US retaliates after Iran strikes container ship in Strait of Hormuz
The United States military launched another round of strikes on Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a container ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. The strikes began at 7:15 p.m. ET (2315 GMT) on Saturday, roughly an hour after Iran released a statement warning that any retaliation would be met with a severe response.
President Donald Trump ordered the strikes, which effectively ended a ceasefire that the US and Israel had initiated on February 28. However, Trump has left the door open to continued negotiations. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iran closes vital waterway, warns of severe response
Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on an unapproved route. U.S. Central Command identified the vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, saying it suffered significant engine-room damage and that a civilian crew member was missing. The Revolutionary Guards stated that the strait will remain closed until the end of U.S. interference in the region.
The war has destabilized the Gulf, and Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused energy prices to surge, fueling global inflation. Higher prices, especially for gasoline, are a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November congressional elections.
Diplomatic efforts amid escalating conflict
Washington demands that Tehran publicly state it will stop attacks on ships in the strait and that all lanes will be open without tolls, senior U.S. officials have said. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement. "There can only be mutual compliance," he wrote on X on Friday.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Iran, the U.S., Qatar, and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate in a call that mediators were trying to arrange for Saturday while Araqchi was in Oman, a Gulf state trying to mediate an end to the war. It was not immediately clear whether those efforts succeeded.
Oman proposes draft plan for strait navigation
CNN reported on Saturday that Oman made a draft proposal for the strait, including free navigation through its southern corridor in Omani territorial waters. The plan called for vessels transiting the northern corridor through Iranian territorial waters to obtain prior approval from Iran, although no tolls would be imposed. The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.
Iran's new supreme leader vows vengeance
A written statement from Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, who was killed in the war's initial attacks. "We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs," the message said. The statement was released to mark funeral ceremonies for the former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Thursday. His son did not attend the ceremony and has not been seen in public since the war began.
Trump had posted on Friday that he had ordered the U.S. military to be prepared to launch thousands of missiles against Iran if Tehran attempted to assassinate him. The Wall Street Journal and other U.S. media reported in recent days that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinate Trump. Iran has not commented on the assassination claims. At the funeral ceremonies on Thursday, a huge crowd of mourners packed a courtyard, some bearing banners reading, "We Will Kill Trump."
