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Iran’s Hormuz grip alarms Gulf states as shipping hit

Lebanon strikes and tanker disruption strain already fragile ceasefire

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At the centre of that anxiety is the Strait of Hormuz — not just a waterway, but Tehran’s most powerful bargaining chip

Iran warns ships: Seek permission or face destruction

Tehran tightens grip on the strait, warning ships even as truce takes hold

US Navy retail service specialist Artayja Stewart of Clarksville stands guard next to a machine gun aboard the USS Paul Hamilton in the Strait of Hormuz in a file picture.

Iran’s call: How Mojtaba Khamenei sealed the deal

Public escalation, private diplomacy — the pattern behind the ceasefire

The final call rested with Mojtaba Khamenei, who, according to Axios, became actively involved in the negotiations in their closing stages

Trump’s threats win — strategic mess remains in Iran

Truce halts fighting, but Iran’s power, nuclear risk and Hormuz leverage persist

US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, DC.

Trump’s Iran ultimatum: Bluff or imminent strike?

Hormuz ultimatum tests US credibility as strike threats raise legal and escalation risks

US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio (third right) and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (second right) monitoring activity related to "Operation Epic Fury" against Iran from an unnamed location on February 28, 2026.

Deadlines, delays, repeat: Trump faces credibility test

Shifting Iran deadlines over Hormuz keep markets on edge and oil outlook uncertain

Since March 21, Trump has issued multiple “final” deadlines — first giving Iran 48 hours, then pausing potential strikes to allow for what he described as “productive” talks, before extending the window repeatedly.

How the US rescued a downed airman deep inside Iran

Elite commandos, airpower and covert ops combine in high-risk rescue deep inside Iran

Hundreds of commandos, supported by warplanes, drones, and surveillance assets, successfully extracted the officer.

Trump wanted to stop Iran bomb — left uranium behind

US President downplays uranium threat, raising questions over war’s core objective

Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, a key enrichment site, as questions mount over the fate of Tehran’s uranium stockpile after US-led strikes.

Hormuz hangs in balance as Trump eyes quick Iran exit

US signals war may end soon even as Hormuz remains unresolved

As the war enters its fifth week, the growing US troop presence raises fresh questions about the endgame.

Who breaks first in the war — markets, Iran or US?

Hormuz disruption fuels oil shock, market volatility and rising costs in war of endurance

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)'s official website Sepanews on February 17, 2026, shows Iran regime's fast-attack boats manoeuvring around a tanker vessel during a military exercise by members of the IRGC and navy in the Strait of Hormuz.

US power vs Iran leverage: The real battle in the war

Military might meets economic pressure as Hormuz disruption drives global risks

A US F/A-18 Super Hornet attack fighter jet taking off from the US Navy's Nimitz-class USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier at sea on March 16, 2025.

Kharg, Iran’s oil lifeline, back in Trump’s focus

Trump revives ‘take the oil’ idea, raising risks of escalation and market shock

Iran's Kharg Island, which hosts the country’s main crude export terminal and is responsible for the overwhelming majority of its oil shipments to the world, is about 25 kilometres south of the mainland in the north of the Gulf, on March 2, 2026.

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