Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz Again, US Launches Third Round Of Strikes As Ceasefire Crumbles
Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz Again, US Launches Third Round Of Strikes As Ceasefire Crumbles Published By, Last Updated: July 12, 2026, 06:50 IST Iran
Iran Closes Strait Of Hormuz Again, US Launches Third Round Of Strikes As Ceasefire Crumbles Published By, Last Updated: July 12, 2026, 06:50 IST Iran said it considers the strategic waterway closed after a vessel using what it described as an "unauthorised route" was struck by warning shots while passing through the strait. Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman. (Reuters photo) The conflict between Iran and the United States escalated sharply late on Saturday after Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed once again following an incident involving a commercial vessel. Hours later, the United States launched a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, raising fresh doubts over the fragile ceasefire agreement reached last month. Iran said it considers the strategic waterway closed after a vessel using what it described as an “unauthorised route" was struck by warning shots while passing through the strait. The escalation came despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve the interim agreement that had ended weeks of hostilities. US launches third round of strikes Shortly after Iran’s announcement, the US Central Command said American forces had begun a third round of strikes against Iranian targets. “The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," the military said. Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay. Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) July 11, 2026 The US also said a Cyprus-flagged container ship struck by Iran suffered “significant engineroom damage" and that one civilian crew member remained missing.
Senior US officials had earlier said negotiations to strengthen last month’s ceasefire could not move forward unless the Strait of Hormuz remained secure. They had also expected Iran to publicly reaffirm that ships would be allowed to pass safely through the waterway. Iran says waterway closed again Instead, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired warning shots at what it described as a “violating ship". Iran later announced that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until further notice. The announcement followed talks on Saturday between the foreign ministers of Iran and Oman on the future of the strategic waterway after days of attacks on commercial ships and retaliatory US strikes. Oman later said both countries had agreed to continue discussions on the Strait of Hormuz at both the technical and political levels. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he discussed “appropriate mechanisms for ensuring the safe passage of ships" during the meeting with his Omani counterpart. Mojtaba vows revenge Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also issued his first public statement since the funeral of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In remarks carried by Iranian state television, he vowed that Iran would avenge his father’s killing during the opening strikes of the war on February 28. Such revenge “is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out," he said. His statement came only hours after US President Donald Trump warned of further military action.
The BriefWire