The US asserts that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, even though Iran claims it has shut the passage due to renewed attacks.
Fighting, which resumed this week, persisted on Saturday following the US announcement that it had attacked over 140 sites throughout Iran.
The assaults were a reaction to Iranian troops striking a vessel traversing the strait, claiming it was following an unauthorised path.
Iran has been attempting to establish authority over the waterway and, early on Sunday, announced that it was shut until further notice.
On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out extensive attacks on US bases and allies throughout the region, signifying an increase in the intensity of hostilities.
It claimed to have struck a US installation in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain all stated they had reacted to drones and missiles from Iran.
The BBC has reached out to US Central Command for a statement regarding the attack in Jordan.
Qatar, involved in ceasefire negotiations, had not faced an attack since April, whereas the UAE had remained unscathed since May.
Qatar, acting as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations, had not faced attacks since April, while the UAE had remained free from attacks since May.
On Sunday afternoon, the IRNA news agency from Iran reported that missiles were fired by the “enemy” at Qeshm Island – a key strategic island in the Gulf, which hosts a significant IRGC base.
The revived hostilities have endangered an interim ceasefire deal established last month, intended to reopen the Strait and ultimately resolve the conflict permanently.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump stated that the Iranian attacks indicated the ceasefire had ended, whereas Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi charged the US with breaching the agreement.
Nonetheless, Trump stated that discussions would persist, and intermediaries were working to rejuvenate the process.
US media indicated that Iran informed American officials that the tanker attacks earlier this week were an error and attributed it to a rogue domestic faction.
The recent conflicts were ignited when the IRGC claimed it had launched a naval cruise missile at a ship trying to navigate an unauthorised path.
US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the IRGC “openly assaulted” a Cyprus-flagged ship that was “unable to proceed with its voyage” because of harm to the engine compartment.
It was reported that a crew member from the MV GFS Galaxy vessel was unaccounted for.
The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that military authorities had notified them that the vessel’s crew had to evacuate the ship and were now in a lifeboat.
“Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed,” Centcom wrote on X.
He went on: “We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”
