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Tensions on the high seas as China and Taiwan stage military drills
Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taipei sparks further tensions on the high seas
China and Taiwan are playing a military game of cat and mouse as tensions on the high seas remain high.
It follows U.S. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi meeting with her Taiwanese counterparts in Taipei last week.
This visit infuriated China, as the nation regards the self-ruled island as its own territory.
Beijing has since responded by test launching ballistic missiles over Taiwan’s capital for the first time in history.
China and Taiwan each launched 10 warships in the Taiwan Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the unofficial buffer separating the two sides.
Speaking at a conference in Bangladesh, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says his country’s actions are legitimate and reasonable, aimed at protecting China’s sacred sovereignty.
“It must be borne in mind that Taiwan is not a part of the United States – it is China’s territory”
CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, WANG YI
Meanwhile, in the United States, former President Donald Trump called out Pelosi’s visit.
“What was she doing? She fails. The women brings chaos,” Trump said at a conservative conference in Dallas, Texas.
Trump continued, adding “[Pelosi] played right into [China’s] hands, because now they have an excuse to do whatever they’re doing”.
Trump was the star contributor at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday evening.
What’s happening in the Middle East?
- President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.
- Trump describes the moment as the greatest opportunity for the Iranian people to “take back their country”.
- Iran insists its leader is “firmly commanding the field”.
- Israel and the U.S. have carried out strikes on Iran.
- Impacts have been reported in Israel and across Gulf states as Iran launches retaliatory attacks.
- The escalation has sparked fear and panic, with civilians fleeing major cities.
News
U.S. and Israel strike Iran as missiles hit Gulf bases and oil surges
U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.
U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.
The United States and Israel have launched a sweeping military operation against Iran, striking leadership targets and more than 500 military sites in what President Trump has dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
Explosions have rocked Tehran, with civilians fleeing the capital as U.S. sea and air assets carry out sustained attacks. Washington says the mission is designed to prevent a nuclear armed Iran and has even called on Iranians to rise up against the regime.
Iran has retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While many projectiles were intercepted, a U.S. base in Bahrain sustained damage.
Gulf states long seen as stable hubs for global business are now directly in the firing line, raising fears of a wider regional war.
Oil prices are climbing and tankers are diverting from the Strait of Hormuz as markets react to the escalating conflict. U.S. aircraft carriers, advanced fighter jets and missile destroyers remain in position, signalling more strikes could follow.
With global leaders scrambling diplomatically, the world is watching to see whether this spirals further or shifts back to negotiations.
News
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region
Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region
– Iran’s Guard Corps advises ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz due to rising tensions.
– Tankers have diverted to Qatar and UAE amidst concerns over safety and potential Iranian threats.
Ships have been repeatedly warned against entering the strait, as stated by crews in the area and the European Union’s naval command, Aspides. On Saturday, dozens of tankers diverted, with some seeking refuge in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates while others opted to steer clear of the region, as reported by oil brokers and shipowners.
Shipping Concerns
Tensions continue to impact shipping operations as carriers remain cautious in the Gulf region.
Tanker crews reported hearing explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island, which is vital for the country’s oil exports, as it handles 90% of its crude oil shipments.
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