The United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian military targets early Sunday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Washington to accuse Iran of endangering commercial shipping.
Before the attack, the IRGC had declared the Strait of Hormuz closed “until further notice”, saying it was responding to what it called US-backed attempts to force vessels through an “illegal route” south of the waterway.
The missile strike on the M/V GFS Galaxy left the vessel damaged, sparked a fire on board and forced the crew to abandon ship.
US Central Command (Centcom) said it had completed a third round of strikes against Iran this week, hitting about 140 military targets with precision munitions launched by aircraft, drones and naval vessels.
It said the targets included missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communications networks and coastal surveillance positions, adding that more than 300 targets had been struck over three nights to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded by claiming its aerospace force had fired several missiles at Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base, saying it destroyed a command-and-control centre and hangars housing MQ-9 drones.
Qatar said it intercepted a missile targeting the country, while the UAE activated its air defences against incoming missiles and drones. Bahrain sounded emergency sirens, and both Bahrain and Qatar urged residents to remain in safe places as Gulf states heightened security amid fears of a wider regional conflict.
