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Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami has warned of a “decisive” response following the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike. In a statement, Hatami said Iran would deliver a “deterrent and regretful” retaliation against what he described as “criminal America and the bloodthirsty Zionist regime,” adding that the deaths of Larijani and others would be avenged. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a separate military force, claimed it had already fired missiles at central Israel in retaliation for Larijani’s killing, according to AFP. #From BBC  

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on several countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil to join a coalition to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint carrying roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil. However, forming such a coalition has so far proven challenging. Strategic importance of the strait The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is crucial for the world’s energy trade. At its narrowest, it measures only 39 kilometers, and it carries the bulk of oil exports from Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and the UAE. About 20 million barrels of oil pass through it daily, along with significant liquefied natural gas shipments. Since March, only 77 vessels have transited the strait, a nearly 90 percent decline from last year, as shipping companies avoid the region amid high security risks. Conflict escalation On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military commanders and civilians. In response, Iran conducted missile and drone strikes on U.S. and Israeli bases in the region and tightly controlled access to the strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the strait remains open for all international shipping except vessels belonging to the U.S., Israel, and their allies. The disruption has forced Gulf countries to cut millions of barrels of oil production, affecting global supply chains. The International Energy Agency said Gulf nations have reduced at least 10 million barrels a day, about 10 percent of global demand. Shipping costs have soared, and analysts warn that continued closure could severely disrupt global logistics, comparable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why the U.S. wants a coalition                          Trump has publicly urged seven countries dependent on Gulf oil to contribute naval forces for a vessel escort mission. While the U.S. military has claimed to neutralize Iran’s mine-laying capabilities and struck over 7,000 targets in Iran, the ongoing conflict continues to threaten shipping in the region. Why allies are hesitant Several countries, including Japan, Australia, Germany, and other European nations, have declined to send warships. European leaders emphasized the need for diplomacy and warned against escalating the conflict into a NATO mission or a broader regional war. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that NATO is a “defense alliance” rather than an “intervention alliance.” EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said Europe has no plans to expand its naval mission in the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz. Australia also ruled out sending naval forces, citing potential economic risks from the ongoing Middle East conflict. Japan stated that its Self-Defense Forces will not be deployed to escort ships in the region. Analysts note that even if a coalition is formed, escorting hundreds of tankers daily under the threat of mines and drones would be extremely challenging. U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said on social media, “It’s harder than you think. Escorting 100 tankers each day would require our entire navy, and our ships remain at risk if mines and drones are not fully neutralized.”

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France will not take part in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “in the current context,” amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Speaking at a Defense and National Security Council meeting on Iran and regional issues, Macron added that France could consider participating in ship escort operations only once the situation stabilizes. The announcement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday called on several countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil to join a coalition to secure vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway responsible for about 20 percent of global oil shipments. The call follows joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities on February 28, which killed Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials and civilians. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on U.S. and Israeli bases in the region and tightened control over the strait. The strikes have entered their third week, with only 77 vessels transiting the strait since March, marking a nearly 90 percent year-on-year drop, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. European nations and the European Union have expressed reluctance or outright opposition to Trump’s proposed military escort mission. European leaders stressed the importance of diplomatic solutions and cautioned against further escalation, warning that the conflict should not evolve into a NATO operation or drag the continent into a wider war.

Israel said Tuesday it killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes, dealing a major blow to Tehran’s leadership, as Iran retaliated with new missile and drone attacks on Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel, intensifying the war. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz named the officials as Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force. Both men played key roles in Iran’s crackdown on January protests challenging the 47-year-old theocracy. Larijani was a top powerbroker after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in an early-war airstrike. Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei rejects ceasefire, vows revenge on US and Israel Iran launched fresh strikes on Gulf oil infrastructure, briefly shutting Dubai’s airspace, and reaffirmed control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said NATO and other allies rejected U.S. calls to secure the waterway. Israel reported “wide-scale” strikes on Tehran and attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, where airstrikes killed at least three soldiers. Iranian missiles also hit Israel, killing 12, while attacks from Iran-linked forces in Iraq and Lebanon continued. The conflict has killed over 1,300 in Iran and displaced more than one million in Lebanon. Concerns are mounting over a global energy crisis as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals for a ceasefire with the United States, describing the intermediaries’ terms as “not acceptable” and pledging to pursue full revenge against the US and Israel, a senior Iranian official said Tuesday. In his first foreign policy statement since his appointment, Khamenei vowed to avenge Iranians killed in the ongoing war, promising that Iran would “obtain compensation” from its enemies and would not retreat, resisting with “full force.” He added that limited retaliatory actions have already begun, but the mission of revenge remains a top priority. Khamenei, 56, may be receiving medical treatment in Moscow after being injured in the US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father on February 28, with Russia reportedly providing aid following a call between President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Russia has not confirmed the report. Meanwhile, Israel claimed overnight strikes killed top Iranian security officials, including Ali Larijani and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, though Tehran has not verified their deaths. Source: NDTV

