# Gulf
Latest news and articles about Gulf
Total: 13 articles found
How Iran’s Mine-and-Drone Campaign Has Humiliated a 2,500-Strong US Marine Deployment in the Strait of Hormuz
A mid-March U.S. Marine deployment to the Strait of Hormuz has failed to secure merchant transits as Iran uses mines, drones and small-boat tactics to blunt conventional maritime power. The standoff is disrupting global energy flows, exposing vulnerabilities in Western naval doctrine and prompting political unease among Gulf partners.
China Urges Calm as Trump Seeks a 'Strait of Hormuz' Escort Coalition
China urged immediate de‑escalation after Donald Trump said he was building a multinational escort force for ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Beijing called for all parties to halt military actions, avoided confirming any US request to participate, and signalled a preference for diplomacy while protecting trade and energy interests.
Iran Shifts to Sustained Strikes: Night Raid on U.S. Base in Kuwait and a Wider Campaign to Wear Down Washington and Tel Aviv
Iran says it has moved from isolated retaliation to a sustained campaign of multi‑wave strikes against U.S. and Israeli targets, claiming a night attack on a U.S. helicopter base in Kuwait that it says produced more than 100 wounded. The shift, combined with proxy operations and attacks on shipping, raises the prospect of a wider, protracted regional conflict with immediate economic effects on global energy markets.
White House Says US Navy Is Not Escorting Ships Through Strait of Hormuz — A Signal of Restraint or Resource Limits?
The White House said on March 10 that the US Navy is not escorting any commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The brief statement carries strategic weight: it signals either a deliberate restraint to avoid escalation or limits in naval capacity, and has implications for regional security, shipping risk, and global energy markets.
Iran’s Public Apology and Immediate Counterstrikes Expose Fractures at the Top
A televised apology from Iran’s interim president was swiftly contradicted by military strikes, exposing glaring divisions between civilian leaders and armed forces. The episode heightens the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile region and intensifies a domestic power struggle over who sets Iran’s strategic direction.
Chinese Carriers Resume Gulf Routes as Beijing Repatriates Hundreds Stranded by Middle East Shock
Chinese carriers have begun restoring Gulf routes and repatriating hundreds of nationals after regional strikes disrupted air travel. Coordinated action by Beijing’s foreign ministry, aviation regulators and airlines enabled a rapid restart of services and highlighted both humanitarian priorities and broader diplomatic risks tied to Middle East instability.
Trump Vows to Keep Pressing Iran Militarily; Tehran Says It Alone Will Decide When the Fighting Ends
President Trump said the United States and Israel will continue military operations against Iran until their objectives are met, even after three U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian counterstrike. Iran’s foreign minister responded that Tehran will decide when and how the conflict ends, citing a decentralised defence strategy that it says will blunt strikes on its leadership and capital.
Gulf on Fire: How a Trump-era Policy Shift Has Escalated a Gulf-wide Strike and Rattled Global Supply Chains
A Chinese commentary argues that recent U.S. policy choices under Donald Trump precipitated an Iranian "overwhelming response" that has widened a bilateral clash into a Gulf-wide crisis, activating air defences in multiple capitals and exposing U.S. bases. The piece stresses the conflict’s regional realignment, economic fallout for global supply chains, and the acute risk of further escalation.
Starmer Green‑lights US Access to British Bases as Western Leaders Signal Retaliatory Options Against Iran
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has permitted US forces to use British bases for narrowly defined defensive operations in the Gulf, while insisting the UK did not take part in strikes on Iran. London, Paris and Berlin jointly warned they could take proportionate action to degrade Iran’s missile and drone launch capabilities, signalling European readiness to deter further attacks.
Trump Claims U.S. Has Sunk Nine Iranian Vessels and ‘Basically Destroyed’ Naval Headquarters — Iranian Response Pending
President Trump has claimed that U.S. forces sank nine Iranian naval vessels and "basically destroyed" Iran’s naval headquarters, a statement that has not been independently verified and to which Iran had not responded. If true, the strikes represent a significant escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions with potential consequences for regional security, shipping and energy markets.
Tensions Spike: Israeli Media Says Iran’s Army Commander Killed as Iran Strikes U.S. Bases in Gulf
Israeli media say Iran’s army commander Amir Hatami was killed in Israeli strikes, a claim Tehran has not confirmed. Iran says it has struck U.S. military bases across the Middle East, with reported missile attacks in Bahrain and explosions in the UAE and Kuwait, raising the risk of a wider regional escalation that could draw in U.S. forces and disrupt global trade.
IRGC Navy Conducts Major Drills in Strait of Hormuz, Threatens Rapid Closure Capability
Iran’s IRGC navy held major drills in the Strait of Hormuz on February 17, 2026, with its commander saying the force could close the strait rapidly if necessary. The exercise is a calibrated display of asymmetric maritime capability designed to deter adversaries and exert leverage, while full closure would be costly and escalatory for Tehran.