The United States resumed strikes on Iran Tuesday, launching a series of "powerful" attacks in a significant breach of the existing ceasefire. US Central Command announced the actions were in response to Iran targeting and attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway," US Central Command said in a statement. The command stated that Iran's actions were "unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire."
Three tankers were struck by projectiles Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British military. The United States also revoked a license that had authorized the sale of Iranian oil as part of an interim deal to end the fighting between the two nations.
The attacks on shipping traffic were the most in a single day since late April, the UN International Maritime Organization reported. These incidents threatened to disrupt traffic in the vital strait, a key chokepoint for global energy supplies.
Hours after the reported attacks, the U.S. revoked a 60-day license issued last month by the Treasury Department that had waived sanctions on Iranian oil. A U.S. official cited Iran's actions in the strait as unacceptable and requiring consequences.
One tanker caught fire after being hit off the coast of Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. Iranian state television reported the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings, though it did not directly claim responsibility for the assault. The other two vessels sustained damage but continued their routes without reported injuries.
Location data indicated all three attacks occurred off the coast of Oman or the United Arab Emirates, suggesting the vessels may have been using a route near the Omani shore. Tehran has previously asserted that only its approved route through the strait is safe and has been suspected of attacking ships using alternative routes.
The United States is pursuing negotiations with Iran aimed at reopening the strait, curtailing Tehran's nuclear program, and establishing a permanent end to the war that began on February 28. An interim deal has been strained by recent events. Previous confrontations in the strait have led to U.S. retaliatory strikes and subsequent attacks by Iran on Gulf Arab states. In peacetime, the Strait of Hormuz is a critical transit point for approximately one-fifth of all traded oil and natural gas.
The revoked U.S. license had authorized the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil through August 21. U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil purchases have been in place since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The U.S. had previously authorized temporary sales of Iranian oil on at least two occasions as an incentive for a deal following the war's initiation and the strait's closure.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. appear to be on hold, with discussions potentially resuming after the burial of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the conflict.