US-Israel-Iran War: Conflict to go on? Mojtaba Khamenei shuts up ceasefire proposalsUS-Israel-Iran War: As the conflict across the West Asia region continues to rage on in its third week, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals to reduce tensions or a ceasefire with the US.
The development comes as Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Tuesday that Khamenei's close aide and Iran's security chief Ali Larijani has been killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel said on Tuesday that Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, was killed in an overnight airstrike in Iran. The attacks are a part of Israel's campaign against senior Iranian military and security figures.
Previously, US President Donald Trump said that America is "shocked" after Iran began striking Gulf countries, including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
He also said that the US has extinguished most of Iran's missiles and drones and two layers of its leadership. Even though Trump claims that the US has been fairly successful in the conflict so far, Tehran has a warning for Washington DC.
Meanwhile, tensions intensified around the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz as various US allies, including the UK and China, declined to deploy warships to escort oil tankers from Hormuz. As a result, oil prices resumed their upward trajectory on Tuesday
Germany has also ruled out sending its warships through the waterway, citing the absence of a mandate from the UN, NATO or the European Union (EU). Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Germany was not consulted before the US and Israel decided to pound Iran to a pulp.
The strategically critical waterway continues to remain closed as the war continues to spiral, impacting nearly 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments that pass through it. Iran has reportedly deployed drones and naval mines in the area, leading to prolonged disruption, rising energy prices and inflationary pressure on global markets.
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Israel's defence minister Israel Katz claimed on Tuesday that Ali Larijani, Iran's security chief and Mojtaba Khamenei's close aide, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, news agency Reuters reported.
“Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell,” Katz said.
A high-ranking Iranian source told Reuters that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has dismissed overtures for a ceasefire or de-escalation with the US that were delivered through two neutral nations.
During his inaugural foreign policy meeting, the official characterized Khamenei’s stance as “very tough and serious,” with a primary focus on seeking retribution against both the US and Israel. While it remains uncertain if the Supreme Leader was physically present at the meeting, the outcome underscores a commitment to a defiant, uncompromising strategy as regional tensions intensify.
LPG shortage: During a briefing on the West Asia crisis, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged citizens to use alternative fuels whenever possible.
During a briefing, the government said there is no shortage in diesel, petrol in retail outlets, and there is no dry-out. State governments have been asked to approve applications for retail outlets.
Israel said on Tuesday that it killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani, in an overnight airstrike in Iran. It, however, is not confirmed whether he was killed or injured.
The Israeli media said that the military targeted Iran's security chief and Mojtaba Khamenei's aide Ali Larijani but it was not immediately clear whether Larijani was killed or injured, Reuters reported.
Iraqi oil minister told Al Jazeera that Baghdad has reached some understandings with Tehran to permit certain Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have issued a renewed directive for residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate, specifically instructing civilians to relocate north of the Zahrani River for their safety. Military spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee emphasized that active airstrikes are continuing throughout the region, noting that anyone traveling south faces immediate life-threatening risks.
The IDF has expanded its ground presence, moving units further into southern Lebanese territory to neutralize Hezbollah’s capabilities. While the IDF is pushing deeper into the border regions, reports suggest that the majority of Hezbollah’s offensive operations are being launched from positions further inland rather than the immediate border zone.
During a Tuesday broadcast on state television, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf asserted that the presence of the US military undermines rather than guarantees stability in West Asia.
He maintained that true regional security must be established independently by the nations within the area.
"The face and order of the Middle East will change, but not according to US plans. We, the Islamic countries of the region, will establish regional order and security in the economic and security dimensions," Qalibaf said, concluding that the withdrawal of U.S. forces is a necessary prerequisite for this new order.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi said that the fire at the Shah gas field was caused by a drone attack and that no injuries have been reported so far, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The Shah gas field is located 180 km southwest of Abu Dhabi.
After Shivalik, another LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, which crossed the Hormuz Strait, arrives at Vadinar Port, carrying more than 47,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas.
Brent nears $103 per barrel, WTI eyes $96 a barrel
The UAE energy sector faced further turmoil on Tuesday as two separate attacks disrupted regional operations. A drone strike forced a continued shutdown at the Shah gas field—a massive sour gas facility southwest of Abu Dhabi—while a secondary strike ignited a blaze within the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.
The situation continues to strain the UAE's energy infrastructure, as the Shah field represents one of the most significant sour gas deposits globally.
Reports surfaced on Tuesday of renewed explosions across multiple sectors of Tehran. According to Al Jazeera, which cited sources from VOA’s Persian-language service, these blasts targeted the Andarzgoo district as well as an IRGC paramilitary facility located in Kamraniyeh.
Simultaneously, Reuters reported that a separate explosion was heard in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Domestic benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty opened on a flat note on Tuesday, though sentiment remains cautious amid the prolonged West Asia conflict.
At 9:17 am, the BSE Sensex declined 80.12 points, or 0.11%, to 75,422.73. The NSE Nifty slipped 21.80 points, or 0.09%, to 23,387.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas' Parliamentary Standing Committee is set to hold a meeting today at 3 pm. Discussions will focus on the challenges faced by the indigenous petroleum sector due to the global developments, particularly the Middle East conflict.
There will also be a question-and-answer session regarding LPG supply concerns across the country. Petroleum Ministry officials will provide a briefing, India Today reported.
(With inputs from Himanshu Mishra)
US intelligence agencies warned Donald Trump that attacking Iran could lead to retaliation against US allies in the Gulf. Pre-war intelligence flagged strikes on Gulf states as a possible outcome, as per US officials and sources familiar with the reports.
He was also warned before the strikes that Tehran could attempt to shut the Strait of Hormuz if the war broke out. The strategically crucial waterway carries around 20 per cent of the world's oil supply.
Oil prices rose more than 2% in early trade on Tuesday, reversing some of the previous session's losses, on worries about supply with the Strait of Hormuz mostly shut and US allies rebuffing calls to send warships to help tankers move through the vital waterway.
Brent futures jumped $2.48, or 2.5%, to $102.69 a barrel by 0058 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $2.42, or 2.6%, to $95.92.
In the previous session, Brent futures settled 2.8% lower while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid 5.3% after some vessels sailed through the critical waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz - a chokepoint for about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas trade - has been largely disrupted by the US-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week, raising concerns about supply shortages, higher energy costs and rising inflation.
Several US allies rebuffed Donald Trump's call on Monday to send warships to escort shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, drawing criticism from the US president, who accused Western partners of ingratitude after decades of support.
"The risks remain stark: It only takes one Iranian militia to fire a missile or plant a mine on a passing tanker to reignite the entire situation," IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.
-- Reuters
