The United States launched several waves of airstrikes on Iran, including a third round late Sunday night and into Monday, in response to an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military stated its goal was to "degrade" Iran's ability to attack commercial ships freely transiting the strait. This escalation came after Iran struck a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the M/V GFS Galaxy, setting it ablaze and causing "significant engine room damage," with one Indian national crew member missing. In retaliation for the initial US strikes, Iran launched attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman. Kuwait's Defense Ministry reported damage to three land border posts and an offshore drilling platform, injuring one worker.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that multiple vessels "disregarded our warnings" and ignored instructions for an approved route through the Strait of Hormuz, with one vessel struck by a "warning shot." The IRGC declared the strait closed until "calm is restored" and threatened to target "additional enemy bases in the region" if further attacked. President Donald Trump affirmed the US's strong response, stating, "We bombed the hell out of them last night." The US military earlier hit about 140 targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, and communication equipment. Despite Iran's claims, the US military and Trump maintained that the strait remained open, with a multinational body reporting reduced but continued traffic.
Approximately one-fifth of all traded oil and natural gas previously transited through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's actions led to a global energy crisis, although oil prices have since fallen from wartime peaks of $120 a barrel. The escalating violence has pushed negotiations between Tehran and Washington to end the war to the brink of collapse. The strait, a critical route for global energy supplies and considered an international waterway, has become a major point of contention in these ongoing talks.
