Beijing Calls for Halt to War, Warns Against Wider Involvement

News Desk 

Beijing: Beijing has called for an immediate end to the ongoing conflict, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi stating that “the unjust war should not go on” during a phone conversation with Emmanuel Bonne, the top diplomatic advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

During the call, Wang urged France, as a fellow member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to enhance strategic coordination with China and help prevent further escalation by discouraging additional countries from becoming involved in the conflict. 

Notably, Wang has now held discussions with counterparts from all permanent members of the council except the United States since the outbreak of hostilities.

Analysts suggest that the situation presents an opportunity for Beijing to position itself as a more dependable global power amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Meanwhile, the conflict has also impacted high-level diplomatic engagements. 

A planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump has reportedly been postponed by around six weeks. #

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Trump’s anticipated visit to China had been viewed as a potential turning point in efforts to stabilize relations between the two economic giants, which have been strained by ongoing US tariff measures.

US Escalates Strikes to Secure Strait of Hormuz

The United States has intensified its military campaign against Iranian naval forces, stepping up operations aimed at securing the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional tensions.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine confirmed that US warplanes and attack helicopters are actively targeting naval assets operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

He said low-flying A-10 Warthog jets are being used to strike fast-attack boats in contested waters, marking an expanded role for the aircraft beyond its traditional close air support missions.

Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Caine also revealed that US forces have deployed heavy bunker-penetrating munitions against underground facilities believed to store coastal defense cruise missiles.

US officials said the ongoing campaign, identified as Operation Epic Fury, has so far destroyed approximately 120 Iranian vessels, including 44 mine-laying craft, significantly reducing Tehran’s naval capabilities in the area.

Regional allies are also supporting the effort, with reports indicating the deployment of AH-64 Apache helicopters to counter Iranian one-way attack drones, although officials declined to name the countries involved.

Meanwhile, around 2,200 US Marines have been redeployed to the Persian Gulf after cutting short an Indo-Pacific mission. The troops are positioned to assist in securing maritime routes and could be tasked with operations targeting key Iranian oil infrastructure, including facilities on Kharg Island.

The escalation highlights growing concerns over the security of vital shipping lanes and the potential impact on global energy supplies.