The US military launched a fresh round of airstrikes against Iran after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck a commercial container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Tehran to declare the vital maritime chokepoint closed until further notice.
According to Iranian authorities, the Cyprus-flagged container ship, M/V GFS Galaxy, had switched off its tracking system and sailed through an unauthorised route, jeopardising maritime security. The IRGC described its action as a warning strike, as per Reuters.
Iran announced the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz after firing a warning shot that hit a vessel navigating an unauthorised route, warning that any retaliation would trigger a "severe response".
US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched its retaliatory strikes at 7:15 pm ET on Saturday. The action began roughly an hour after Iran released its statement, which warned that "new enemy bases" across the Middle East would be targeted if the US responded to the container ship incident.
At 7:15 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. A civilian crew…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 11, 2026
The strikes were carried out under orders from Trump, according to Central Command. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
CENTCOM said the attack caused severe damage to the engine room and started a fire, leaving one civilian crew member missing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused the US of breaching the ceasefire, posting on X on Friday that "there can only be mutual compliance".
On Tuesday, the US revoked the licence authorising the sale of Iranian crude oil. The move followed attacks on three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers earlier in the week, which had already triggered US strikes on Iranian targets and subsequent Iranian retaliatory strikes on US military sites in Gulf states, as per the reports.
While Tehran has not claimed responsibility for the tanker attacks, analysts note that Iran frequently utilises such actions to build leverage in ongoing negotiations.
According to a report by CNN, Oman has drafted a proposal for the Strait that includes free navigation through its southern corridor, which lies within Omani territorial waters. Under the proposed plan, vessels choosing to transit the northern corridor through Iranian territorial waters would be required to obtain prior approval from Iran, though no transit tolls would be charged.
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