Border town in Khuzestan, Iran, site of Iran–Iraq War fighting; current geopolitics focus
The US has resumed strikes on Iran, targeting military facilities and shipping assets in a bid to degrade Tehran’s capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has retaliated with air defences and attacks on regional targets, raising the risk to global shipping and energy markets. The situation remains volatile as diplomatic efforts stall.
The Red Sea incident has intensified a U.S.-Iran clash over the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis claim strikes on two Saudi-linked tankers, while U.S. forces have conducted strikes against Iran to degrade its ability to threaten maritime traffic. Diplomacy shows no clear progress.
Houthi forces have struck multiple sites in southern Saudi Arabia, causing fires and injuring dozens, the Saudi energy ministry has said. The Saudi-led coalition has reported at least 73 people injured in attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran and has vowed a firm military response. The Houthis have promised a statement on a "large-scale military operation."
Leaders and senior officials gather in Paris for US-mediated talks on disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and replacing UNIFIL with a multinational force. The discussions come as Israel maintains a military footprint in Lebanon and faces ongoing strikes by Hezbollah, while Lebanon seeks to strengthen its army’s authority and sovereignty. A donor conference for Lebanese forces is expected later this year or early 2027.
The Houthis have expanded control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing a key island in Bab el-Mandeb and threatening global oil routes. Iraq and Iran-backed militias are implicated in attacks on the East-West Saudi pipeline, prompting Saudi closure and heightened regional tension as global oil markets brace for prices to rise.