Tensions have sharply escalated in the Middle East after the United States launched military strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, an aggressive move President Donald Trump described as an effort to “neutralize the world’s top state sponsor of terror.” The strikes mark the first direct U.S. military intervention in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, signaling a dangerous new phase in regional hostilities.

In retaliation, Iran bombed U.S. military positions in Qatar and swiftly moved to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway through which nearly 30% of the world's seaborne oil and 20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) pass daily. The Iranian Parliament has approved the closure, raising alarm over the potential shockwaves this could send through the global energy market. The U.S. has warned that such a move could have devastating effects on the global economy.

Initially, there was a brief moment of hope. President Trump tweeted that a ceasefire had been brokered between Israel and Iran, a claim Iran’s Foreign Minister, Syed Abbas Araghchi, first denied, only to acknowledge a tentative agreement in a follow-up post.

However, that ceasefire has now been officially broken.

Israel’s Defence Minister ordered intense airstrikes on Tehran, accusing Iran of violating the truce. Iran has denied the allegations and issued a strong warning of “decisive retaliation” against any future Israeli aggression.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to pressure Iran, given Beijing’s reliance on the Strait of Hormuz for oil imports. “If Iran shuts down the Strait,” Rubio said on Fox News, “it will be economic suicide.”

With diplomatic efforts failing and military actions escalating, the region stands at a volatile crossroads. Analysts warn that without immediate de-escalation, the conflict could spiral into a larger geopolitical crisis, threatening global oil markets, trade routes, and regional stability.