US strikes Iran after ships hit in Strait of Hormuz

The United States military launched new strikes against Iran in the early hours of Wednesday, hours after three commercial ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz. This latest exchange of fire jeopardizes a transitional agreement to end hostilities, a June memorandum of understanding between the two warring nations.

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to impose significant costs on Iran for targeting and attacking commercial vessels with innocent civilian crews in an international waterway.

The renewed attacks have further complicated negotiations aimed at fully reopening the strait, halting Tehran's controversial nuclear program, and achieving a permanent end to the war that began on February 28. The U.S. Central Command stated that American forces launched the strikes "to impose significant costs on Iran for targeting and attacking commercial vessels with innocent civilian crews in an international waterway."

"Iran's demonstrated aggression was unjustified, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire," the Command stated. A similar series of Iranian attacks on ships and U.S. retaliation occurred late last month. Hours after three tankers were hit by projectiles, the United States revoked a license that had authorized the sale of Iranian oil as part of a transitional agreement to end the U.S.-Iran war.

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Iran's demonstrated aggression was unjustified, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.

The new attacks on the fuel transport waterway were the largest in a single day since late April, according to data from the UN International Maritime Organization. The strikes threaten to stifle traffic flow in the strait just as the world's countries were hoping for a return to normal navigation and a reduction in the global economic burden of the war. Iran and the United States had agreed, as part of a temporary agreement, to allow ships passage without paying fees for 60 days. One American official told the Associated Press that the license was revoked because Iran's actions in the strait were unacceptable and that Iran must face consequences. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the U.S. decision to revoke the license, stating in a release that it violates the transitional agreement and that "the U.S. government bears responsibility for the consequences of this breach of obligations." Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, chief negotiator Kazem Garibabadi, also said in a post on X that the new U.S. attacks constitute a violation of that agreement.

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the U.S. government bears responsibility for the consequences of this breach of obligations.