Washington, United States. The U.S. military launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran struck a container ship on Sunday, while Iran said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and expanded attacks on U.S. facilities across the Gulf.
President Donald Trump declared an end to a ceasefire intended to halt fighting that the United States and Israel began on February 28, while leaving open the possibility of further negotiations.
Strait closure and shipping
Iran said it closed the Strait of Hormuz after firing a warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on an unapproved route. Tehran said any retaliation over the incident would face a “severe response.”
U.S. Central Command said commercial vessels continued to transit the waterway, which carried one-fifth of global oil and LNG shipments before the war.
U.S. strikes
Central Command said U.S. forces struck 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday, part of more than 300 targets hit during three nights of operations aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the strait.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several port cities.
Iranian attacks across the Gulf
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they had destroyed a command and control center and drone hangars at a base in Jordan, a U.S. ally. They also said they targeted a U.S. military radar site in Kuwait, attacked U.S. aircraft carrier support and refueling platforms in Oman, and destroyed a fighter jet maintenance center and command and control facility in Qatar.
The Guards said they had also struck and disabled a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defense systems engaged Iranian missiles and drones. Warning sirens sounded in Bahrain, while explosions were heard in Doha.