According to an updated Congressional Research Service report, the United States has had 81 military aircraft either lost or damaged since the beginning of its conflict with Iran at the end of February 2026.
The operation was also extremely dangerous. During the search, an Iranian projectile reportedly struck a US helicopter, underlining the risks faced by the rescue teams.
The pipeline shutdown comes just days after Iran-backed Houthi forces launched attacks on Saudi cities including Jazan, Abha, Najran and Khamis Mushait.
The fragile calm between the United States and Iran has shattered once again, with renewed military strikes threatening to push the Middle East into another dangerous phase of conflict.
The ₹7,000-crore pipeline expansion therefore goes beyond an infrastructure project. It is part of a broader strategy to build a more resilient domestic fuel supply chain, reduce dependence on road transportation and ensure that geopolitical shocks do not translate into cooking-gas shortages for Indian households.
The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice, marking a dramatic deterioration in economic ties between the two neighbours separated by the Gulf (Persian or Arabic Gulf, depending on how you see it).