Strait of Hormuz Shipping Reportedly Halted, Oil Rallies Amid New US-Iran Strikes
- US, Iran exchange multiple strikes; Strait of Hormuz shipping halted.
- Iranian missiles strike Emirati tankers; oil prices rally.
- Peace deal doubt; Iran retaliates against US bases in Gulf.
The United States launched a series of “powerful strikes” against Iran, with actions reported on Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5 p.m. ET, in retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. These incidents included an attack on the M/V GFS Galaxy, which sustained damage and resulted in one civilian crew member missing. While the U.S. Central Command stated the strikes aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to target shipping, Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed “until further notice,” a claim disputed by Washington. The escalating geopolitical tensions and conflicting reports regarding the vital shipping lane led to a notable jump in oil prices, with a reported interception of an Iranian cruise missile by US aircraft. This marks the third time in a week US forces have struck Iran.
The US has completed a **third round of strikes** against Iran, prompting **retaliatory strikes from Tehran**. Both nations have **exchanged fresh strikes** and are now issuing **conflicting declarations over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open to shipping**.
Iran's retaliatory strikes targeted **American military bases in several Gulf states**. The latest exchanges also **cast doubt on the future of an interim peace agreement signed last month**, which had aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict.
Shipping through the **Strait of Hormuz has reportedly halted** amidst the escalating conflict. The U.S. Central Command confirmed a **new wave of offensive strikes** against Iran on **Sunday night**, targeting **dozens of locations** with precision munitions to degrade Iran's capacity to attack international shipping. In response to the heightened tensions and uncertainty surrounding the strait's status, **oil prices have rallied**.
In a significant escalation, **Iranian missiles have reportedly struck two Emirati oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz**, triggering **air-raid warnings across the Gulf**. This comes as the U.S. launched strikes against Iran for a **third consecutive night**. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed new strikes on Iranian military targets, specifying that **precision munitions were used against coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime capabilities** across several locations including **Bushehr, Chahbahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas**. CENTCOM also noted that **over 50,000 U.S. service members are currently deployed across the Middle East**.