The United Kingdom modernizes its defense with drones and unmanned submarines

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.

Ballistic missile test from nuclear submarine

China’s military on Monday test-launched a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine in the South Pacific Ocean. The warhead was fictitious, according to the official Xinhua agency. The launch, at 12:01 local time, was part of routine annual training and was not directed against any country, said a brief Xinhua statement republished by the Ministry of Defense.

Australia, Japan and New Zealand protested. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters declared:

“It appears that, despite our long-standing concerns about this type of activity, China carried out the test within hours of informing us.”

The test occurred on the same day that Australia and Fiji signed a mutual defense treaty, in a gesture to counter Chinese influence. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said:

“Australia has been clear with China that we consider this to be destabilizing for the region.”

Japan expressed concern. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said:

“China’s military activities, combined with its lack of transparency, have become a serious concern for Japan and international society.”

Beijing dismissed the criticism. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated: “We hope relevant countries will avoid overinterpretation.”

The United States also reacted. State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott said:

“Beijing’s rapid and opaque buildup of nuclear weapons is of grave concern to the region and the world.”

Experts pointed out the lack of transparency. Drew Thompson, a researcher at Nanyang Technological University, commented: “China’s modernization and military buildup have occurred without parallel increases in openness and transparency.”

Lyle Morris of the Asia Society Policy Institute noted that it is the first publicly acknowledged test of a dummy warhead from a nuclear submarine traveling so far in the Pacific. Morris stressed that Japan, New Zealand and Australia received notifications, but not the United States.

China maintains a “no first use” policy on nuclear weapons, but modernizes its arsenal. According to the Pentagon, China had about 600 warheads in 2024 and projects more than 1,000 by 2030.