All articles tagged with #gulf
Saudi Arabia’s formal, oddly cordial tone masks a sharp dispute with the United Arab Emirates after Riyadh bombed a UAE weapons shipment in Yemen and accused Abu Dhabi of threatening Saudi security, a rare rift between the Gulf’s two dominant powers with potentiallywide regional consequences.
The Gulf region is deeply unsettled by Trump's decision to join Israel in military actions against Iran, despite recent efforts by Gulf states to de-escalate tensions and maintain stability. The strikes have caused regional anxiety, fears of wider conflict, and concerns over Iran's potential response, highlighting the fragile balance and limited influence of Gulf states in U.S. decisions.
A Royal Navy minesweeper, HMS Chiddingfold, crashed into another vessel, HMS Bangor, in the Gulf due to a mechanical failure, causing significant damage. This incident adds to a series of embarrassments faced by the Royal Navy, including drastic shortages of sailors and decommissioning of warships due to recruitment challenges. The collision comes at a crucial time as Royal Navy ships are deployed to protect international shipping lanes in the Gulf, which have been targeted by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
A low-pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to bring beneficial rain to drought-stricken areas in the South as it merges with a frontal boundary. While the system is being monitored for tropical development, it is unlikely to form into a tropical depression or storm. The rainfall could reach 1 to 3 inches along parts of the Gulf Coast, providing relief to drought areas. However, localized flooding is possible if too much rain falls too quickly. The rain is expected to spread from South Texas to southern parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle through Thursday.
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was left stranded in the Gulf after her aircraft experienced a malfunction.
The United States' military buildup in the Gulf is risking a dangerous confrontation with Iran, according to analysts. The Pentagon recently announced the deployment of thousands of troops to the region to protect shipping lanes from Iranian harassment. Iran has responded angrily, vowing to equip its navy with drones and missiles. The US and Iran are on an escalation ladder that could lead to conflict, as diplomatic efforts to revive the Iran nuclear accord have faltered. The recent tensions also highlight the US's desire to assert its influence in the region and maintain control over shipping lanes crucial for the global economy.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accuses the United Arab Emirates of betraying their alliance, signaling a growing rift between the two Gulf powers as they vie for dominance in a region where U.S. influence has diminished.
The United States is deploying F-16 fighter jets to the Gulf region to protect ships from potential Iranian seizures near the Strait of Hormuz. This move comes after Iran attempted to seize two oil tankers last week. The US Navy has observed that Iranian naval vessels backed off when a US guided-missile destroyer arrived on the scene. Additionally, the US is considering military options to address increasing Russian aggression in the skies over Syria, where Russian aircraft have been conducting surveillance and collecting intelligence on US forces.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander accused the US Navy of defending fuel smuggling in the Gulf after Iran intercepted a ship involved in smuggling Iranian oil and gas. The US Navy allegedly attempted to interfere with the interception through unprofessional and risky actions. The US Navy had monitored the interception but decided not to respond further. This incident is one of several involving Iranian forces and Gulf shipping, including an incident where Iranian naval personnel fired at a tanker managed by Chevron.
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander accused the US Navy of defending fuel smuggling in the Gulf after Iran intercepted a ship involved in smuggling Iranian oil and gas. The US Navy reportedly attempted to interfere with the interception, but the vessel was eventually brought to Bushehr port for legal procedures. In a separate incident, Iranian naval personnel fired at a Bahamas-flagged tanker managed by Chevron, following Tehran's claims of a collision involving an Iranian ship. Chevron denied involvement in a collision and stated it had not been notified of any legal proceedings or court orders by Iran.
The U.S. Navy has accused Iran's Revolutionary Guards of forcibly seizing a commercial vessel in the Gulf's international waters, likely engaged in smuggling. This comes after the U.S. Navy reported two more attempted seizures by Iran off the coast of Oman. Iran regularly intercepts tankers suspected of smuggling oil. The U.S. Navy has intervened in previous attacks, with Iranian forces fleeing upon their arrival. Iran claims that one of the tankers involved in a collision was involved in the incident, while the U.S. Navy remains vigilant in protecting lawful maritime traffic in the region.
Many residents of the Gulf Coast saw a bright flash of light in the night sky, which some thought was a meteor or UFO. However, it was actually a SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts back to Earth after 10 days in space. The capsule and crew were launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and splashed into the Gulf off the coast of Florida.
Iran has seized a second oil tanker in the Gulf waters, according to the US Navy, marking the latest escalation in a series of seizures or attacks on commercial vessels in the region since 2019. The Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) while passing through the narrow Strait of Hormuz. The incident comes after Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman last week. About a fifth of the world's crude oil and oil products passes through the Strait of Hormuz.