Iran claimed on Saturday to have struck U.S. military bases across the Middle East in retaliation for American attacks on its border the previous day, escalating tensions and threatening a fragile peace agreement. The reciprocal strikes have disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where a tanker was struck by an "unidentified projectile" on Saturday.
The Panama-flagged crude tanker Kiku, reportedly carrying Qatari oil and en route to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, sustained damage from the projectile. Its crew members were unharmed, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps stated that its actions were a response to alleged violations of a ceasefire deal by the U.S. While no U.S. facilities were reported hit on Saturday, drone attacks were reported in Bahrain, which hosts a U.S. military base, earlier in the day.
The Iranian reprisals followed U.S. strikes on Iranian military facilities, including drone sites, near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. These U.S. actions were described as a response to Iran's attack on a commercial ship transiting the Strait on Thursday. Former President Donald Trump characterized Iran's Thursday action as a "foolish violation" of the truce.
The Joint Maritime Information Center elevated the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz from "moderate" to "substantial" following the recent incidents. The escalation has halted plans to evacuate thousands of sailors from the strategic waterway.
