The United States launched a new round of strikes against Iran on Saturday after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces began launching the strikes at 5:45 am, marking the third round of US strikes against Iran this week.
In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the attack on the commercial vessel left a civilian crew member missing.
"A civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engineroom damage," the statement said.
CENTCOM said Iran had been given "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."
The US military said it launched the strikes in response to impose "a heavy cost" on Iran by continuing to degrade its ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief, President Donald Trump.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, commenting on the strikes in a post on X, said: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
Meanwhile, Iran's Press TV reported explosions in Bushehr and Asaluyeh in southern Iran. Reports of explosions were also heard near Iran's Chabahar, according to state television.
Iran's Mehr News Agency reported explosions on Qeshm Island, while Iran's state broadcaster IRIB said three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and two explosions in Sirik.
The IRNA news agency also reported that more than 10 explosions were heard in the port city of Jask in the southern Hormozgan province.
Strikes come hours after Iran said it considers the Strait of Hormuz closed once again after a vessel using an ‘unauthorised route’ was struck by a warning shot in the critical waterway, further jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire agreement with the United States.
The announcement, carried by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), said the IRGC Navy would not permit any vessel to transit through the strategic waterway until what it described as US interference in the area ends.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he met with his counterpart in Oman to discuss “appropriate mechanisms for ensuring the safe passage of ships.”
The world for decades has considered the strait an international waterway. Iran has insisted that the strait now remain under its control and that it be allowed to charge ships moving through it, a stance it took after the war began. The US urges mariners to transit on a southern route through Oman’s territorial waters.
Araghchi also accused Washington of violating the interim agreement after the United States ended waivers that had allowed Iran to sell crude oil on the open market in US dollars. Washington withdrew the waivers in response to the attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
