US Launches Third Round of Strikes on Iran After Vessel Hit in Strait of Hormuz
Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after its military struck a vessel that had ignored warnings and deviated from an approved route, according to Iranian state media. The incident further strains a fragile ceasefire agreement with the United States.
In response, the U.S. Central Command confirmed that American forces initiated a third round of strikes targeting Iran. Explosions were reported in the coastal towns of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, as per Iran's state media.
“The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” the U.S. military said in a statement.
A Cyprus-flagged container ship was hit by Iran, suffering “significant engine room damage,” and a civilian crew member remains missing, the U.S. Central Command reported.
Senior U.S. officials had earlier indicated that further progress in ceasefire negotiations depended on securing the strait, and they had sought public assurances from Iran regarding navigational safety.
However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps stated that multiple vessels “disregarded our warnings and instructions to correct their course and proceed along the approved route.” One such vessel “was struck by a warning shot and brought to a stop.”
Iran declared the strait would remain closed “until further notice” and warned of targeting “additional enemy bases in the region” if subjected to further attacks.
Within an hour, the U.S. announced its new round of strikes. “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay,” U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media.
The exchange of fire followed diplomatic discussions between Iran and Oman on Saturday regarding the strait. The talks came after days of Iranian assaults on ships and U.S. retaliation, which undermined the interim ceasefire deal.
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first statement since the funeral of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowing revenge for his killing in the war’s opening strikes on February 28. “Such revenge is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out,” he said in a statement carried by state television, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened more missile attacks.
Oman confirmed that it and Iran agreed to continue discussions on the Strait of Hormuz “at the technical and political levels.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, prior to the new U.S. strikes, said his meeting with Oman’s foreign minister focused on “appropriate mechanisms for ensuring the safe passage of ships.”
The Strait of Hormuz has long been considered an international waterway. However, since the war began, Iran has insisted on controlling it and charging fees for transit. The U.S. advises vessels to use a southern route through Oman’s territorial waters.
Before the conflict, about a fifth of globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait. Iran’s control during the war triggered a global energy crisis, although oil prices have dropped sharply from wartime highs of $120 per barrel.
Iran’s top diplomat accused the U.S. of violating the interim deal by ending waivers that allowed Iran to sell crude oil in U.S. dollars. Washington revoked the waivers in response to the shipping attacks. “Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance,” Mr. Araghchi wrote on social media.
President Trump stated that he has been the target of an Iranian plot and said the U.S. military would automatically retaliate if he were killed. He wrote on social media early Saturday that “1000 Missi” – the message appeared truncated.
