Good morning! As tensions between Washington and Tehran deepen, the US military opened fire on two Iran-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, dramatically escalating fears of a wider conflict in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. According to US Central Command, the vessels had gone “dark” after switching off their tracking systems weeks earlier, while another Iranian-flagged tanker, M/T Hasna, was reportedly disabled by a US fighter jet near an Iranian port. The latest confrontation comes against the backdrop of a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran’s retaliatory disruption of shipping through Hormuz, threatening global oil flows and maritime trade. Amid the rapidly escalating standoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington expects Iran to respond to a proposed peace agreement later in the day. With that, let’s move on to the top five stories from today’s edition: 🚨 Big Story Suvendu Adhikari is set to take oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal at a grand ceremony at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground today, marking the end of Mamata Banerjee-led TMC’s 15-year rule in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several NDA leaders are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Adhikari, who was unanimously elected BJP legislature party leader, said the new government would prioritise law and order, women’s safety and implementation of the party’s poll promises. Adhikari’s Rise: For the BJP, choosing Suvendu Adhikari as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal was as much a political strategy as a leadership decision. Seen as the architect of the BJP’s rise in Bengal, Adhikari’s aggressive campaigning, strong organisational grip and deep understanding of the TMC’s political machinery made him the party’s most formidable face in the state. His 2021 victory over Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram cemented his stature within the BJP, while his shift from the TMC in 2020 helped the saffron party build a strong grassroots network across Bengal. BJP leaders believe Adhikari’s combative style and strong Hindutva positioning were crucial in consolidating Hindu votes, with the party viewing him as the only regional leader capable of decisively taking on Mamata politically and administratively. Tamil Nadu Deadlock: Meanwhile, actor turned politician Vijay’s bid to form the government in Tamil Nadu hit a roadblock on Friday after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), failed to secure enough formal support to cross the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly, forcing the cancellation of Saturday’s proposed swearing-in ceremony. Though TVK emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats and received backing from Congress and Left parties, the crucial support letter from VCK had not been submitted to Governor Rajendra Arlekar till late Friday night. Vijay had already met the Governor to stake claim to form the government even as hectic negotiations continued among alliance partners amid sharp political attacks between the Congress and DMK camps. ⚡ Only in Express India’s first bullet train project is no longer just a futuristic promise, it is rapidly transforming into one of the country’s biggest engineering feats. Designed to run at speeds of up to 320 kmph, the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will slash travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to just over two hours using Japan’s famed Shinkansen technology. From massive elevated viaducts and underground tunnels to a 7-km undersea stretch beneath Thane Creek, the project is pushing the boundaries of Indian infrastructure. Backed by Japan and built with a growing “Make in India” focus, the bullet train corridor is expected to begin partial operations by 2027. 💡 Express Explained The article argues that explaining election results solely through “anti-incumbency” oversimplifies how voters make political choices. The 2026 Assembly elections showed that voters do not automatically reject governments after a fixed period in power; factors such as governance, welfare delivery, leadership, caste equations, economic distress and opposition strength shaped outcomes differently across states. While some incumbents suffered heavy defeats, others managed to survive through strong organisation and local strategies. The piece also notes that leadership style and public perception, including arrogance or disconnect from voters, often matter as much as tenure. Ultimately, it suggests election verdicts should be viewed as complex political signals rather than routine cycles of voter anger against ruling parties. ✍️ Express Opinion In today’s opinion piece, Faizan Mustafa argues that Rajendra Arlekar’s delay in inviting Vijay to form the government raises concerns about constitutional morality and democratic convention in a hung Assembly. The writer contends that governors are expected to invite the single largest party to prove its majority on the floor of the House rather than demand prior “proof” of numbers. Citing Supreme Court judgments and past precedents involving leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and BS Yediyurappa, the piece argues that majority should be tested in the Assembly, warning that delays by governors risk encouraging political manoeuvring and weakening democratic norms. 🎥 Movie Review In her review of Daadi Ki Shaadi, Shubhra Gupta writes that the film begins with a fun, relatable premise, a grandmother deciding to remarry and shocking her family, but gradually slips into a “creaky melodrama” weighed down by weak writing and preachy emotional turns. While she praises Neetu Kapoor for remaining effortlessly watchable and notes Kapil Sharma’s restrained performance, Gupta feels the film loses its spark in the second half as it leans heavily into conservative family-drama tropes instead of fully exploring its refreshing central idea about ageing, loneliness and women’s autonomy. That’s it for today! Have a lovely weekend! Until next time, Anupama
Good morning! As tensions between Washington and Tehran deepen, the US military opened fire on two Iran-flagged oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, dramatically escalating fears of a wider conflict in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. According to US Central Com…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.