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The United States is sending more naval assets and ground personnel to the region, alongside proposed arrangements to escort ships and clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes amid pressure on Iran’s oil exports and US threats to launch a large-scale attack, prompting Iranian officials to warn of a more destructive response.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with no crew members injured. The incident coincides with the disclosure of an Iranian bill requiring permits for some vessels and banning the passage of vessels from countries Tehran classifies as hostile.
Washington has expanded sanctions on Iran to include the automotive and rail sectors and a Russia-linked financial network, while President Donald Trump said renewed bombing after the midterm elections remained possible, as about 9,000 US personnel head to the Middle East aboard a naval group.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador to Tehran, Hugo Shorter, to protest British allegations that there were indications of a role for Tehran in a security incident near RAF Fairford. British police are continuing to investigate five suspects released on bail, while Iran denies any connection to the incident.
Members of the Fatemiyoun militia, composed mainly of Afghan fighters and affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, have appeared in armed training exercises and patrols in Sistan and Baluchestan province. Local reports said hundreds of them had been stationed near the borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, prompting local criticism and questions about the nature of their assigned missions.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations received a report that a liquefied natural gas carrier was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, while authorities began an investigation to determine its nature and source. The authority urged transiting vessels to exercise caution amid a dispute between Washington and Tehran over navigation arrangements in the strategic waterway.
A well-informed official said Qatar had delivered Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi the US response to Tehran’s proposal, which includes steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations within seven days, following a round of indirect contacts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf objected to aspects of a government decision that extended legal and regulatory deadlines affected by the war, asking President Masoud Pezeshkian to rectify the violation and inform him of the outcome. While the objection centres on how the deadlines were amended, researchers and politicians say the dispute does not yet represent a rift between the two men.
Tehran has signalled that it may act pre-emptively if preparations for a new attack against it are confirmed, while US Vice-President JD Vance said an agreement remains possible provided Iran honours its commitments. The escalation comes amid continuing regional mediation efforts and reports of a new incident involving a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
