The escalating confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran has entered what Israeli officials describe as a “decisive phase”, following US airstrikes on Iran’s strategic Kharg Island and renewed missile attacks by Tehran across the region.
Both sides are intensifying military operations, targeting key installations including oil infrastructure, military bases and strategic transport routes, raising fears of a wider regional conflict with global economic consequences.
Tensions surged after the United States carried out airstrikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s most important oil export hub. Announcing the operation late Friday, US President Donald Trump said American forces targeted military assets on the island in what he described as one of the “most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East.”
Kharg Island, a narrow five-mile strip in the Persian Gulf, processes roughly 90 per cent of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it one of the most critical nodes in the country’s energy infrastructure.
Tehran swiftly warned that it would retaliate against oil and energy facilities linked to the United States across the Middle East if Iranian oil installations continue to be targeted.
Iran launches new wave of missiles
Iran responded with fresh missile and drone attacks, signalling that the conflict is far from subsiding. Iranian media reported that the country’s armed forces launched a new round of missiles, while defence officials said more advanced weapons — including upgraded ballistic missiles with greater destructive capability — could be deployed in the coming days.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also warned that US-linked facilities in the Gulf region were legitimate targets. According to reports, ports, docks and military installations associated with American interests could face retaliation.
Shortly after the warning, a drone attack struck Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates — a major oil bunkering hub and crude export terminal — forcing the suspension of some oil-loading operations, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Iran has continued launching missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf states. The conflict has also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime passage through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil flows.
Trump calls for naval coalition
Amid rising concerns over the security of global energy routes, Trump urged major economies to join a multinational naval effort to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, the US president said Washington would ensure the waterway remains open despite what he described as Iran’s attempt to close it.
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and others affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area so the Hormuz Strait can be protected,” he wrote.
He added that the United States would work with partner nations to keep the strategic passage “open, safe and free.”
Shipping cautiously resumes
Despite the heightened tensions, some commercial shipping has cautiously resumed transit through the Strait.
India confirmed that two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers successfully crossed the strait early Saturday while en route to ports on the country’s western coast.
Indian officials said the vessels had passed through safely, highlighting the continued importance of the shipping corridor for global energy supplies.
Gulf states reconsider security arrangements
The conflict is also prompting Gulf countries to reassess their long-standing security partnerships with Washington.
Several Gulf states that host US military bases have come under attack during the current conflict, raising questions about whether these alliances provide the level of protection they were expected to deliver.
Middle East analyst Hussein Ibish told Al Jazeera that the situation could represent a turning point in regional security thinking.
“This is another inflection point in a long series of moments where the assumption of US protection has not translated into real security,” he said.
Ibish noted that similar concerns emerged after Iran-linked attacks on Saudi oil facilities in 2019 and drone strikes targeting Abu Dhabi in 2022.
According to analysts, Gulf states now face a difficult strategic calculation: aligning closely with Washington’s efforts to contain Iran may expose them to retaliation, while distancing themselves could reshape regional power dynamics.
With Iran continuing missile strikes and the United States expanding its military operations, the conflict shows no immediate sign of de-escalation — raising the prospect that the crisis could spread further across the Middle East and disrupt the global economy.
