The Strait of Hormuz Crisis Deepens
As Operation Epic Fury enters its third week, the conflict between the United States and Iran has escalated dramatically — and now, President Donald Trump is calling on the rest of the world to step up.
In a stunning Saturday development, Trump urged China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and other nations to send warships to help keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe.” The narrow waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically transits, has become the most dangerous chokepoint on the planet as Iran continues to attack shipping and threaten a full blockade.
Iran Threatens UAE Ports — Including Dubai
In a major escalation Saturday, Iran urged civilians to evacuate three major ports in the United Arab Emirates, including Jebel Ali — the busiest port in the entire Middle East — and Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi. For the first time since the war began on February 28, Tehran openly threatened a neighboring country’s non-US assets.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told media that the United States had attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island from two locations inside the UAE — Ras Al-Khaimah and a point “very close to Dubai.” He called the situation dangerous and said Iran “will try to be careful not to attack any populated area” there.
Hours after the threat, debris from an intercepted Iranian drone struck an oil facility near the port at Fujairah, sparking a fire. No attack materialized on Jebel Ali or Khalifa ports, but the message was clear: Iran is willing to widen the war to Gulf neighbors it accuses of harboring American forces.
A diplomatic adviser to the UAE’s president, Anwar Gargash, responded by saying the country “has the right to defend itself” but “still prioritizes reason and logic, and continues exercising restraint.”
Kharg Island: Iran’s ‘Crown Jewel’ Under Fire
The latest flashpoint centers on Kharg Island, which handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude oil exports. On Friday evening, Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States had “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island” — while notably sparing oil infrastructure, for now.
But he issued a stark warning: if Iran “or anyone else” continued to interfere with the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, he would “immediately reconsider this decision.”
US Central Command confirmed it destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile launch sites, an air defense system, a naval base, and an airport control tower on Kharg Island. Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency downplayed the damage, claiming oil infrastructure remained intact.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker fired back, warning that strikes against the country’s oil infrastructure would “provoke a new level of retaliation.” Iran’s joint military command reiterated Saturday that it would attack US-linked “oil, economic and energy infrastructures” across the region if its oil assets were targeted.
Iran’s Military Capability ‘Decimated’ — But Still Dangerous
Despite two weeks of relentless US and Israeli bombardment, Iran remains capable of inflicting significant damage across the region. However, the numbers tell a story of rapidly degrading capability.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth revealed on March 13 that Iranian missile volume is down 90 percent and one-way attack drone volume is down 95 percent compared to the start of the war. The combined US-Israeli force has systematically targeted missile production facilities, IRGC headquarters, Basij checkpoints, and internal security infrastructure across at least ten Iranian provinces.
Yet Iran has still managed to launch hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the conflict. Its forces have struck airports, oil fields, and civilian infrastructure in the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait — even while claiming to target only US assets.
US Orders Americans Out of Iraq
In another sign of the conflict’s widening scope, the US government has ordered American citizens to leave Iraq. The US Embassy in Baghdad was struck by a missile for the second time since the war began, underscoring the danger to American personnel across the region.
A KC-135 refueling aircraft also went down in Iraq on March 12 during Operation Epic Fury. CENTCOM confirmed the incident occurred in “friendly airspace” and that rescue efforts were ongoing. At least seven US service members have been killed in action since the conflict began.
UK and France Enter the Fight
The war is no longer just a US-Israel operation. British and French forces have entered the conflict, with the UK’s RAF base in Cyprus already struck by an Iranian drone. Britain said Saturday it was discussing with allies a “range of options” to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The expansion of the conflict to European military forces marks a significant escalation and raises the stakes for NATO allies who have so far tried to balance support for the US with calls for de-escalation.
Mojtaba Khamenei Named New Supreme Leader
Inside Iran, the regime is scrambling to maintain authority after the February 28 strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been named the new Supreme Leader — a move the Iranian opposition has condemned as a “dynastic succession” that highlights the deep crisis of clerical power.
Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to the late Supreme Leader and secretary of Iran’s Defense Council, was buried Saturday at the Imamzadeh Saleh shrine in Tehran, further highlighting the toll the war has taken on Iran’s leadership.
Oil Prices and Global Anxiety
The war’s impact on global energy markets continues to intensify. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively contested, oil prices have surged and supply disruptions are rippling through international markets. The Trump administration has already announced the release of 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to cushion the blow.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi insisted the strait was closed only to “those who are attacking us and their allies.” He described Trump’s call for allied warships as “begging” and urged Iran’s neighbors to “expel foreign aggressors.”
What Comes Next?
As the war enters its third week, the central question remains: can it be contained? The conflict has already spread far beyond Iran’s borders, dragging in Gulf states, European powers, and threatening the global economy.
Trump has said he is “nowhere near” a decision on a ground operation in Iran, but with 50,000 US troops, 200 jets, two aircraft carriers, and B-2 stealth bombers deployed in the region, the military infrastructure for further escalation is already in place.
The next 48 hours will be critical. If Iran follows through on its threats against UAE oil infrastructure — or if the US strikes Iran’s oil facilities on Kharg Island — the conflict could enter an entirely new and more devastating phase.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.