The US military announced on Saturday a new round of strikes against Iran following an attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the M/V GFS Galaxy, as it transited the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that a civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue its journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage.
Details of the Attack and US Response
The strikes were carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump, according to CENTCOM. The US military's action came after Iran acknowledged striking a vessel using an “unauthorized route” in the strait and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz “until further notice.” Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed that multiple vessels “disregarded our warnings and instructions to correct their course and proceed along the approved route,” and that one of them “was struck by a warning shot and brought to a stop.” Iran also threatened to target “additional enemy bases in the region” if it faced more attacks.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said Iran was given another opportunity to adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but failed to do so. “In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” CENTCOM stated.
Explosions Reported in Iranian Coastal Areas
Following the US military's announcement, Iranian media reported multiple explosions in coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. State TV reported three explosions in Bandar Abbas and two in Sirik, while Mehr News Agency said explosions were heard on Qeshm island. Other outlets reported explosions in Bushehr province, Deir, Asalwiya, and the city of Jask. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”
Diplomatic Efforts Amid Escalation
The latest attacks followed diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart on Saturday to discuss the strait. The talks came after days of Iranian attacks on ships and US retaliation that dealt a blow to the interim deal to end the war. Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first statement since the funeral of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed revenge for his father's killing in the war's opening strikes on February 28. “Such revenge is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out,” he said in a statement carried on state television.
Iran Accuses US of Violating Ceasefire Deal
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi accused Washington of violating the interim deal by ending waivers that allowed Iran to sell crude oil on the open market in US dollars. The US ended the waivers in response to the attacks on ships in the strait. “Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance,” Araghchi wrote on social media. Oman said it and Iran agreed to continue talks about the Strait of Hormuz “at the technical and political levels.”
About a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war began. Iran's control of the strait during the war led to a global energy crisis, though oil prices have dropped sharply from wartime highs of $120 a barrel. The US has urged mariners to transit on a southern route through Oman's territorial waters.
