US-Iran strikes: latest developments
DUBAI — Iran announced it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and hit Gulf neighbors in retaliation for US strikes, further undermining work to salvage Middle East peace efforts.
Here are the latest developments:
Oil prices jump as US hits Iran
Oil prices opened sharply higher in Tokyo Monday after the United States launched a wave of attacks on Iran and as Tehran announced it would close the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran denounces latest US strikes
Iran condemned the latest wave of US attacks on its territory, saying they had “rendered futile” all the diplomatic efforts of the last few months.
READ: US strikes Iran as Gulf states targeted in flareup over Hormuz
“The US regime has also caused the return of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and disruption of international commercial shipping by openly interfering in the process of Iran implementing the necessary arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz,” a foreign ministry statement said.
US military announces fresh wave of strikes
The US military announced a fresh wave of strikes against Iran Sunday, saying it aims to “continue degrading” Tehran’s ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
UN chief calls for stop to fighting
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the United States and Iran Sunday to halt their new outbreak of fighting.
Kuwait strikes
Kuwait’s defence ministry said that three border posts and an offshore oil platform were attacked, without specifying the origin of the assault.
Deadly strikes
Iranian state media reported Sunday that an employee of a telecommunications company had been killed and two others wounded in attacks in the southern province of Hormozgan on the Gulf.
READ: US tells Iran: Declare Strait of Hormuz open, halt ship attacks
Earlier, the Mehr and Tasnim news agencies said overnight strikes had killed an Iranian navy lieutenant in the port of Jask in southern Iran.
Iran island hit
More than 10 projectiles struck Iran’s Gulf island of Qeshm, state media reported, adding that the targets were military and there had been no casualties.
US hit Iran ‘very hard’: Trump
US President Donald Trump told CNN by telephone on Sunday the two countries had been close to “a deal” on Saturday.
“They were giving up everything, and then all of a sudden two hours after that they hit a ship with a drone. These people, there is something wrong with them,” he said.
Hormuz traffic ‘flowing’: US
The US military insisted Sunday that “traffic is flowing” through the Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran’s claim to have closed the crucial passage.
“US forces are positioned and prepared to keep it that way,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X.
Oman summons Iranian ambassador
Oman issued a formal protest to the Iranian ambassador following an attack on the country, state media reported — a rare instance of the sultanate publicly accusing Tehran of targeting its territory.
READ: Multiple blasts hit Iranian coast as US launches new strikes
Oman condemned the “irresponsible acts”, a day after hosting the Iranian foreign minister for talks on the Strait of Hormuz.
‘Dangerous escalation’
Qatar condemned the Iranian attacks against it and its neighbours, calling the barrage a “dangerous escalation” after three people were wounded there.
Hormuz ‘more important’ than atomic bombs
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said the Strait of Hormuz was more important than “dozens of atomic bombs”.
“This strategic passage is more important than dozens of atomic bombs, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it,” Mohsen Rezaee was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.
Indian missing
Oman said it had rescued 23 crew members from a commercial vessel after a strike early Sunday hit the vessel off its coast, forcing the crew to abandon ship.
India earlier said one of its nationals remained missing after the strike on the Cypriot-flagged GFS Galaxy, which the United States blamed on Iran.
Iran ‘warning shots’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had said earlier they struck and stopped a ship in the Strait of Hormuz for ignoring repeated instructions to use an approved route, calling the fire “warning shots”.
The US military’s Central Command said the vessel had been disabled by fire and damage to its engine room.
Jordan hit
Jordan’s army said three Iranian missiles had fallen “in several locations across the kingdom, without causing any casualties”.
Pakistan urges ‘restraint’
Pakistan’s top diplomat called for “de-escalation” and for all sides to “show restraint” during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart on Sunday, the foreign ministry said. /dl
