The US military has launched a series of strikes against Iran in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said.
"U.S. Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on the US social media platform X.
"The U.S. strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire," it added.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8, but sporadic conflict has continued in the Gulf region, including attacks on ships by Tehran's forces and US strikes on Iran.
Tuesday's strikes were the first by US forces on Iran since a series of air attacks late last month that Washington also said were in response to attacks on commercial vessels by Tehran's forces.
Tensions escalate
Earlier, Qatar condemned an Iranian attack on a Qatari vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, calling on Tehran to immediately halt actions threatening maritime security and global energy supplies.
In a statement on X on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the targeting of the Qatari-owned LNG carrier Al Rekayyat as it was transiting near the strategic waterway constituted “an unacceptable attack on the security and safety of international maritime navigation.”
Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, Axios reported, citing two US officials.
Two commercial ships suffered significant damage but had no casualties, the report said, citing a US official.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said early on Tuesday that a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while travelling southbound about 15 kilometres east of Oman's Limah, causing a fire; no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.
The development comes after indirect US-Iran talks ended last week without any public sign of headway toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create space for diplomacy following the US and Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict.
