The US military has destroyed six Iranian boats targeting civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as part of an operation to reopen the strategic waterway. The incident on Monday marked a significant escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran, with President Donald Trump warning that Iran would be 'blown off the face of the earth' if it attacked American ships.
Iran has been attempting to enforce a blockade of the strait since late February, severely disrupting global oil supplies. The US-led Project Freedom saw two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transit the waterway on Monday, according to the US military. Iran claimed to have struck a US frigate with two missiles, but US Central Command denied this, stating no Navy ships were hit.
The United Arab Emirates came under repeated Iranian attacks for the first time since a ceasefire in early April. A fire at a key oil facility in Fujairah wounded three Indian nationals. In Oman, two people were injured by an attack on a residential building in Bukha, along the strait's coastline. The British military reported two cargo vessels on fire off the UAE.
Japan received its first shipment of Russian oil since the strait's closure, with a tanker carrying crude from the Sakhalin-2 project reaching Imabari. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the global oil supply squeeze was having an 'enormous impact' on the Asia-Pacific region. Stockmarkets fell on Tuesday amid the fresh tensions.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for de-escalation, urging Iran to engage in meaningful negotiations. The International Monetary Fund warned that if the conflict drags into 2027 and oil prices hit $125 a barrel, the global economy could face a 'much worse outcome'.
