Tensions between Iran and the United States escalated sharply on Sunday after Tehran announced the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while Washington rejected the claim, insisting that commercial shipping continued to move freely through the vital international waterway.
The latest dispute comes amid renewed military confrontations between both countries, with fresh exchanges of strikes threatening a fragile agreement reached last month to halt the wider Middle East conflict.
The escalation followed an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The ship caught fire during the incident, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel.
Before hostilities erupted with surprise joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, ships moved freely through the waterway. However, Tehran now maintains that it controls access to the strait, a position firmly rejected by Washington.
Announcing the latest decision, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared, “Following this incident… the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region,” according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) dismissed the announcement, insisting that maritime traffic remained uninterrupted.
In a statement posted on X, the command said the Strait of Hormuz was “open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway.”
It added that US forces were “positioned and prepared to ensure” freedom of navigation, stressing, “Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.”
The strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes, has increasingly become a focal point in the confrontation between Tehran and Washington.
An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader reportedly described control of the strait as more valuable than “dozens of atomic bombs,” underscoring its strategic importance to the Islamic Republic.
Iranian authorities said they targeted two vessels in the strait, alleging that the ships ignored designated navigation routes and “violating regulations,” according to IRNA.
The attacks triggered a large-scale US military response, with American forces launching what officials described as their third wave of strikes against Iranian targets within the week.
The US military said approximately 140 targets were hit during the operation.
Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, Qeshm Island and parts of Khuzestan Province, with one soldier reportedly killed in Jask.
Speaking to CNN, US President Donald Trump defended the operation, saying, “we hit them very hard last night,” while expressing frustration that the latest attack occurred when negotiations appeared close to producing an agreement.
“They were giving up everything, and then all of a sudden two hours after that they hit a ship with a drone,” Trump said.
Iran retaliated swiftly, with explosions and air raid sirens reported in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, according to local authorities and AFP journalists.
Qatar confirmed that three people sustained injuries during the Iranian strikes, while the UAE said it detected incoming missiles but later clarified that none entered its airspace.
Kuwait also announced efforts to intercept projectiles, while Jordan confirmed that three Iranian missiles landed within its territory.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards further claimed responsibility for strikes targeting Oman, a country that has largely remained outside the conflict.
According to the Guards, they destroyed “the logistical support centres for naval vessels and the refuelling facilities for US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm”.
The attack prompted Omani authorities to summon the Iranian ambassador and formally protest the strike—an unusual diplomatic move for Muscat, which has traditionally maintained balanced relations with both Tehran and Washington.
The development came only hours after Oman hosted Iran’s foreign minister for discussions focused on the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship left one Indian sailor missing, according to Indian authorities.
Oman also confirmed rescuing 23 crew members from another commercial vessel affected by the violence.
While Tehran insisted its forces merely fired “warning shots,” the US military accused Iran of “blatantly” attacking the ship.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the crew abandoned the vessel into lifeboats approximately 17 kilometres (10 miles) east of Oman.
The renewed hostilities follow several days of maritime confrontations and increasingly hostile rhetoric from both sides.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has vowed retaliation for the killing of his father and predecessor during the opening stages of the conflict, saying Iran had prepared a list of individuals to be targeted.
Trump, on Saturday, warned that any attempt on his life would result in the United States “completely decimate” Iran.
Although the ceasefire agreement has effectively collapsed, diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes.
Pakistan, which has been involved in mediation efforts, urged restraint during a telephone conversation between its Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and his Iranian counterpart.
Calling for an end to the escalation, Dar stressed that “Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace.”
(Ripples)