Gulf

• On February 28, 2026, American and Israeli air forces conducted nearly 900 strikes against Iran, resulting in the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader. • In immediate retaliation for the strikes, Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global maritime chokepoint for oil transport. • The escalation represents more than a regional conflict, signaling a fundamental shift in the "grammar of global power" and the geography of geopolitical influence.

• In August 2025, US scientists conducted the first federally approved ocean alkalinity enhancement experiment by releasing 16,500 gallons of sodium hydroxide (lye) into the Gulf of Maine. • The operation utilized a bright pink dye to track the spread of the lye plume across the water's surface. • This initiative aims to reverse rising ocean acidity and increase the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere to combat climate change.

Storm warnings stretch from Florida to Louisiana as Bertha brings heavy rain, flooding risk and possible tornadoesTropical Storm Bertha strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico and was moving slowly toward the Florida Panhandle and Alabama, causing a tropical storm warning and storm surge watches, forecasters said.The storm was about 110 miles (177km) south of Panama City, Florida, and 170 miles (274 km) south-east of Mobile, Alabama, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Tuesday morning. It was moving north-west at 5mph (8 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 50mph (80 kph). Continue reading...

Depression set to become tropical storm later on Monday as separate storm strengthens off Mexico’s Pacific coastA tropical depression was continuing to develop along the US Gulf coast on Monday as Tropical Storm Fausto strengthened off Mexico’s south-west Pacific coast.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said that the depression was expected to become a tropical storm later on Monday, prompting new watches for portions of the Gulf region. Continue reading...

• A London-based research group has proposed a shared control pact among Gulf states for the Strait of Hormuz, modeled after a defunct European coal and steel agreement. • The proposal aims to resolve an acrimonious dispute over the waterway, which serves as a critical chokehold for one-fifth of the global oil supply. • Tensions have escalated into open conflict, with shipping traffic plummeting following renewed Iranian strikes on commercial vessels.

Sixth day of fighting threatens to turn into all-out war and casts serious doubt on peace deal struck last month• Chaos and confusion bring US no closer to resolution on strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesThe US has intensified its attacks on Iran, hitting targets near Tehran and striking a ship it accused of trying to break its blockade, while Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at US allies in the regionThe back-and-forth attacks, which have reached their sixth consecutive day, threaten to pull the region back into a total war and cast serious doubt about an interim deal reached last month meant to achieve a permanent peace. Continue reading...

• Gulf states have prioritized diplomacy and regional stability over military conflict as the US-Iran tension enters its fifth month. • While Washington struggled to find a clear path forward, Gulf nations focused on de-escalation and securing the critical shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz. • This shift highlights a divergence in strategy, where regional priorities for stability have proven more durable than the initial assumptions made by US policymakers.