The United States launched a new wave of military strikes against Iran early Wednesday, stating its intention to "impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway." This action followed Iran's alleged attacks on three commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, radars, and over 60 small boats used by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which have been frequently employed to harass ships in the Strait.
In conjunction with the military action, the US also revoked a license that had previously authorized the sale of Iranian oil. This license was part of an interim deal between the US and Iran, allowing Tehran to openly sell crude oil for US dollars for the first time in years. The revocation of this license, which had been issued for 60 days last month, is a significant blow to the fragile ceasefire agreement and removes Iran's ability to sell its oil openly until at least July 17, the deadline given for winding down transactions.
The attacks on the tankers included a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, the Al Rekayyat, which was reportedly struck by a drone off the coast of Oman, causing a fire in its engine room. Another Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was also damaged, and a third ship sustained some damage. Qatar, a key mediator in talks between the US and Iran, stated that it holds Iran "fully legally responsible" for the attack on its tanker. The US military attributed the attacks to Iran, noting that the ships appeared to be using a route close to Oman's shore, rather than Iran's approved route, which Tehran is suspected of attacking.
Following the US strikes, Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. Both countries sounded missile alerts, and Iran's Revolutionary Guard acknowledged targeting Fifth Naval District in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, also claiming to have shot down a US MQ-9 drone. These escalating actions threaten to undermine the interim agreement and the ongoing negotiations for a more comprehensive peace deal, which were meant to address the full reopening of the Strait and Iran's nuclear program.
