The United States carried out a fresh round of military strikes after Iranian forces allegedly attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions in the Gulf.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including missile and drone facilities, communications networks and coastal surveillance sites.
According to the US military, the operation came after what it described as a blatant attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Cyprus-flagged vessel MV GFS Galaxy.
CENTCOM said the ship suffered significant damage to its engine room and was unable to continue its voyage. One crew member was reported missing.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency later said the crew had abandoned the vessel and taken refuge in a lifeboat.
Iran responded swiftly. The IRGC announced that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed until further notice and warned that any further American action would be met with severe retaliation.
The Guards also claimed responsibility for strikes on US military bases and allied targets across the region, including the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain said they had responded to Iranian missile and drone attacks, though the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
The latest confrontation follows earlier incidents in which three commercial tankers were attacked while travelling along a route recommended by the United States through Omani waters.
Iran has repeatedly argued that ships should instead use a route passing through its own territorial waters.
According to Iranian state media, the most recent incident began when a vessel allegedly ignored repeated instructions and attempted to travel along an unapproved route. Iranian officials said warning shots were fired and the ship was stopped.
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also involved in negotiations with Washington, wrote on social media that the “era of one-sided deals is over,” adding that Tehran expected the United States to honour previous agreements.
The renewed fighting has put further strain on an already fragile ceasefire. President Donald Trump has said that Iranian attacks effectively ended the truce, although he also indicated that diplomatic talks would continue. Iranian Foreign Minister
