Iran War, day six echoes WWII  

Scenes unfolding across the Middle East now resemble something out of a Second World War film. 

A United States submarine sank an Iranian vessel with a torpedo in the Indian Ocean—an incident that evokes a type of naval combat largely absent from modern warfare for more than eighty years.

A Sri Lankan ship reportedly rescued several dozen survivors from the Iranian vessel, which was believed to be carrying around 180 people. Details remain fragmentary and have yet to be independently verified.

The sinking was disclosed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It is only one episode in a widening conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran that has now entered its sixth day.

A conflict spreading across the region

Air raids and missile strikes continue to hit Iranian targets. According to Israel’s defense ministry, more than 5,000 weapons have been used in the campaign and thousands of Iranian soldiers have been killed.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reports more than 1,000 civilian deaths.

Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and several Gulf countries. One projectile believed to be heading toward Turkey or Cyprus was intercepted, though officials have not clarified the exact trajectory.

Unverified reports circulating on regional media also claimed Kurdish fighters had entered Iran from neighboring Iraq. Kurdish officials have denied the allegation.

At the same time, Israel has intensified its ground operations in southern Lebanon against the Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah.

Political tensions in Washington 

In Washington, the United States Senate rejected another attempt to limit the war powers of President Donald Trump.

The measure marked the eighth congressional effort since the start of what lawmakers had previously described as the “twelve-day war.” All such resolutions have failed.

This time, Republican libertarian Senator Rand Paul joined Democrats in backing the measure. The votes, however, fell short.

The outcome had been uncertain. A growing number of commentators—including some conservative voices—argue that the war appears politically improvised, lacking clear strategic objectives or a defined exit plan.

Several figures within the MAGA political ecosystem have also distanced themselves from the campaign, arguing it contradicts the “America First” doctrine promoted by Trump during the election campaign.

During a press conference, Trump acknowledged that the conflict could drive up global energy prices, though markets had already begun reacting to the escalation.

He insisted that prices would eventually fall to “the lowest levels ever seen.”

Asked to rate the progress of the war, Trump responded with characteristic bravado: “On a scale from one to ten, we’re doing fifteen.”

Symbolic blow for Iran 

Reports from the battlefield also highlight vulnerabilities in U.S. defenses. Iranian drones reportedly struck several American diplomatic facilities in the region, including the CIA station in Riyadh, according to regional media accounts. No injuries were reported.

For Tehran, the episode carries symbolic significance. Many Iranians view the Central Intelligence Agency as a historic adversary because of its role in the 1953 Iranian coup d’état.

Europe hesitates 

Across Europe, governments remain cautious in their response. The European Union and most of its 27 member states appear caught between defending international law, widely seen as violated by the U.S.-Israeli offensive, and preserving key strategic relationships.

One exception has been Pedro Sánchez, who has emerged as one of the few Western leaders openly opposing Trump’s approach. Spain’s position, Sánchez said, can be summarized in four words: “No to war.”

The Holy See has echoed that warning. 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin cautioned that preventive wars risk “setting the world on fire,” warning that the international order is increasingly shifting from the rule of law toward the law of force.