Iran closes Strait of Hormuz after vessel incident; US launches new strikes

Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed "until further notice" on Sunday, following an incident where a vessel was struck after allegedly traveling on an unauthorized route. The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that the vessel had jeopardized maritime security by disabling its systems and disregarding warnings.

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A vessel that had jeopardised maritime security by switching off its systems was struck and brought to a halt.

The IRGC Navy warned that any retaliation for the incident would be met with a "severe response," threatening to target "new enemy bases in the region." This statement came shortly after the U.S. military announced it had launched a new round of strikes against Iran. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) described the action as a response to Iran "blatantly attacking" a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the M/V GFS Galaxy, in the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM stated that these strikes, directed by President Donald Trump, are intended to impose a "heavy cost" on Iran and degrade its ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships. This marks the third round of U.S. strikes against Iran this week. Senior U.S. officials also conveyed demands for Iran to publicly commit to ceasing attacks on ships in the strait and ensuring all lanes remain open without tolls.

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Acts of aggression against Iran "will be met with a severe response, and new enemy bases in the region will be targeted".

Despite the escalation, President Trump had previously indicated that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to continue talks, even as hostilities intensified. Reports suggested that Iran, the U.S., Qatar, and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate, with mediators attempting to arrange a call for Saturday. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi in Oman to discuss mechanisms for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Oman's state news agency later confirmed that negotiators would continue discussions at both technical and political levels.

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The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait.