โMore than 35 people have been killed, and at least 72 others hospitalised in recent US airstrikes across Iran, according to Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for the Iranian Health Ministry. The escalation comes after the United States reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and intensified its air campaign in response to Tehran’s attacks on ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a renewed full-scale conflict in the Middle East.
US intensifies strikes, naval blockade returns
The US resumed its naval blockade on Iran on Wednesday, weeks after lifting it under an interim agreement that had paused hostilities for 60 days to allow negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and other issues.
American strikes reportedly hit an Iranian army barracks, killing at least seven troops and injuring more than 260 people across the country, Iranian officials said. The latest attacks came after Iran targeted vessels attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz.
The renewed military exchanges have effectively derailed the interim ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran. The US had first imposed the blockade in April before lifting it last month as part of a temporary truce. However, negotiations have stalled amid renewed fighting centred on the Strait of Hormuz.
The war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompted Tehran to effectively close the strategically vital waterway, disrupting global shipping and driving up oil, fertiliser and commodity prices.
Iran threatens to halt Gulf energy exports
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Wednesday that it could block all energy exports from the Middle East if the blockade continues.
“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” the IRGC said in a statement.
US targets strategic islands in Strait of Hormuz
The US military said it carried out overnight strikes on dozens of targets before launching additional daytime attacks, signalling an increased pace of operations.
According to US Central Command, forces also intercepted two commercial vessels attempting to breach the newly imposed blockade within 17 hours of its enforcement.
Among the targets was Greater Tunb Island, a strategically important location in the Strait of Hormuz. The US said it struck Iranian missile and defence installations on the island.
Iran has controlled Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb since 1971, though the United Arab Emirates continues to claim sovereignty over them. Some analysts believe control of these islands could significantly influence access to the Strait of Hormuz.
Hormuz contention and oil prices
The Strait of Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments during peacetime, making it one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
During the temporary truce, some commercial vessels resumed using an alternative shipping route near Oman under US military protection. However, Iran recently attacked ships using that corridor, triggering the latest exchange of military action.
While Washington has threatened to reopen the strait by force, military analysts say such an operation would require a far larger naval deployment and potentially tens of thousands of troops. The renewed blockade is seen as an alternative means of exerting pressure on Tehran.
The escalating tensions have pushed global oil prices higher. Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded above USD 85 per barrel on Wednesday, more than 15 per cent higher than before the conflict resumed, though still below the nearly USD 120 per barrel seen at the peak of the war.
The International Monetary Fund warned that while previous global oil surpluses had helped cushion prices, that buffer has now been significantly reduced, increasing the risk of further price spikes if the conflict continues.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
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