The United States launched additional strikes on Iran on Sunday, aiming to degrade the country's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command announced.
President Donald Trump directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable after recent attacks on vessels in the strait, a crucial chokepoint for global oil supplies. The strikes occurred around 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday.
According to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, the strikes targeted missile and air defense systems and Revolutionary Guard boats at several locations. These actions are intended to further diminish Iran's capacity to assault commercial shipping.
A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command stated that Iranian forces had conducted more attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes. The strait has become a significant point of contention in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Earlier on Saturday, Iranian forces attacked a container ship in the strait, setting it ablaze and resulting in one missing crew member. In response to this incident, the U.S. military stated it had struck around 140 targets the previous night, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition depots, and communication equipment.
Following the U.S. strikes, Iran reportedly launched attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman. Iranian officials, however, maintain that they must have sole control over the strait.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament and a lead negotiator, posted on social media that "The era of one-sided deals is OVER" and insisted on Iran's control of the waterway. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also declared the strait closed until further notice and threatened to attack "additional enemy bases in the region" if further attacks were faced.
Despite the tensions, the U.S. military reported that more than 140 ships transited the strait over the preceding week. A multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy indicated that traffic levels remained reduced but continued off both Oman and Iran, with nearly 140 vessels transiting daily before the recent escalation.
Iranian forces claimed that the Cyprus-flagged container ship, identified by American authorities as the M/V GFS Galaxy, was attempting to use an unauthorized route when it was targeted on Saturday.