Middle East ceasefire shattered as Iran strikes UAE and warns ‘we’re just getting started’

Key Points:

• The fragile ceasefire in the Middle East is at risk of collapse following recent drone and missile attacks on the UAE and clashes in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route.
• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth maintains the truce is still in place, despite escalating tensions and warns that the US can reopen the conflict if necessary, while Iran signals it is "just getting started."
• The US launched "Project Freedom" to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran condemns as "Project Deadlock," accusing the US of endangering shipping and escalating the conflict.
• US military officials report multiple Iranian attacks on commercial vessels since the ceasefire, with over 100 American aircraft providing continuous defensive coverage in the region.
• Experts warn the situation is highly volatile, with the US unwilling to negotiate terms for reopening the strait without force, raising fears of wider conflict and significant disruptions to global fuel supplies, particularly impacting the UK.