US launches new strikes on Iran following attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating regional tensions and prompting international calls for peace.
The United States launched fresh attacks on Iran after renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz saw Gulf allies hit by incoming fire, reported Le Monde and Agence France-Presse.
US Central Command stated that the latest salvo began at 2100 GMT on Sunday, following approximately 140 strikes the previous night. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard claimed they had targeted US bases in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, including Prince Hassan Air Base and Ali Al Salem.
The flare-up followed an Iranian attack on a commercial ship that forced its crew to abandon the vessel after it caught fire. Tehran later declared the strait closed 'until further notice and until the end of American interventions,' according to state media.
CENTCOM countered that the waterway remained open and asserted that US forces were positioned to ensure freedom of navigation. Iran's leadership has described control of Hormuz as more important than 'dozens of atomic bombs.'
Iranian state media reported strikes on Qeshm and Farur islands, resulting in the death of a telecommunications worker and wounding two others. Kuwait stated that three border posts and an offshore oil platform were hit, while Jordan reported three missiles landing within its territory. Oman lodged a rare protest after being struck hours after hosting Iran's foreign minister.
Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed revenge for the killing of his father at the start of the war, stating that a list of individuals had been compiled. US President Donald Trump warned that any attempt to assassinate him would lead Washington to 'completely decimate' Iran.
Pakistan's foreign minister urged de-escalation in a call with his Iranian counterpart, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for peace, stating, 'these attacks must stop.'
