Washington [US], July 14 – The United States carried out a third consecutive night of military strikes against Iran on Monday, sharply escalating the conflict as President Donald Trump reinstated a blockade of Iranian shipping and proposed imposing a 20% fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said the strikes were launched on Trump’s orders and targeted Iranian military capabilities linked to the strategic waterway. Earlier in the day, Trump said Iran would be hit “very hard” and later told reporters the attacks were aimed at Iranian assets operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The escalation followed fresh attacks in the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense said Iranian cruise missiles struck two Emirati oil tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, while they were transiting Omani territorial waters injuring nine crew members. Bahrain said its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed Iranian aerial attacks over the kingdom.
Iran rejected Trump’s announcement saying the US had no authority over the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran would remain the guardian of the strategic waterway while the country’s top military command warned that Washington would not be allowed to intervene.
Iranian state media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Kish Island, Qeshm Island and Abu Musa Island following the US strikes. Iranian authorities also said US projectiles hit Khuzestan province wounding four people. Separately state television reported Iranian forces targeted a “hostile” US vessel with cruise missiles launched drones at US facilities in Kuwait and shot down a US MQ-1 drone over Hormuz.
The US Navy led Joint Maritime Information Centre said the blockade would take effect at 2000 GMT on Tuesday and would apply to all vessel traffic along Iran’s coastline while allowing neutral transit and humanitarian shipments subject to inspection.
The renewed fighting has intensified concerns over global energy supplies. About one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and Brent crude prices jumped more than 9% on Monday as shipping activity through the waterway declined sharply amid the worsening security situation.
