Deadly Blast Near Red Sea & Rumoured U.S.-Israeli Operation Against Iran Threatens Ceasefire

Tensions in the Middle East have soared again after a massive explosion was reported near the entrance of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital choke point linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

There are also reports suggesting that the United States and Israel may be preparing to resume military action against Iran.

While the exact scale and cause of the blast remain unknown, the incident has triggered anxiety across the region.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy placed its forces on full alert and deployed its vessels along the Makran coast to the Persian Gulf.

Additionally, 1,500 vessels are currently waiting to receive permission from Iran to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

Recently, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council also announced the creation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, which is being portrayed as an administrative agency.

However, naval analysts see this move as a way to codify sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports pass.

The new authority could allow Iran to permanently regulate ship movements, manage transit permissions, and collect fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s Ultimatum and “Epic Fury 2.0”

This decision has not been accepted by Washington, and the U.S President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum, warning Tehran that “the clock is ticking” and that a failure to reach a deal would leave “nothing left of them.”

A recent report highlights that the Pentagon has updated its contingency plans under a framework known as Operation Epic Fury 2.0.

Sources suggest that US and Israeli strikes could commence next week if negotiations collapse.

According to analysts, the Trump administration is weighing three options, including air and missile strikes targeting Iranian military and energy infrastructure, deployment of forces inside Iran to confiscate nuclear material from underground facilities and the seizure of Kharg Island, which is Tehran’s most important oil export hub.