple times and successfully evacuated all children and staff.”
The FBI has opened an investigation into the incident and is treating it as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”
“This is a deeply disturbing and tragic incident, and our deepest sympathies are with the victims, their family and the entire Jewish community,” said Jennifer Runyan, FBI Detroit’s special agent in charge.
Individuals in the local Lebanese American community, including one person who said he has known Ghazali for more than ten years, told CBS News that members of Ghazali’s family were killed in Lebanon during the ongoing conflict with Iran. According to those sources, several relatives — including his brothers and two of their children — died in an airstrike there. They also said Ghazali contacted his ex-wife roughly an hour before the attack in West Bloomfield, prompting her to immediately alert authorities.
Those familiar with Ghazali described him as someone who had lived in the area for roughly 16 or 17 years. They said he was not involved in political or ideological activity and insisted he was someone who “couldn’t hurt a bug.”
Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun issued a statement on social media condemning the attack and calling for unity in response to violence against religious institutions.
“Everyone deserves to worship in peace, and we must unequivocally condemn any attack on a house of worship or the people within it.”
“This tragedy comes at a time when communities everywhere are confronting rising hate and senseless violence,” Baydoun said. “No matter where violence occurs, whether in West Bloomfield or anywhere around in the world, harm against innocent people is something we must all stand firmly against. The tensions we see across the world too often find their way into our own neighborhoods, reminding us how deeply connected our shared safety is.”
Baydoun added that city officials are coordinating with local law enforcement to ensure additional protection for houses of worship and said he has been in communication with the West Bloomfield township supervisor to offer assistance.
Police departments across Southeast Michigan have also announced that they are stepping up patrols in their jurisdictions following the attack.
Temple Israel later confirmed that all 140 students and staff members inside the building at the time were safely accounted for.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said one of the synagogue’s senior security officers was struck by the vehicle and “knocked unconscious.” The guard was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment after fellow team members pulled him to safety.
Bouchard also reported that 30 responding law enforcement officers required medical treatment for smoke inhalation following the fire that erupted after the crash.
{Matzav.com}