US Launches Fresh Airstrikes on Iran as Trump Claims Tehran 'Shot First'

The United States launched a fresh round of strikes on Iran, with President Donald Trump claiming Iran 'shot first' as justification for the escalating military campaign. The attacks mark a sharp intensification of direct US-Iran hostilities, drawing in Israel as Netanyahu warned Tehran of 'much more powerful' strikes should Iran retaliate against Israeli territory.

The conflict has rapidly expanded beyond the battlefield. Iran is now reportedly eyeing the Red Sea as a potential pressure point against Washington — a move that would threaten one of the world's most critical shipping corridors. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil passes, is already at the centre of the standoff, with crude prices surging to a one-month high on the back of the escalating tensions.

For India, the stakes are deeply personal as well as strategic. Hindustan Times reported that 148 Indian seafarers may be trapped in the Hormuz waterway, now among the most dangerous stretches of ocean in the world. India is a major consumer of Gulf oil and has hundreds of thousands of nationals living and working across the region.

Diplomatically, Trump walked back an earlier proposal to impose a 20% levy on ships passing through Hormuz, instead calling for trade deals with Gulf countries. The reversal came as the US also prepared to resume a blockade of Iranian ports, according to BBC. The situation remains fluid, with casualties reported and multiple parties warning of further escalation.