US Launches New Strikes on Iran
The US military launched new strikes against Iran early Wednesday, hours after three merchant ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz. You’re witnessing the escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran, which threatens to disrupt global oil shipping and puts the interim deal to end the fighting between the two countries at risk. The US official stated that the strikes were a response to Iran’s unacceptable actions in the strait, which needed to be met with consequences.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the US move, saying it violates the interim deal and that the US government bears responsibility for the consequences of this breach of commitment. The attacks on the merchant ships were the most in a single day since late April, according to the UN International Maritime Organization, and risk choking off the flow of traffic in the strait.
The US hit 140 Iranian military sites, including drone sites, ammunition storage, and surveillance locations, in the third round of strikes this week, with over 300 targets hit. Iran retaliated with more attacks on US bases in the Gulf, including in Jordan. The UAE’s Ministry of Defense reported dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran, with Iran launching 15 missiles at the UAE on Monday.
The conflict between the US and Iran has been escalating, with the US beginning a new military operation, dubbed Project Freedom, to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz in defiance of Iranian threats. The situation remains volatile, with gas prices in the US rising amid the conflict.
The US and Iran have been engaged in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil-shipping chokepoint, with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling for restraint and de-escalation. The US Central Command has been involved in the strikes, with the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard responding with attacks of its own.
