Strait of Hormuz closure and widening regional tensions push oil prices above $100
New Delhi: The United States–Israel war on Iran entered its 14th day on Friday with fresh airstrikes on Tehran, reports of explosions in Dubai, and intensifying geopolitical tensions across the Middle East, as oil prices surged following the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli forces launched what they described as an “extensive wave” of air attacks on Iran’s capital, Tehran, leaving parts of the city blanketed in thick smoke. The strikes came amid continued military escalation between Iran and the US-Israel alliance.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said the conflict has taken a heavy toll on civilians. According to him, at least 1,348 civilians have been killed so far, with victims ranging in age from eight months to 88 years.
The fighting has also disrupted global energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route linking the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has been closed, sending Brent crude prices above $100 per barrel. The narrow waterway is the only outlet to open seas for major oil and gas producers in the Gulf. Iranian authorities have said the passage is under Tehran’s control and ships linked to the US or Israel would not be allowed through, while other vessels must obtain Iranian permission to transit.
Meanwhile, explosions and thick smoke were reported in Dubai on Friday morning. Dubai’s government media office later said debris from a “successful interception” caused minor damage to the façade of a building in central Dubai but confirmed that no injuries were reported. It also confirmed that a drone fell on a building, causing a minor fire quickly brought under control, Gulf News reported.
Conflicting claims also emerged over a reported Iranian strike on a US aircraft carrier. Iran’s Central Headquarters of the Holy Prophet said a precision operation involving missiles and drones targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier about 340 kilometres from Iran’s maritime borders in the Sea of Oman. Iranian state television claimed the vessel and its strike group fled the area at high speed after the attack. However, Washington rejected the claim. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the aircraft carrier continued to operate normally and remained engaged in “Operation Epic Fury”.
The US military also reported the loss of another aircraft during the conflict. CENTCOM said an American KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while a second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely. The military said the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. The aircraft is at least the fourth US military plane lost since the conflict began, following three F-15 fighter jets that were earlier shot down in a friendly-fire incident over Kuwait.
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Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli strikes had killed several Iranian nuclear scientists and suggested that the conflict could create conditions for political change in Iran. Speaking at a televised press conference, Netanyahu said Israel’s operations aim to weaken the Iranian leadership and allow Iranians “the space needed to take to the streets”, according to The Times of Israel.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump said the war was progressing “very rapidly” and praised the performance of American forces. “It’s doing very well, our military is unsurpassed,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
However, the conflict has also triggered debate within the United States. More than 250 American organisations have signed a letter urging Congress to halt funding for the war, arguing that the estimated $11.3 billion spent in the first six days of the conflict is diverting resources from domestic programmes such as food assistance.
US Senator Lindsey Graham also indicated that the war could continue for some time but downplayed the likelihood of deploying American ground troops in Iran. “I don’t see this conflict ending today,” he told reporters in Washington.
As the fighting spreads across the region and disrupts global energy flows, the war continues to draw international concern over its humanitarian and economic consequences.
