The United States launched a new wave of military strikes in the early hours of July 12 against Iran after Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and Iranian forces struck a Cypriot-flagged container ship, escalating tensions in one of the world's most strategic waterways.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it has launched a third round of strikes this week, after Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) troops attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
"A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue its voyage due to a fire on board and significant damage to the engine room," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"The US is imposing a high cost on Iran by continuing to weaken its ability to attack civilian sailors and merchant ships passing freely through the strait," the statement said, adding that the attacks are being carried out on the orders of US President Donald Trump.
US Secretary of Defense* Pete Hegseth highlighted Washington's message with a post on social media, writing: "Iran made a bad choice. Now it is paying the price."
A senior US official told reporters that US forces have struck Iranian air surveillance radars, maritime surveillance systems, missile and drone storage facilities, missile and drone launch sites, and surface-to-air missile launchers, with the aim of weakening Tehran's military capabilities.
Iranian state media reported explosions in southern Iran after the attacks. State broadcaster IRIB said three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and two in Sirik, while other explosions were also reported on Qeshm Island, all near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran closes waterway, warns of retaliation
The latest American operation comes after Iran made one of the most key moves in the confrontation with Washington: it closed the Strait of Hormuz until further notice.
In a statement broadcast by IRIB, the IRGC navy said several ships had attempted to pass through the strait using what it described as an "unauthorized" or "unapproved" route, despite repeated warnings.
"A ship, which endangered maritime security by turning off its systems, was hit and forced to stop," the IRGC said, without identifying the ship.
The IRGC said a ship was initially hit with what it described as a "warning shot" before being stopped.
"The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this area. No ship will be allowed to pass," the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said in a statement.
The IRGC warned that any further military action against Iran would trigger a "harsh response," warning that other military bases in the region could also be hit.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) announced that it has received a report of an incident nine nautical miles off the coast of Oman.
"Military authorities have reported that a container ship has sustained damage to its stern, causing a fire on board," UKMTO said.
The maritime safety organization's report matches CENTCOM's announcement, according to which the Cypriot-flagged ship has suffered extensive damage and is no longer able to continue its journey.
Diplomatic efforts
The military escalation comes at a time when diplomatic efforts in Oman appear to be failing.
According to Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi to discuss mechanisms for ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, Oman had announced that discussions with Iran would continue at both the technical and political levels, with the aim of reaching an agreement in accordance with international law for navigation in this waterway.
No American officials participated in these talks.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has learned from diplomatic sources that Omani mediators have submitted several proposals to the Iranian delegation aimed at resolving the maritime disputes. Senior officials declined to comment on the content of the proposals.
According to diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions, Iran left the negotiations saying it would return after reaching a unified internal position on the proposals, which would allow freedom of navigation in Omani waters, in the southern part of the strait, without imposing tariffs.
A short time later, the Iranian security apparatus reacted by firing on a merchant ship and announcing the closure of the strait.
In recent months, President Trump has promoted what he has called the "Southern Highway" - a sea route that keeps ships closer to the coast of Oman and further away from Iranian territorial waters.
Tehran has consistently insisted that only its preferred route, which passes closer to the Iranian coast, is safe and has previously been accused of attacks on ships using the route through Omani waters.
Harsh rhetoric increases the risk of conflict escalation
The latest clash took place in an increasingly tense political climate. Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed revenge for the assassination of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, saying revenge "must definitely be done."
"This issue does not depend on my personal existence or that of other officials. Whether we are here or not, it will happen," he said, adding that Iran had compiled a list of people who would be targeted.
A few hours earlier, Trump warned that any attempt to assassinate him would bring a harsh military response from the US.
"A thousand missiles are ready to be launched and are aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to follow immediately," Trump wrote on the Truth Social network, adding that the US would "totally destroy" Iran if such a threat materialized.
The exchanges of statements follow a temporary ceasefire that briefly halted fighting after the conflict erupted in late February with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Trump later declared the ceasefire had ended, although he said he remained open to resuming negotiations.
US President Donald Trump at the NATO summit on July 8.
Analysts say the space for diplomacy is shrinking
Analysts say Iran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz and attack merchant ships is another blow to diplomatic efforts.
"The Iranian regime is proving once again that when the US reaches out in the spirit of diplomacy, it faces a clenched fist from Tehran," Jason Brodsky, policy director at the organization United Against a Nuclear Iran, told Radio Free Europe.
"The US will have to escalate the response to send a message to the Islamic Republic," he added.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil supplies normally pass, significantly increases the risk of wider regional destabilization and could have major consequences for international energy markets if the disruption of supplies continues.
With diplomacy increasingly fraught and Washington and Tehran hardening their stances, the latest military exchanges highlight the growing risk that the confrontation will expand far beyond the Persian Gulf region.
