Iran escalates tensions in the Gulf as Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issues a stark warning to the United States, declaring Iran’s navy is ready to deliver “new defeats.” The warning comes amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz after reports of tanker attacks and tightened Iranian control over the vital shipping route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations flagged gunfire incidents, while the United States Central Command confirmed ships being turned back under a U.S. blockade. With diplomacy hanging in the balance, global tensions are rapidly intensifying.