Tehran rocked by explosions as Trump calls for allies in Middle East war

The night sky over Tehran lit up in flashes of fire and thunder on Tuesday, as a fresh wave of explosions jolted residents awake and signalled a dangerous new phase in the Middle East conflict  one that is now testing alliances as much as it is reshaping battle lines.

Multiple blasts were heard across the Iranian capital after hours of bombardment, with early indications pointing to an expanded Israeli strike targeting strategic infrastructure. While details of the targets remain sketchy, the intensity of the strikes suggests a deliberate escalation in a war that has already stretched into its third week.

The conflict is no longer confined to two fronts. Iran has retaliated with strikes across the Gulf, hitting key locations in Israel and beyond, drawing in countries that had initially hoped to remain on the sidelines. The widening scope has raised fears of a broader regional war with unpredictable consequences.

Amid the escalation, US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on allies to support efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route now under threat. His call for a multinational naval presence, however, has met visible resistance.

“They weren’t supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East… Nobody expected that. We were shocked,” Trump said, reflecting Washington’s surprise at the scale of Iran’s response.

But key allies are treading carefully. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signalled willingness to engage diplomatically but stopped short of endorsing a military deployment, while other European governments have made it clear they are unwilling to be drawn into a war they neither initiated nor fully understand.

For now, the ripple effects are being felt far beyond the battlefield. Oil prices have surged on fears of supply disruption through Hormuz, and with millions already displaced across Iran and neighbouring states, the crisis is fast evolving into a global economic and humanitarian concern one with no clear end in sight.