DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — American military forces launched a series of strikes against Iran in the early morning hours Wednesday, coming just hours after three commercial ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.
The renewed hostilities from both sides are putting the interim agreement reached last month in serious jeopardy. Both the U.S. and Iran have accused the other of violating that initial deal. The latest round of fighting also makes it harder to continue negotiations aimed at fully reopening the strait, curbing Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, and achieving a permanent end to the war that began on Feb. 28.
U.S. Central Command released a statement on social media explaining that American forces carried out the strikes “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”
“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” the command added.
The latest flare-up follows a comparable wave of Iranian attacks on shipping and subsequent U.S. retaliation that took place late last month.
Shortly after the three tankers were struck by projectiles, the United States pulled a license it had granted that allowed for the sale of Iranian oil — a key component of the interim agreement meant to halt the fighting.
According to the U.N. International Maritime Organization, the number of attacks on ships in the fuel-shipping waterway on that day was the highest since late April. The fresh wave of assaults threatened to once again disrupt the flow of vessels through the strait, just as nations were hoping to restore normal shipping and ease the global economic burden caused by the war.
A U.S. official, speaking with The Associated Press under the condition of anonymity, said the oil license was revoked because Iran’s behavior in the strait was unacceptable and had to carry real consequences. The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment.
One tanker caught fire after being struck
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that one tanker was traveling off the Omani coast when it was hit and erupted in flames. Iranian state television reported that the liquefied natural gas tanker was struck after disregarding warnings, though it stopped short of claiming direct responsibility for the attack.
The other two vessels suffered some damage but were not seriously disabled, and no injuries were reported. Both ships continued on their way, according to the U.K. maritime agency.
Iran has repeatedly declared that only its designated route through the strait is considered safe, and Tehran is suspected of targeting vessels that have chosen an alternate route running closer to the Omani shoreline. Location data from the U.K. agency confirmed that all three attacks took place off the coasts of Oman or the neighboring United Arab Emirates, suggesting the targeted ships were using that Omani-adjacent route.
Specifically, a Qatari tanker named Al Rekayyat was traveling south through the strait near Limah, Oman, when a projectile struck its left-side engine room and ignited a fire. Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, described the incident as an “unacceptable attack” on international navigation and global energy security, calling it a “serious and explicit violation” of international law. In a post on X, he stated that Qatar holds Iran “fully legally responsible.”
Later that same day, the U.K. maritime agency reported a second oil tanker was hit on its left side while exiting the strait near the Omani-Emirati border. A third vessel was struck by a drone off the coast of Oman.
Negotiations between the US and Iran are stalled
The United States remains committed to pushing forward with diplomatic talks with Iran, with goals that include fully reopening the strait, scaling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities, and securing a lasting end to the war that began Feb. 28.
The Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational body operating under U.S. Navy oversight, had told shipping companies Monday that the route around Oman “has been expanded and remains available for all traffic.” Ships traveling north use the Iranian-designated route and must register with Tehran, while those heading south coordinate with Oman and the U.S.
As part of the interim agreement, Iran and the United States had agreed to allow ships to pass through the strait without fees for 60 days. However, Tehran has insisted it must control vessel routing and eventually collect transit fees — a demand that would overturn longstanding international practice in the waterway. The U.S. and many Gulf Arab states have rejected any arrangement that would allow Iran to charge for passage.
The license the U.S. had issued permitted the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian oil through Aug. 21. U.S. Vice President JD Vance had said at the time that extended talks with senior Iranian officials held in Switzerland had laid a “good foundation for a successful final deal” to end the war.
U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil purchases had been in place since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. After the U.S. and Israel launched the war and the strait was closed, the U.S. had authorized temporary Iranian oil sales at least twice as a way to encourage progress toward a deal.
Diplomatic talks between Iran and the U.S. appeared to be on pause pending the burial of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the outset of the war. Data firm Kpler reported that at least 108 ships crossed through the strait last weekend using various routes. In peacetime, roughly one-fifth of all globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the channel.
Mourners gather in Qom for Khamenei’s funeral
Iranian authorities transported Khamenei’s remains to Qom, a city known as a center of Shiite Islamic scholarship, where large crowds gathered Tuesday to pay their respects.
Iranian state television broadcast live footage showing hundreds of thousands of mourners making their way toward Jamkaran Mosque, located just south of Qom, for the funeral service. Shiites regard the mosque as a sacred site, believing it once hosted Muhammad al-Mahdi — the 12th and final Shiite imam, who vanished in the 9th century and is expected to one day return to bring justice to the world.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei — the son of the late leader — had not appeared at any of the ceremonies, which began Saturday in Tehran. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly sustaining wounds in the same airstrike that killed his father.
Khamenei’s body arrived in Najaf, Iraq, late Tuesday, where it was received by senior officials from both nations. Processions are scheduled for Wednesday in both Najaf and Karbala, the two most sacred cities of Iraqi Shiism. Iraq has a large Shiite population and is home to significant religious sites and centers of Shiite learning.
Khamenei, who was 86 years old, is to be returned to Iran and buried Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, the city where he was born.
