Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, US launches fresh strikes

The US-Israel war with Iran has escalated again, with the US launching the third round of strikes this week after Iran hit a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Here’s a summary of the past few hours: 

• The US military said it launched fresh attacks on Iran after Iranian forces hit a cargo ship
• The strike set the ship on fire and forced the crew to abandon the vessel
• An Indian national is missing after the commercial vessel was struck east of Oman
• The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp’s (IRGC) navy said it is closing the Strait of Hormuz
• The IRGC then said its forces had targeted US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar with ballistic missiles and drones
• Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of violating the agreement signed in June between the two countries
• Pakistan’s foreign minister has called for ‘restraint’ 

Iranian state-run media said that overnight US attacks on Iranian territory have left an Iranian army officer dead. 

The reports named “Lieutenant Hamidreza Dehghan” as the person killed in the attack on the port of Jask in southern Iran.   

India said on Sunday that one of its nationals is missing after a commercial vessel, the GFS Galaxy, was struck in waters east of Oman amid fresh exchanges of fire between Iran and the US.

Ten of the crew members have been rescued, a statement said.

“Of the 11 Indian nationals on board, 10 have been rescued so far, while one Indian national is reportedly missing,” India’s Foreign Ministry said.

The statement said the Indian Embassy in Oman was monitoring the situation closely and working in coordination with local authorities as a search and rescue operation continues.

Iran ​said ⁠earlier it had fired a warning ⁠shot ​that hit a vessel sailing on an unapproved route.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called on parties in the Iran conflict to “show restraint” during a telephone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

“Both leaders exchanged views on the evolving regional situation,” the statement said of the call.

It said that Dar had “further underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.”

Pakistan has been mediating in talks between Iranian and US delegations, and played a central role in securing an agreement between the two parties in June.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has accused the US of breaching the terms of an agreement the two countries signed in June.

In a post on X on Sunday, Qalibaf said, “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”

He also posted a screenshot of a section of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between US and Iran in mid-June, highlighting the part that said that Iran “will make arrangements” regarding the “safe passage of commercial vessels” through the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier this week, Qalibaf called out violations of the MoU by the US and said that Hormuz “will only open with ‘Iranian arrangements,’ not American threats.”

The US military late on Saturday launched fresh strikes on Iran, accusing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of attacking a Cyprus-flagged container ship on the vital waterway.

Iran said it retaliated by targeting US bases and radar sites in the Gulf region with ballistic missiles and drones.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Saturday that they have targeted US bases and radar sites in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar with ballistic missiles and drones.

In retaliation against US strikes on Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said they had targeted a US military radar site in Kuwait and the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where a fighter aircraft maintenance center and a command-and-control center were destroyed.

The IRGC also claimed to have destroyed logistical support centers and refueling platforms for US aircraft carriers at port of Duqm in Oman.

The US military said its latest round of strikes against Iran has concluded.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were meant to hold “Iranian forces accountable for attacking another commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.”

“US forces hit approximately 140 Iranian military targets,” including missile and drone sites, ammunition storage facilities, and coastal surveillance locations, the CENTCOM statement said.

This was the third round of strikes this week by the US military targeting “more than 300 targets” at the behest of US President Donald Trump “to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait,” CENTCOM said.

US launches new wave of strikes on Iran

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The ‌United ⁠Arab ⁠Emirates’ Defense Ministry ​said ​its air ‌defense ​systems were ​responding to ⁠a ​missile ​threat.

The Defense Ministry said sounds heard across the country “are the result of ongoing engaging operations of missiles and UAV’s.” 

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

Both countries are allies of the United States and have previously been attacked by Iran following US strikes on Iran. UAE hosts a US airbase, and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain.

The crew of a vessel involved in an incident about nine nautical miles east of Oman  (see entry below) has abandoned ship and is currently aboard a lifeboat, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The maritime security agency said the information came from military authorities and the vessel’s company security officer.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote on X while reposting the CENTCOM announcement of new strikes (see entry below) that “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of damage to a cargo vessel 9 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.

“Military authorities have reported that a container ship has sustained damage to the rear of the vessel which has caused a fire onboard,” UKMTO said in a statement. 

Earlier, the US military said Iran had struck a Cyprus-flagged container ship trying to sail through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran declared closed on Sunday morning (see below).

Iranian state-run Press TV reported explosions in the southern cities of Bushehr and Asaluyeh.

The Mehr news agency also reported explosions being heard in Qeshm Island.

There were also blasts in Bandar Abbas and Sirik, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB. 

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran struck a cargo ship.

In a post on X, it said the “Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”

The US military said that a civilian crew member was missing and that damage to the vessel prevented it from continuing its journey.

The attacks were being carried out on the orders of President Donald Trump, CENTCOM added.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ navy said early Sunday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after several ships attempted to pass through the strategic waterway.

A warning shot fired at the vessels struck and stopped one of the ships, the navy said in a statement posted on Telegram.

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice and until the end of America’s interventions in the region, and no vessel will be permitted to pass through,” the statement said.

The statement added that any “new act of aggression against us, it will be met with a severe response, and new enemy bases in the region will be targeted.”

Welcome to DW’s coverage of the latest developments in the conflict between Iran and the United States, which has escalated again in recent days after weeks of relative calm.

Early on Sunday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ navy announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Stay with us as we provide updates throughout the day.