As Israeli attacks on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, enter their sixth day, the deepening conflict is sparking fears in Islamabad, say analysts, rooted in its complex ties with Tehran and the even greater unease at the prospect of the Israeli military’s aerial influence extending close to the Pakistani border.

From a logistical standpoint, re-routing crude through Gwadar to China’s western region of Xinjiang cuts shipping distance by approximately 75 percent, reducing time, risk exposure, and cost. In context, Gwadar increases China’s supply-chain resilience in the event of a maritime shipping crisis.