US Central Command has initiated a third series of airstrikes on Iran following an alleged attack by the IRGC on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions rise with threats of retaliation and devastation.
Inside Iran, explosions and attacks were also reported, with authorities noting strikes in Bushehr, Hormozgan, Kerman, Khondab, and Yasuj provinces, as per IRNA, ISNA, and IRIB. The UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar reported intercepting missiles and drones, with Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirming injuries to three individuals, including a child, due to falling debris. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes from Iran, while Lebanon’s prime minister expressed solidarity with the impacted Gulf nations.
Despite the ongoing hostilities, Iran and Oman have agreed to continue discussions on managing shipping traffic in the Hormuz Strait, with Qatar also involved in the talks. However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard insists that the strait remains closed “until further notice.” The Joint Maritime Information Center contested this assertion, stating that the southern transit route is still open and has been expanded for two-way traffic, while maintaining a “severe” threat level. Pakistan called for de-escalation during a conversation between the foreign ministers of the two nations, while analyst Harlan Ullman stated on Al Jazeera that Iran possesses a stronger strategic position due to its capacity to threaten disruption across the Gulf.
Stay tuned for more updates from West Asia.
