Persian Gulf

Iran fortifies nuclear sites, rebuilds missile arsenal as it prepares for the next war - analysis

The emerging picture is of an Iran continuing its efforts to rebuild its missile and drone programs despite the damage inflicted by previous US and Israeli strikes.

Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7, 2026.
Houthi control around Bab el-Mandeb gives Iran-aligned forces leverage over a second major maritime choke point, opposite the Strait of Hormuz on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. A Yemeni government army officer gestures as he rides a boat in Bab el-Mandeb, Yemen, April 2.PremiumPremium

Yemen might be far away from Israel, but the Houthi threat is not - analysis

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam Friday, 2nd October 2026

Attacks on oil infrastructure endangering marine life in Persian Gulf, research finds

US President Donald Trump, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, holds a press conference during the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, June 17, 2026.

Trump’s Persian Gulf Summit must look beyond the Iran war - opinion


Iran’s aging tankers used for oil reserves as blockade strains storage capacity

The vessel's commission suggests that Iran’s energy sector and oil storage capacity are facing a crisis, as the US Navy continues to block the passage of tankers carrying Iranian oil out of the Gulf.

A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows a view of an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.

Maersk US-flagged ship transits Hormuz accompanied by US military

US Central Command said in a social media post on Monday that American forces are actively assisting efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait, a vital waterway in the region.

The Singapore-flagged tanker Maersk Kate during the fuel unloading manoeuvre in Telde, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain, March 27, 2026.

US sinks Iranian small boats, shoots down missiles, drones as reopening of Strait underway

US President Donald Trump launched Operation Project Freedom on Monday in an attempt to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway in the region.

People drive past an anti-US billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 4, 2026.

Trump says US to begin escorting ships out of Persian Gulf through Strait of Hormuz

"This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time," US President Donald Trump said in a statement published in Truth Social.

US President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One upon his arrival at Ocala International Airport in Ocala, Florida, US, May 1, 2026.

Khamenei vows to protect nuclear program, warns US over Gulf presence in written statement

Khamenei reiterated that Iran will defend its nuclear and missile technologies, accusing the US of causing instability in the Persian Gulf and vowing to expel foreign forces.

Iranians stand on a pavement along a street next to a billboard depicting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in Tehran on April 24, 2026.

Iran, Hezbollah ceasefires need enforcement, not just declarations, to sustain calm - editorial

Trump’s strategy mixes ceasefire and economic pressure on Iran, as Israel confronts rising threats from Hezbollah on the northern border.

Iranians walk past an anti-USA and anti-Israel mural, in Tehran on April 21 2026, amid a ceasefire in the region.

WATCH: US intercepts 'stateless sanctioned' vessel in Indo-Pacific area, enforcing Iran sanctions

The Pentagon confirmed a US military boarding of the stateless M/T Tifani, a vessel tied to Iranian smuggling activity, as part of global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks.

US INDOPACOM forces board the Iran-linked M/F Tifani, published April 21, 2026.

Pressure on Strait of Hormuz threatens global energy, Red Sea exposed to disruption - explainer

As of April 15, Hormuz remains heavily disrupted, the Red Sea remains under credible threat, and both waterways are central to the strategic contest now unfolding.

Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026.

Heat, costs, shortages: US faces limits in deciding next actions in Iran - report

Iran could achieve USD 70-90 billion in annual revenue if the Islamic regime is allowed to charge a toll in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a J.P. Morgan paper.

An illustration of oil barrels, pipelines, and drills, over the backdrop of US and Iranian flags.

Second US fighter jet downed in Persian Gulf, pilot rescued after ejection

US media reported that the sole pilot on board was safely rescued, with Tehran claiming the shootdown of the A-10 as the second successful strike on a US aircraft within 24 hours.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II is displayed at Al-Maktoum International Airport during the Dubai Airshow 2025 in Dubai on November 20, 2025.