US forces launched yet another round of military strikes on Iran in response to an Iranian strike on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Minutes later on Saturday (US time), Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a firm warning against Tehran after the West Asian country declared it had closed the critical waterway “until further notice,” and until “US interference” in the region subsides.
Hostilities from both sides continued as mediators scrambled to revive peace talks. The major developments also come hot on the heels of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi’s meeting in Oman’s capital, Muscat, following Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
Even the US military’s strikes against Iran on Saturday marked the third such round this week, further foregrounding the fragility of the previously signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran, which US President Donald Trump has since declared dead.
The escalating hostilities further cast doubt on what’s next amid contradictory standpoints. Despite declaring an end to the ceasefire between the two countries, Trump also claimed earlier on Friday that they had agreed to continue talks while seeking a public pledge of free and secure transit of vessels from Iran.
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz closed after ‘warning’ strikes
The Navy arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced early Sunday morning local time that it had shut down the Strait of Hormuz after launching a warning shot at a vessel attempting to cross the waterway through “unauthorised routes,” according to a statement carried by the Arabic-language website of the semi-official, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.
The IRGC described it as “outside interference from foreign powers.”
“Given the precariousness that was caused by this unlawful interference by outside parties, the Strait of Hormuz is to be closed until further notice and until regional interference by the US ceases,” the IRGC’s statement read. “No vessel or naval craft will be allowed to pass.”
Furthermore, Sepah News, the official media agency for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, highlighted in a Telegram post that after launching warning shots at a “violating ship” in the strait, Iran will close the critical passage “until further notice.” It also warned that Iran “will respond severely and new enemy bases in the region will be targeted” if the US retaliates.
What are US forces saying?
Although the Iranian forces didn’t exactly determine which ship was involved, US Central Command reported that their third round of strikes this week on Iran were in response to an attack on M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the strait.
“Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed,” the statement added, noting that a civilian crew member was missing and the vessel could no longer continue its journey due to an onboard fire and severe engine room damage.
Asserting that the latest spate of strikes was carried out at the direction of President Trump, CENTCOM said, “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.”
Thereafter, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also took to his official X account and wrote, “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”
Axios and Politico further reported that the US had given Iran a Saturday deadline to stop firing on commercial ships passing through Hormuz and announce that the strait was open.
Strait of Hormuz stuck in the middle
After Iran’s Araghchi and his Omani counterpart Albusaidi met in Muscat to discuss a mechanism to ensure the safe passage of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman is believed to have drafted a proposal to manage traffic in the waterway through two separately controlled routes, according to a CNN report.
The agreement, which is yet to be finalised, would keep both routes open. The Southern Corridor, through Omani territorial waters, seeks to facilitate free navigation under pre-war conditions. On the other hand, passing through the Northern Corridor, through Iranian territorial waters, would require prior approval from Iran. No tolls would be imposed as part of the reported deal.
Meanwhile, a senior Iranian source also told Reuters that Iran, the US, Qatar and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate in a call. Mediators are said to be arranging the talks for Saturday while Araghchi was in Oman. It remains unclear whether the attempt was successful.
Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed amid the renewed fighting between the US and Iran.
According to Matt Smith, director of commodity research at the trade intelligence firm Kpler, 13 tankers crossed the waterway on Wednesday compared with an average of 33 per day over the previous week, as quoted by CNBC. The expert also underscored that ships were either following the Iran-controlled route or switching off their transponders to avoid tracking.
Iran has essentially assumed control of Hormuz and shut down the oil passage since the US and Israel launched their joint military campaign on February 28, killing the then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) generally passed through the strait, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping channels.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), about 20 million barrels of oil and oil products passed through the Strait of Hormuz per day in 2025, accounting for nearly $600 billion in energy trade per year.