US military launches fresh strikes against Iran after Tehran closes Strait of Hormuz

The US military launched a fresh round of strikes against Iran on Sunday after saying Tehran had "blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the vital shipping lane closed "until further notice".

The strikes began at 7:15 pm in Washington (2315 GMT) after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces attacked the commercial vessel transiting the strategic waterway, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

"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, adding that the operation was carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump.


US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."

Iranian state media reported that the Revolutionary Guards had closed the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice" after firing warning shots at a vessel they said was using an unauthorized route.

The latest escalation threatens to further complicate efforts to revive US-Iran negotiations after both sides exchanged strikes in recent days. A key sticking point remains the future of the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran insisting it will control shipping through the waterway while Washington is demanding unrestricted navigation.

(With inputs from Agencies)