The United States launched another round of military strikes against Iran after accusing Tehran of attacking a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Following the operation, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning, saying, “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay." Hegseth made the statement in a post on X while sharing an announcement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which confirmed the latest military action.
US says Iran attacked commercial vessel
CENTCOM said the latest operation was the third US strike against Iran this week. According to the military, the action came after Iran allegedly targeted a commercial vessel travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said the strikes began at 7.15 pm ET after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly “blatantly attacked" the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy. According to CENTCOM, the attack caused a fire onboard the vessel and badly damaged its engine room. One civilian crew member remains missing, while the ship became unable to continue its voyage.
The US military also said Iran had received “yet another opportunity" to comply with the existing Memorandum of Understanding following earlier incidents involving commercial shipping. However, it claimed Tehran once again failed to meet those obligations.
“In response, 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," CENTCOM said.
The military added that the operation was carried out “at the direction of the Commander in Chief."
Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz again
The latest US strikes came shortly after Iran announced that it had once again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said one of its military warning shots struck a vessel travelling through what it described as an unauthorised route in the strategic waterway.
The Revolutionary Guard claimed several ships ignored repeated warnings and refused to change course. It said one vessel “was struck by a warning shot and brought to a stop."
Tehran also declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until further notice." It further warned that it could target “additional enemy bases in the region" if more attacks were launched against Iran. Just over an hour after Iran made the announcement, the United States confirmed its latest military operation.
Explosions reported near key Iranian ports
Iranian state media reported explosions in the coastal towns of Bandar Abbas and Sirik, both located along the Strait of Hormuz, after the US strikes began. CENTCOM said the military action was specifically aimed at reducing Iran’s ability to launch attacks against civilian vessels using one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important maritime routes for global energy supplies. Before the recent conflict disrupted shipping, nearly one-fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passed through the narrow waterway.
Diplomatic talks continue despite growing tensions
The military escalation comes even as diplomatic efforts continue between Iran and Oman to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he recently met Oman’s foreign minister to discuss “appropriate mechanisms for ensuring the safe passage of ships."
Oman later confirmed that both countries had agreed to continue talks on the matter “at the technical and political levels." Despite those discussions, the latest exchange of military action has placed additional pressure on the already fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Senior US officials have previously said negotiations to strengthen last month's agreement aimed at ending the conflict cannot move forward unless commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is fully protected.