Anna Hartz
U.S. hits 140 targets as Iran claims Strait of Hormuz is closed
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. A large share of global oil and trade passes through the narrow waterway every day. Any military action in the area can quickly affect international shipping and raise tensions across the region.
Ship caught fire
The U.S. military carried out another round of strikes against Iran early Sunday, according to U.S. Central Command, known as CENTCOM.
CENTCOM said the attacks were launched after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard attacked the container ship MV GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, reports DR. The ship sails under the flag of Cyprus.
According to the U.S. military, one civilian crew member is missing. The ship also caught fire and suffered heavy damage to its engine room. Officials said it could no longer continue its voyage.
Shortly before the U.S. strikes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had fired warning shots at a ship that was using what it described as an unauthorized route through the strait.
The Revolutionary Guard also announced that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed. It said the waterway would remain closed until what it called U.S. interference in the region comes to an end.
More than 300 targets hit
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military information center, said the container ship was about nine nautical miles east of the coast of Oman when the attack happened.
The crew later abandoned the ship and escaped in a lifeboat.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several parts of the country during the night. The reports included the coastal cities of Chabahar, Bandar Abbas and Sirik, as well as Qeshm Island. All of these locations are close to the Strait of Hormuz.
Later on Sunday, CENTCOM said the operation had ended. It said around 140 Iranian targets had been struck. The targets included missile and drone facilities, ammunition storage sites and surveillance positions.
The latest operation was the third round of U.S. strikes against Iran this week. CENTCOM said more than 300 targets have been hit over the past three nights under orders from President Donald Trump. The stated goal is to reduce Iran’s ability to attack civilian ships and commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest strikes come after both Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement signed earlier this month.
