China launches ballistic missile from nuclear submarine in the Pacific

An oil tanker sailing off the coast of Oman, in the Strait of Hormuz, caught fire early Tuesday after being hit by a projectile, the British Army reported.

It is the most recent attack against a vessel on that strategic route, through which in peacetime a fifth of the oil and natural gas traded in the world transited. Suspicions point to Iran, which has already been accused of previous attacks in waters near the Omani coast.

Negotiations on pause and mass funeral

The United States seeks to resume negotiations with Iran to fully reopen the strait, reduce Tehran’s nuclear program and permanently end the war that began on February 28. However, the attacks on vessels have provoked military responses from Washington, followed by Iranian responses against Gulf Arab states, raising the risk of escalation.

The talks appear suspended until the funeral of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in the first hours of the conflict, is concluded. His body was airlifted to the city of Qom, where a crowd honored him on Tuesday.

Attack details

The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency said the ship was attacked near Limah, Oman. The projectile hit the port side while trying to exit the narrow course towards the Gulf of Oman. No environmental impact was reported and authorities are investigating.

Previously, Iran’s joint military command warned that all tankers must use approved routes. “Any non-compliance will have an immediate response,” said an Iranian statement, which also threatened to react to US interference.

As part of a provisional pact, both countries agreed to free navigation for 60 days, but Tehran insists on controlling the routes and charging for passage, which Washington and several Arab countries reject. Previous attempts by Oman and the UN to establish an alternate route sparked attacks in the Middle East.

The Kpler firm reported that at least 108 ships crossed the strait over the weekend using various routes.

Khamenei’s funeral

Iranian state television showed live hundreds of thousands of people walking towards the Jamkaran mosque for a funeral service. Banners featured images of Khamenei and his son, Moytabá Khamenei, named the new supreme leader, although he has not yet appeared at the ceremonies. He is believed to be in custody after being injured in the attack that caused his father’s death.

Authorities closed streets and airspace for mourning, which ends Thursday, when Khamenei will be buried in Mashhad. He was 86 years old.

Canada chooses ThyssenKrupp for its largest military acquisition

Canada selected the German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) as a preferred supplier for the construction of up to 12 submarines. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the operation the largest military acquisition in the country’s history.

The announcement comes days before Carney attends a NATO summit, where allies face pressure to increase their defense spending. The president affirmed that the TKMS platform is optimal for Arctic waters and for the alliance.

“The submarine is proven and capable,” declared Carney.

TKMS supplies submarines to more than a third of NATO members. Carney declined to reveal the exact price, but said it will involve an investment of “tens of billions of dollars.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked Carney and stressed:

“This is a strong signal for our transatlantic and European alliance.”

The German company beat the South Korean Hanwha Ocean. ThyssenKrupp said its submarines will strengthen interoperability, as many NATO allies already operate conventionally powered vessels.

Canada has committed to increasing its military spending after years of lagging behind NATO goals. Carney promised to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, after reaching 2% of GDP this year, the alliance’s previous goal. The Canadian fiscal plan foresees spending reaching 4% of GDP by 2030.

Germany and Norway, countries that design the submarines together, will open production spaces to speed up deliveries. Canada would receive four submarines by 2034, two years earlier than projected. The new fleet will replace the four Victoria-class submarines, purchased second-hand from the United Kingdom in the late 1990s.

No American company submitted a bid, as the United States only builds nuclear-powered submarines, while Canada was looking for conventional vessels.

“The sovereignty of our country, bounded by three oceans and the longest coastline in the world, depends on our maritime capabilities,” concluded Carney.

Official silence in the face of Trump’s disqualification

The Italian government decided not to respond to the latest message from Donald Trump, who launched a direct criticism against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The position seeks to prevent the episode from overshadowing the NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, where both leaders will meet.

Sources from the Chigi Palace indicated that Meloni dedicated the previous hours to preparing the work agenda, without referring to the American president. The atmosphere, however, became tense after Trump spread a meme about an alleged harassment restraining order, weeks after accusing Meloni of having “begged” him for a photo during the G7 summit.

These accusations have eroded mutual trust and buried the “special relationship” that both leaders exhibited a year ago at the NATO meeting in The Hague.

Internal reactions and bipartisan support

The tension escalated to the point that, according to internal versions of the Italian Executive, the participation of officials in the official reception of the American embassy was reconsidered. Washington’s version of Meloni’s alleged unfulfilled commitments causes confusion in Rome; Some leaders close to the prime minister have questioned Trump’s state of health to explain what they describe as “disconcerting statements.”

However, government sources assure that both the State Department and the Pentagon reiterated their willingness to maintain bilateral cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani—who will meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio—said that Trump’s statements speak for themselves and that the transatlantic relationship goes beyond a single person. The Defense Ministers, Guido Crosetto, and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini avoided delving into the controversy to preserve the strategic alliance.

Internally, Meloni received the support of the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, and the leader of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, who condemned the disqualification and demanded a dialogue based on mutual respect.