US military review

A Wall Street Journal report says the US is considering relocating some military assets farther from Iran’s missile and drone range after reviewing damage to a key naval base in Bahrain. The report, citing US officials and satellite imagery, says the Bahrain base suffered more damage than Washington has publicly acknowledged.

According to the report, the Pentagon is also weighing refurbishment of the Bahrain facility while reducing its presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Some operations could be shifted westward, with Israel emerging as one possible location for relocated US bases.

The review comes as the Trump administration has asked Congress for an additional $87.6 billion for military operations, force readiness and replenishing weapons stockpiles. Trump has also said Iran has agreed not to acquire a nuclear weapon, though regional tensions remain high after recent military strikes and counterstrikes.

Iran targets NATO

Iran has accused NATO member states of supporting US and Israeli military action against Tehran and has demanded accountability from those governments. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had acknowledged support from countries including Italy and Romania for the US operation, according to his social media post.

Baghai said those states should explain their role to both their own citizens and the international community. Tehran argues that by supporting the US and Israel, NATO members became complicit in what it views as an unlawful military campaign.

The accusation adds another layer to an already volatile standoff in which Iran is trying to present itself as the coastal power responsible for regional navigation, while the US and Gulf states push back against any single-country control over the waterway.

Hormuz attack

Separately, a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile near Oman’s coast, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The projectile hit the starboard side of the Singapore-flagged ship and damaged the bridge, but none of the 21 crew members were injured and the vessel continued its voyage.

Singapore condemned the incident as unprovoked and unjustifiable, calling it a breach of international law. The UN maritime agency later suspended its planned evacuation mission for seafarers in the area because of security concerns.

The attack has renewed fears about the safety of shipping through one of the world’s busiest chokepoints. Brent crude climbed as much as 4% after the incident, as traders worried about possible supply disruption.

Iran’s maritime warning

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has said vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz only via routes approved by Tehran. State media reported that at least three oil tankers turned back after receiving warnings, while Iranian officials rejected any parallel or alternative route arrangements that do not involve Iran.

Iran has also warned Gulf states against backing the US over navigation rights in the strait. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said safe passage is only possible when Iran’s role as the coastal state is recognized.

The dispute is feeding broader regional unease, especially as Saudi Aramco has resumed oil loading at Ras Tanura after a near four-month halt, and several Gulf states have publicly supported a diplomatic path with the US and Iran.

Wider fallout

Violence has also continued in Lebanon and Gaza, where Israeli strikes have caused fresh casualties. Lebanon’s state media reported Israeli raids and house demolitions in the south, while a drone strike in northern Gaza killed two people on Thursday.

Japan meanwhile announced $15 million in humanitarian aid for Iran, Lebanon and the West Bank, underlining how the conflict is now spilling into aid, shipping and energy policy.

The picture that emerges is of a region where military planning, maritime security and diplomacy are moving at the same time, but not in the same direction.