The US has launched a new set of strikes against Iran after the IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.
US Central Command (Centcom) released a statement announcing a third round of strikes against Iran at 12.39am.
On Saturday, Iran said the strait was closed “until further notice” after a commercial vessel “jeopardised maritime security” by traversing the waterway through an unapproved route.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck the ship which took the “unauthorised route” after it disregarded warnings to correct course.
Centcom identified the vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship.
“A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage,” the US military command said on social media.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”
The US said Tehran had failed to “demonstrate adherence” to the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU).
“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. The strikes are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief,” Centcom said.
Iran released pictures of what it said were the former Ayatollah’s home
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Iranian local media said explosions had been heard on Qeshm Island, an island within the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier this week, three commercial vessels were struck in the strait, causing the second round of strikes.
Iranian officials said 17 people were killed and 115 injured in the previous round of strikes.
Earlier on Saturday, Oman drafted a proposal to manage traffic in the vital waterway through two separate, controlled routes, according to CNN.
Pete Hegseth it was time for Iran ‘to pay’ after Centcom announced the third round of strikes
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Under the agreement, both the Southern Corridor and Northern Corridor would be opened.
The Southern Corridor would be restored to pre-war conditions, but the Northern Corridor would require commercial vessels to get prior approval from Iran to pass through it.
The shutdown of the strait followed the US Treasury revoking a licence which authorised the sale of Iranian crude oil on Tuesday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Arqchi said the action and further military strikes violated the MOU.
The Strait of Hormuz has now been closed, according to the IRGC
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REUTERS
“There can only be mutual compliance,” he said on social media.
Also earlier on Saturday, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to take revenge for the death of his father.
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers,” Khamenei said in a message.
Those remarks were made after Israel reported a possible Tehran assassination plot against Donald Trump – reports which the President seemed to respond to by declaring there were “1,000 missiles” pointed at Iran if he were to be killed.
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