Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after accusing a commercial vessel of violating its maritime rules and launching attacks on shipping, prompting a fresh wave of US military strikes that have sharply escalated tensions in the Gulf.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck a vessel travelling on an "unapproved route" through the strategic waterway, claiming: "A vessel that had jeopardised maritime security by switching off its systems was struck and brought to a halt." The military group later announced that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed "until further notice" and until "the end of US interference in this region."
In response, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it launched strikes against at least 140 Iranian military targets, including missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition depots and surveillance facilities. The US military said the operation was intended to "degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait."
CENTCOM also said a Cyprus-flagged container ship sustained significant engine room damage during the incident, while one civilian crew member remains missing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) separately confirmed that a container vessel east of Oman suffered damage to its stern, triggering a fire onboard.
The crisis widened after the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait activated their air defence systems against missile and drone threats, while Bahrain sounded air raid sirens. Iran later claimed it had disabled a second vessel in the Strait and launched ballistic missile strikes at the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The latest escalation comes despite diplomatic efforts by Oman to broker negotiations over safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, tensions intensified further after Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared, "Vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out," while US President Donald Trump warned that any attempt on his life would result in the United States "completely decimating" Iran.
The renewed confrontation has heightened concerns over global oil supplies, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz through which around one-fifth of the world's oil passes expected to influence crude oil prices and energy markets when trading resumes on Monday.