The US military announced on Saturday that it struck a minimum of 140 targets in Iran in response to an Iranian assault on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command stated that American forces struck some 140 Iranian military targets using precise munitions deployed from land- and sea-based fighter planes, drones, and navy vessels.
The objectives encompassed missile and drone installations, naval assets, ammo depots, communication systems, and coastal observation sites, it stated.
On Sunday, Iran declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz “until further notice” following the shooting of a vessel it said was navigating an illegal path, inciting US retaliatory strikes that further jeopardize an already tenuous peace.
The shutdown of the important waterway signifies the most recent intensification in a dispute that has emerged as a principal obstacle to a conclusive US-Iran accord.
Tehran asserts its intention to govern maritime traffic via the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington insists on unimpeded transit through a passage that facilitates around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade.
On Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced that they intercepted a vessel that disregarded multiple directives to utilize an authorized shipping lane, as reported by the state news agency IRNA. The Guards announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain blocked until further notice and the cessation of American actions in the region, prohibiting the passage of vessels.
While Iran referred to the hit on the vessel as “warning shots,” the US military asserted that Tehran “blatantly attacked” a Cyprus-flagged container ship navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
A crew member is unaccounted for, and the vessel has been incapacitated due to fire and damage to its engine room, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). The United States is imposing significant costs by persistently undermining Iran’s capacity to freely assault civilian sailors and commercial vessels navigating the strait,” it stated on X.
The attacks commenced at 7:15 PM (2315 GMT) on Saturday in Washington, representing the third series executed this week under the directive of President Donald Trump, according to CENTCOM.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated succinctly, “Iran made an unwise decision. They are now compensating.
Critical juncture
Previous assaults by Tehran on vessels in the strait provoked exchanges of gunfire between Iran and the United States, inciting intense rhetoric between the rivals.
The tensions jeopardized an interim accord intended to conclude the Middle East conflict, which commenced in late February with extensive US-Israeli attacks that resulted in the death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
A significant obstacle to a conclusive agreement is the future status of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran obstructed for commercial shipping during the conflict.
The waterway serves as a vital channel for oil and gas exports from the resource-abundant Gulf, and its closure has significantly affected the global economy.
Iran asserts its authority over maritime passage and has declared intentions to impose taxes, stating that unrestricted navigation akin to the pre-war period will not be reinstated—a position that Washington has dismissed.
According to customary international law, governments are typically prohibited from imposing tolls on straits utilized for international navigation.
Retribution
The recent attacks occurred following Iran’s supreme leader’s pledge for retribution against the US-Israeli assassination of his father and predecessor, just after Trump warned of serious consequences should there be any attempt on his life.
Trump has announced the cessation of the truce while remaining amenable to negotiations, and mediators are endeavoring to preserve a diplomatic resolution, with Iranian media indicating that a Qatari delegation visited Iran on Friday. Vengeance is the imperative of our nation and must inevitably be executed,” stated the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a written communiqué. This issue is independent of my existence and that of other officials. Regardless of our presence, it will occur,” he stated in his initial message following his father’s death this week.
He stated that Iran had developed a roster of individuals to target.
Khamenei has not appeared in public since before the conflict and was allegedly injured in the attacks that resulted in his father’s death.
Mediators are striving to restore diplomatic efforts amidst ongoing threats. The Tasnim news agency of Iran claimed on Friday that a Qatari delegation was in Iran to “enhance Qatar’s position as a mediator.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that Tehran has adhered to its obligations under the memorandum of understanding established between the conflicting parties last month but emphasized, “Mutual compliance is essential.
