Middle East shipping routes on alert amid rising US-Iran-Israel tensions
A rare and urgent joint advisory issued by United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa, and Joint Maritime Information Centre has set alarm bells ringing for ship operators passing through the Middle East. The advisory warns of an increased threat level in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman, citing “increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”
At the heart of the warning is the deepening crisis between the US and Iran, with a sixth round of diplomatic talks over Tehran’s nuclear program reportedly scheduled for this week. However, the tone between both governments has grown increasingly hostile.
US president Donald Trump reaffirmed his stance that military action remains on the table if a satisfactory agreement on Iran’s nuclear ambitions is not reached. In response, Iranian minister of defence Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that any US military provocation would result in retaliatory strikes on US bases across the Middle East.
Israel, maintaining a hardline position throughout the negotiations, has continued to threaten unilateral military action against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to regional analysts, domestic pressure on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is mounting—raising the likelihood of a preemptive airstrike. There is growing concern that such action may occur with the cooperation or logistical support of the US, triggering regional escalation.
The Houthis in Yemen – who have been waging a campaign, backed by Iran, against merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the past 18 months – warned yesterday that any military attack from the US or Israel on Iran will plunge the region into war.
“We are . . . at the highest level of preparedness for any possible American escalation against us,” a Houthi source told Newsweek on Wednesday. “Any escalation against the Islamic Republic of Iran is also dangerous and will drag the entire region into the abyss of war. . . . It is certainly not in the interest of the American people to become involved in a new war in service of [Israel].”
Significant movements on the diplomatic and defence fronts add further urgency to the joint advisory.
The US Embassy in Iraq is reportedly preparing for a planned evacuation due to rising security threats, while the US State Department has ordered the withdrawal of nonessential personnel and their families from diplomatic posts in Bahrain and Kuwait, and US military dependents in Bahrain have been cleared for temporary departure, indicating the seriousness of the perceived threat.