US, Iran intensify attacks as diplomacy struggles to revive truce

Diplomatic efforts to revive the collapsed interim agreement between the United States and Iran gathered pace on Tuesday even as both countries exchanged fresh attacks for a 10th consecutive day.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Pakistan, which has emerged as a key mediator in the conflict, for talks with the country's civilian and military leadership. However, it remained unclear whether the negotiations would produce a new framework to halt the fighting, an AP report said.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged all sides to exercise restraint during his meeting with Momeni, expressing concern over the escalating conflict. Momeni also met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, AP reported, citing officials.


Pakistan had played a role in brokering last month's interim understanding between Washington and Tehran and has since been trying to bring both sides back to the negotiating table after the agreement collapsed.

Shipping disruptions deepen as Strait of Hormuz remains blocked

The conflict has continued to disrupt global energy supplies, with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remaining largely stalled. Before the war, the waterway handled about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas exports.

The United States carried out fresh airstrikes on Iranian military targets early Tuesday, while Iran attacked a tanker in the strait, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. Iran's Revolutionary Guard later claimed responsibility for the attack, along with two other strikes on commercial ships carried out a day earlier.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations also reported that a tanker came under attack off the coast of Oman, where commercial vessels have increasingly been routed to avoid Iranian-controlled waters.

The fighting has also spilled into the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia. According to AP, six vessels altered their routes after receiving Houthi warnings, while the rebel group advised international shipping companies to avoid transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical gateway to the Red Sea.

The escalation has pushed global oil prices higher, with Brent crude trading above $90 a barrel, while average gasoline prices in the United States climbed to about $4 a gallon.

US strikes Iran; Tehran targets regional allies

The US military's Central Command said it had targeted Iranian military command centres, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities and air defence systems. It also released footage showing strikes on sites across Iran.

Iranian state media reported explosions in the provinces of Fars, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan.

The conflict has also expanded beyond Iran and Israel's immediate sphere. Jordan's military said it intercepted five Iranian drones and three missiles, while Bahrain activated missile warning sirens after another Iranian barrage targeted the Gulf kingdom, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

In Kuwait, authorities said Iranian strikes hit desalination and power facilities for a fourth consecutive day, triggering fires and causing damage. With roughly 90% of Kuwait's drinking water produced through desalination, officials warned the attacks posed a serious threat to essential supplies.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials accused the United States of targeting electrical infrastructure and water facilities inside Iran during its latest round of strikes.