TEHRAN – Several blasts were reported on Iran’s strategic Qeshm Island on Tuesday evening, as Mesen area has been targeted multiple times in recent days. The blasts came amid intensifying US-Iran hostilities, fresh military exchanges across the Gulf, and growing fears of a wider regional conflict centered around Hormuz.
Middle East edged closer to broader military confrontation amid new attacks that spread across Gulf, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and renewed disruption to global energy supplies.
As tensions escalated, Kuwait announced that its air defense systems were responding to hostile aerial threats, underscoring the growing reach of the conflict across the Gulf.
The latest developments came after the US launched 5-hour military operation targeting Iranian positions. According to reports, US forces have now carried out attacks for a third consecutive night after Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, escalating one of the world’s most sensitive maritime flashpoints.
Tehran fired ballistic missiles toward a US military base in Jordan and launched attacks targeting Bahrain, home to a major US naval installation. Bahraini authorities said their defenses intercepted the aerial assault, while Jordan confirmed it had shot down four incoming ballistic missiles. Residents in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, also reported hearing explosions during the attacks.
US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would reinstate restrictions on Iranian shipping and proposed imposing a 20 percent security fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said the measures were scheduled to take effect at 2000 GMT on Tuesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the proposal, declaring that Iran has always served as the guardian of the Strait of Hormuz and would continue to do so. Responding to Trump’s proposal on social media, he described the suggested transit fee as excessive while saying Iran would act “fairly.”
The renewed hostilities have cast serious doubt over the memorandum of understanding signed only last month, which had been viewed as a possible pathway toward reducing tensions. Instead, both sides have resumed military operations, leaving diplomatic efforts increasingly uncertain.
Washington and Tehran are still attempting to avoid an all-out war while seeking to strengthen their negotiating positions. However, they warn that continued retaliation increases the risk of a dangerous miscalculation that could rapidly expand the conflict.
The escalating conflict is also having economic consequences. Brent crude surged approximately five percent to $87.49 per barrel, its highest level in several weeks, reflecting growing concerns over potential disruptions to energy exports from the Gulf before easing slightly later in the trading session.
Before the latest escalation, nearly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day. Analysts estimate that a 20 percent transit fee on commercial shipping could generate roughly $240 million in daily revenue if implemented.
UAE said Iranian missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Officials reported that one Indian crew member was killed and eight others were injured in the incident.
Maritime traffic through the vital waterway has already begun to decline, although the full scale of the slowdown remains difficult to assess as numerous vessels have switched off their tracking systems amid heightened security concerns.
Strait of Hormuz cannot be controlled through war, aggression: Iran
