The United States conducted fresh airstrikes against Iran early on Sunday after an Iranian strike on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian attack set the vessel, the M/V GFS Galaxy, ablaze and left one crew member missing, identified as an Indian national. In response to the US strikes, Iran retaliated by attacking countries in the Middle East that host U.S. military forces, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard stated that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice" and until "the end of U.S. interference in this region," asserting that the container ship had disregarded warnings and traveled on an unapproved route.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported hitting approximately 140 targets in Iran, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, and communication equipment. President Donald Trump publicly stated, "We bombed the hell out of them last night." Despite Iran's declaration, the US military and Trump maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remained open, with CENTCOM stating it was "open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit." A multinational body overseen by the U.S. Navy also noted continued traffic, albeit at reduced levels, through the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial international waterway through which about a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed before the conflict, and Iran's actions previously contributed to a global energy crisis. Oman, which shares territorial waters in the strait with Iran, summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the strikes, calling them "irresponsible." Qatar reported intercepting incoming Iranian fire, with explosions heard in the UAE and three people injured by shrapnel. Missile alerts sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait, and three Iranian missiles caused minor damage in Jordan. These escalations come amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing mediation efforts by countries like Pakistan, Qatar, and Egypt to de-escalate the conflict.
