The 2025 Iran–Israel military confrontation marks a critical juncture in Middle Eastern geopolitics, characterized by Israel’s preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and Iran’s retaliatory assault on major urban centers such as Haifa and Tel Aviv. This escalation framed by decades of ideological antagonism, proxy entanglements, and nuclear brinkmanship has triggered a multilayered crisis with implications far beyond the immediate theatre of conflict. The resultant regional volatility threatens the stability of maritime chokepoints, notably the Strait of Hormuz, which remains central to global energy flows. Reactions from global actors ranging from Washington’s unequivocal support for Israel to Beijing and Moscow’s cautious calls for restraint have further entrenched geopolitical divisions within a multipolar order. For ASEAN, the crisis serves as a stress test for energy security policies, as well as the bloc’s capacity to uphold diplomatic neutrality amidst intensifying great power rivalries. Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair in 2025, holds a unique position to reinforce a non-aligned stance while advocating multilateral de-escalation mechanisms and regional resilience.