Israel has claimed the killings of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij militia, according to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. Iran has not confirmed or commented on either claim. Iranian state media published a handwritten note by Larijani on his social media accounts, commemorating Iranian sailors killed in a US attack on their vessel in international waters. It is unclear whether the note is intended as proof of life. The sailors’ funeral is expected on Tuesday. If confirmed, Larijani would be the highest-ranking Iranian official to be assassinated in the ongoing conflict, following United States-Israeli strikes that killed former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several family members on the first day of the war on February 28. Larijani was last seen publicly on Friday at the al-Quds Day rally in Tehran in support of Palestinians, alongside Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. A longtime figure in Iran’s political hierarchy, Larijani previously led the nation’s nuclear negotiations with the West and served as the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament. The Israeli military said it targeted Soleimani in Tehran based on intelligence from its military, describing him as the commander of the Basij unit for the past six years. Iran has not confirmed this claim.   #From BBC & Al Jazeera

The United Arab Emirates has faced repeated missile and drone attacks from Iran, while Israel has continued airstrikes on southern Lebanon, raising fears of regional escalation. Since the war began, Iranian forces have launched more than 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE, targeting transport and oil infrastructure. On Monday, flights at Dubai International Airport were temporarily suspended after a fire broke out following a “drone-related incident.” A separate drone attack caused a fire at the port of Fujairah, one of the region’s largest oil storage facilities. A rocket attack on a car in Abu Dhabi killed a Palestinian national, the city’s Media Office reported. Multiple attacks have disrupted operations at Dubai International Airport and damaged a luxury hotel in late February. BBC correspondent Azadeh Moshiri said the UAE feels it “has been unjustly pulled into this war” and officials are furious. She added that residents worry about the long-term impact on the country, which has taken decades to become “a safe and prosperous” hub. Meanwhile, Israel continued its strikes on Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents in southern villages, including Arab al-Jal, as it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure. Lebanese state media reported early Tuesday that Israeli airstrikes hit three neighbourhoods in Beirut. Israel confirmed the strikes, describing them as an “additional wave” against Hezbollah terror infrastructure. The escalating attacks in both the UAE and Lebanon underscore growing tensions in the Middle East and raise concerns about wider regional instability. #From BBC

The United States is allowing some Iranian oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to help maintain global energy supplies, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Speaking to CNBC, Bessent said several Iranian ships had already moved through the key waterway and the US had permitted the passage to ensure oil supply to global markets. He added that ships from India and possibly China had also passed through the strait. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, with around 20% of global oil shipments passing through the narrow waterway.   With inputs from BBC

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not sought a ceasefire or exchanged any messages with the United States and warned that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to countries Iran considers its enemies. Araghchi said Washington is urging other countries to help ensure the strategic waterway remains open. From Iran’s perspective, however, the strait is still open, he said, adding that restrictions apply only to those Tehran accuses of carrying out unjust aggression against Iran and their allies. He also said the ongoing war should end in a way that prevents such conflict from happening again.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he has asked about seven countries to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Iranian strikes continued across Gulf countries on Monday. Trump said Washington is negotiating with countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude to join a coalition to patrol the strategic waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil normally passes, but he did not name the countries. American efforts to protect Strait of Hormuz continue, US military commander says The head of U.S. Central Command, Brad Cooper, said American forces are targeting Iran’s threats to ships carrying oil and natural gas through the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. In a video posted on X on Monday, he said the U.S. will continue efforts to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten navigation in the key waterway. Trump urges global support to keep Strait of Hormuz open Italy signals reluctance to Trump’s call to help open Strait of Hormuz  Italy has responded cautiously to Donald Trump’s call for allies to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister, told reporters in Brussels on Monday that Rome supports strengthening EU naval missions in the Red Sea but said they cannot be extended to the Strait of Hormuz, as the missions are mainly defensive and anti-piracy operations. Starmer says UK seeks ‘viable’ plan to open Strait of Hormuz Keir Starmer, Britain’s Prime Minister, said the UK is working with allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz but “will not be drawn into the wider war.” Speaking after Donald Trump called on allies to send warships, Starmer said Britain is exploring the use of mine-hunting drones in the region but is unlikely to deploy a warship. Iran thanks Pakistan for ‘solidarity’ amid US-Israel attacks Iran says Strait of Hormuz is closed only to US, Israel and their allies Iran’s top diplomat says the key Strait of Hormuz is only cut off for vessels of the United States, Israel and their allies. German minister says US-Israeli aims need clarity  Johann Wadephul, Germany’s Foreign Minister, said Monday that the U.S. and Israel must clarify when their military objectives are achieved. Speaking before an EU meeting in Brussels, he warned that Iran poses a serious threat to regional security, shipping, and the global economy, and said he would support sanctions against those blocking the Strait of Hormuz. China has no comment on Trump’s Strait of Hormuz request  A Chinese government spokesperson did not directly answer questions about Donald Trump’s request for military support from several countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. At a daily briefing in Beijing, Lin Jian of the Foreign Ministry reiterated China’s call to end the fighting, highlighting its impact on energy and trade.