Tensions across the Middle East escalated sharply on Wednesday as international nuclear negotiations with Iran neared a critical juncture, prompting a wave of military alerts, diplomatic repositioning, and growing fears of a regional conflict. The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a rare advisory warning of “increasing regional tension,” urging commercial vessels transiting the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz to exercise extreme caution. The alert, while nonspecific, warned of potential military activity that could directly threaten merchant ships in the region’s vital shipping lanes.
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