The US said it launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran after Tehran struck a ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it closed the waterway until further notice, and the “offending” vessel was attacked after it turned off its systems and diverted from the approved route, according to state media.
US Central Command (Centcom) says it carried out the “third round of strikes this week” after the IRGC forces “blatantly attacked” a Cyprus-flagged vessel.
It comes after incidents earlier this week in which three commercial tankers were attacked, prompting an exchange of strikes with the US.
Centcom said the MV GFS Galaxy was “unable to continue its journey” as a result of significant damage to the engine room. One civilian crew member was missing, it said.
The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had been informed by military authorities that the crew were forced to abandon ship and were in a lifeboat.
“Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed,” Centcom wrote in a statement shared to X.
The statement was shared by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who wrote: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”
Earlier on Sunday, state media said Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice after firing a naval cruise missile at a vessel that was attempting to sail along an unapproved route.
The Guards said the vessel was “hit by warning shots and stopped” after ignoring repeated instructions, according to a statement carried by state news agency
It also warned that any US “aggression” as a result of the closure would be responded to with “severity” and new bases in the region would be targeted.
