The United States launched a series of “powerful strikes” against Iran early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, in the latest exchange of fire to threaten the interim deal to end the fighting between the two countries.ย The strikes were expected to hit a variety of military sites and port facilities, US officials said.
The renewed attacks were sure to add to the difficulty of the negotiations aimed at fully reopening the strait, rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme, and reaching a permanent end to the war launched on February 28.
One US official said the military is targeting Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance systems, ground-to-air missiles, as well as launch sites for anti-ship cruise missiles and drones. Iranian port facilities are also being targeted, the official added.
What did the US military say?
In a post shared on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the military launched the strikes “to impose heavy costs” for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway. “US Central Command 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,” CENTCOM said.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes came after Iran targeted three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.ย “The US strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” it said.
Explosions heard in parts of Iranย
Several explosions were heard near Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran, Al Jazeera reported, citing Iran’s Fars news agency. Iranian state media also reported blasts to the east and west of Bandar Abbas, while local media said multiple explosions hit Sirik port after projectiles struck commercial and fishing piers.
A similar spate of Iranian attacks on shipping and US retaliation occurred late last month, while the new strikes were notable for happening while President Donald Trump was in Turkey for a summit of the NATO military alliance.
US revokes Iran oil licenceย
Hours after the three tankers were struck by projectiles, the United States revoked a licence that had authorised the sale of Iranian oil as part of the interim deal to end the fighting between the US and Iran.
The new assaults in the fuel-shipping waterway were the most in a single day since late April, according to the UN International Maritime Organization. The fresh attacks threatened to choke off the flow of traffic in the strait just as countries hoped to restore normal shipping practices and ease the global economic strain of the war.
A US official said the licence was revoked because Iran’s actions in the strait were unacceptable and needed to be met with consequences. The official spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to share insight into the reasoning behind the move.
The licence issued by the US authorised the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil through August 21
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