Parts of Tehran and the Alborz province lost electricity after attacks on facilities, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Power was largely restored within an hour. This incident highlights the rising tensions in the conflict between Iran and its allies, and the United States and its allies.

The situation is further complicated by the arrival of a US amphibious assault group and the involvement of the Iranian-backed Houthis. This has raised fears of an escalation in the war, which is now entering its second month.

Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey met to explore a path out of the conflict. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to host future talks. However, there are no indications that either side is ready to meet soon.

US President Donald Trump has pushed for negotiations, but Iran rejects the proposals and demands war reparations, demands that Trump is unlikely to accept.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded that Iran’s Khondab heavy water production plant sustained severe damage from a strike. Heavy water is used in nuclear power plants and for weapons-grade plutonium. One of the stated aims of the war is to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

The US Defense Department is preparing for potential ground operations in Iran, according to unnamed sources. Any mission would likely focus on opening the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz has become Iran’s main source of leverage in the war. Tehran is drafting a law to govern passage through this waterway, including aspects of security, fees, and the establishment of a regional development fund. Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, accused Iran of waging war on the world economy by trying to turn the strait into an Iranian-controlled canal.

The disruption of oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz has caused the biggest crisis in the history of the global oil market.

An attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia injured 15 US troops and damaged an E-3 Sentry aircraft, valued at approximately $300 million. An Iranian strike on Tel Aviv caused one death. The Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon continued, with attacks killing two journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the widening of the buffer zone in southern Lebanon.

The conflict has resulted in over 4,500 deaths, with most casualties in Iran and Lebanon. The US military has struck over 11,000 targets and destroyed over 150 Iranian vessels since the start of the conflict.