The United States has launched a new round of military strikes against Iran after Iranian forces attacked a Cyprus-registered container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze and leaving a crew member missing. Tehran responded by formally declaring the strategically vital waterway closed and launching retaliatory missile and drone strikes against multiple Gulf Arab nations hosting US military forces.
The fresh escalation came on Sunday, marking the third round of US airstrikes against Iran within a single week, and threatened to unravel an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran that was intended to pave the way for a permanent end to the ongoing conflict.
What Happened: Strikes, a Burning Ship and a Closed Strait
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on a Cyprus-flagged container ship it claimed was sailing an unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz. Although Iranian authorities described the attack as "warning shots," US Central Command characterised it as a "blatant attack" on a civilian vessel. The ship was disabled by fire, with damage reported to its engine room, and the crew abandoned the vessel and were recovered on a lifeboat approximately 17 kilometres east of Oman.
The IRGC subsequently declared the Strait of Hormuz closed "until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region." Iran also announced it had struck a second vessel in the strait, accusing it of violating navigation regulations, and claimed to have hit a US base in Qatar.
In response, the US military launched strikes beginning in the early morning hours, targeting more than 140 Iranian military sites across three nights of operations. Targets included missile and drone launch sites, ammunition depots, communications infrastructure, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval vessels. A US official, speaking anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss military operations publicly, confirmed additional strikes were conducted later in the day on missile systems, air defences, and IRGC patrol boats.
Explosions were reported near Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, on Qeshm Island, and in Khuzestan province. The governor of Qeshm Island confirmed projectiles had struck military targets, with no casualties reported.
'We Bombed the Hell Out of Them'
President Donald Trump made no attempt to soften his language when describing the operations. "We bombed the hell out of them last night," Trump said in a television interview. The US military and Trump both firmly rejected Iran's claim that the strait was closed, with the Pentagon asserting that more than 140 ships had transited the waterway over the course of the past week. A multinational naval monitoring body confirmed traffic was continuing, though at reduced levels.
A semiofficial Iranian news agency reported that a navy officer was killed in the US strikes. Iran denied the strait remained open to normal international traffic, insisting that it alone has the authority to regulate passage through the waterway — and has indicated it intends to charge vessels for using it.
Iran's parliamentary speaker and a key negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued a pointed warning following the strikes. "The era of one-sided deals is OVER," he wrote. "We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."
This latest exchange comes as the two countries approach the midway point of a 60-day interim agreement intended to create conditions for a permanent resolution to the conflict. The question of Hormuz shipping rights has become one of the central sticking points, with Iran demanding control over the corridor and Washington insisting on unrestricted international navigation.
Gulf Neighbours Caught in the Crossfire
Iran's retaliatory strikes extended well beyond its immediate adversary. Missiles and drones were fired at Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman — all nations that host US military assets or have been pressed by Tehran to assist in managing shipping through Hormuz.
Air raid sirens sounded across several Gulf states. Qatar's military said it intercepted incoming Iranian fire, and explosions were heard in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. Three people — including a child — were wounded by shrapnel from an interception of the incoming strikes, according to Qatar's Interior Ministry.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning in response to the widening conflict. "A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences," Guterres said in a formal statement.
What's at Stake: Energy Markets and a Fragile Deal
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of all globally traded oil and liquefied natural gas, making it one of the most consequential maritime chokepoints on earth. Iran's grip on the waterway since the outbreak of the conflict had already triggered a global energy crisis, with oil prices surging to as high as USD$120 a barrel at wartime peaks. Prices have since fallen sharply from those highs.
Iran warned it was prepared to target "additional enemy bases in the region" if US strikes continued, raising the prospect of further regional destabilisation. With the interim agreement appearing increasingly fragile, and both sides trading fire over one of the world's most critical waterways, diplomatic efforts face their most severe test yet.
For background on earlier US-Iran tensions and the breakdown of the ceasefire, see our earlier reporting on Trump declaring the ceasefire over.
