By Our Reporter
Fresh military exchanges between the United States and Iran have heightened fears of a wider regional conflict after both countries launched retaliatory strikes linked to tensions in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over global energy supplies and international shipping.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched coordinated strikes on Tuesday in response to what it described as Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the US military, more than 80 Iranian targets were hit with precision-guided munitions during an operation that lasted about four hours. The targets reportedly included Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance facilities, anti-ship cruise missiles, surface-to-air missile batteries and drone launch sites.
Iran swiftly condemned the attacks, with senior military commanders promising a “crushing response” and insisting that Tehran would not tolerate foreign interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil transit routes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later announced retaliatory strikes on 85 US military positions in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iranian forces also claimed to have launched drone attacks on the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and shot down a US MQ-9 drone over southern Iran.
The latest confrontation threatens a fragile ceasefire reached between Washington and Tehran last month. The agreement had paved the way for negotiations aimed at ending months of hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz after earlier disruptions to maritime traffic.
Despite the renewed fighting, neither side has indicated an immediate withdrawal from diplomatic efforts, according to report by Aljazeera.
Speaking on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte defended Washington’s latest military action, describing it as “absolutely necessary” and arguing that the US was responding to what it viewed as Iran’s violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Explosions were reported in Iran’s southern coastal city of Sirik, as well as on Qeshm Island and areas near Bandar Abbas, all strategically located along the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that commercial and fishing piers were struck, with several civilians injured by shrapnel.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait as both countries activated air defence systems against incoming missiles and drones.
The renewed crisis comes amid growing disputes over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has reportedly insisted that commercial vessels use a northern shipping lane closer to its territorial waters, while the United States has encouraged ships to transit via a southern route protected by the US Navy.
The diplomatic fallout has also intensified after the US Treasury Department revoked a temporary waiver that had eased sanctions on Iranian oil exports, less than three weeks after the ceasefire memorandum was signed.
Iranian officials described the renewed sanctions and military strikes as major violations of the agreement.
The latest escalation follows attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait. A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker caught fire off the coast of Oman after being struck by what maritime authorities described as an unidentified projectile. A Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was also reportedly damaged during the exchange of hostilities.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, handling a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports. Any prolonged disruption is expected to increase crude oil prices, raise fuel costs and place additional pressure on economies across Africa and other import-dependent regions.
