The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, targeting military capabilities used to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump warned of wider attacks unless Iran returns to talks. The US Central Command said the strikes began at 1900 GMT and targeted Iranian military capabilities. The US military also disabled an empty oil tanker attempting to break the naval blockade of Iran's ports.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several cities, including Bandar Abbas, Rask, and Chabahar. The strikes come nearly a month after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Middle East war. Despite renewed hostilities, mediated talks between the two sides have not formally ended. However, Iran's top negotiator warned that the memorandum of understanding is meaningless if its clauses are not implemented.
The renewed fighting centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil and gas waterway. Iran blockaded the strait after the war erupted with US-Israeli strikes on February 28. The strait was briefly reopened after the US-Iran deal last month but Tehran vowed last week to close it again 'until the US ends its aggression'. Traffic through the waterway remains low, with maritime tracker Kpler reporting only 21 transits on Tuesday. Oil prices ticked higher after the latest escalation disrupted one of the world's most important energy routes.
The US has also reimposed a blockade of Iran's ports, now enforced by the strike on the Belma. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the renewed US blockade 'has, in a way, dismantled the Islamabad memorandum'. Anxieties run high in Iran and Gulf countries hit repeatedly by Iranian strikes. Fears similarly abound in Kuwait, where a naval vessel was struck, wounding four crew members.
