Iran attacks Gulf countries following fresh US strikes

Iran launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours this morning in retaliation to a number of US strikes and announced the closure of the strategic strait of Hormuz until further notice.

Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE all reportedly came under attack, in the latest escalation that undermines the US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.

The US said it had struck Iran early on Sunday after the country’s ⁠Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on a Cyprus-registered container ship they claimed was sailing an “unauthorised route” through the strait of Hormuz.

According to state media, the IRGC then said they had hit a second vessel, accusing it of “violating regulations”.

“A vessel that had jeopardised maritime security by switching off its systems was struck and ⁠brought to a halt,” the navy of the IRGC said.

A short time later, US Central Command said its forces had carried out a round of strikes against Iran, attacking at least 140 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.

The targets included missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition depots, communication networks and surveillance locations, it added.

The IRGC said that in response to American attacks it closed the strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies usually flow, until further notice as it warned of a severe response to US “aggression”.