Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz; US conducts new strikes on Iranian targets
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard announced the indefinite closure of the Strait of Hormuz after a warning shot struck the Cyprus‑flagged container vessel M/V GFS Galaxy, igniting a fire, disabling its engines and leaving one civilian crew member missing. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) responded with a third wave of air, drone and naval attacks that hit roughly 140 Iranian military sites, including missile‑launch and drone bases, naval facilities, ammunition depots, communication networks and coastal surveillance stations, bringing the week’s total to more than 300 targets.
In retaliation, Iran launched coordinated missile and drone strikes on U.S. bases and facilities in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and reported disabling a second vessel in the strait. Regional governments reported explosions, air‑defence interceptions and, in Qatar, injuries to three civilians (including a child). President Donald Trump declared the cease‑fire over, while Iran’s foreign minister and chief negotiator warned of “severe response” to any further U.S. interference. The strait carries about one‑fifth of global oil and LNG shipments, so its closure threatens worldwide energy markets and has already pushed fuel prices higher.