An explosion aboard the Panama-flagged MSC Sariska V has triggered competing narratives, with Iran claiming a retaliatory strike and Iraqi reports pointing towards a possible technical failure.
Fresh tensions erupted near the Strait of Hormuz after Iran claimed it targeted an American base following reported US military action around Bandar Abbas.
Fresh tensions in West Asia escalated after Trump claimed Iran’s military had been crippled, while Tehran accused Washington of blocking peace efforts and worsening the Hormuz crisis.
A US think tank flags a shift within Iran’s leadership, with hardliners gaining influence just as diplomatic engagement with Washington gathers pace through mediated talks in Islamabad.
Iran’s hardline IRGC is tightening control over military and diplomacy, escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and casting fresh doubt on already fragile US negotiations.
Washington is reviewing military options short of invasion, including coastal raids in Iran, as regional tensions intensify with missile strikes and threats expanding across West Asia.
Military strain, nuclear safety concerns and shifting US timelines mark a critical phase in the Iran conflict, as global powers weigh next steps and tensions continue to widen.
Iran ramps up military operations across West Asia, claiming dozens of missile strikes while warning against ground invasion, even as reports emerge of a top IRGC commander’s death.
Mediators from multiple countries remain sceptical of a quick deal, with the United States and Iran still far apart on Tehran's nuclear programme and security guarantees, and no venue for direct talks yet confirmed despite early discussions about neutral meetings in Pakistan or Turkey.
CNN satellite analysis and Alma Research findings show Iran's underground tunnel cities, with internal rail systems that move missiles to blast-door exits, have survived the bombing campaign largely intact. The geology, analysts say, is the real defence.
