The United States launched a major wave of strikes against Iran early Sunday after an Iranian attack set a container ship ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz and forced its crew to abandon the vessel. Iran appeared to respond with attacks targeting Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, further escalating tensions across the Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the main obstacle to renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at securing a permanent end to the war that began on Feb. 28. About one-fifth of globally traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the conflict. Iran’s control of the waterway during the war triggered a global energy crisis, although oil prices have fallen sharply from wartime highs of $120 a barrel. The US military’s Central Command said it struck about 140 targets in Iran, significantly more than during the previous two rounds of attacks. The targets included missile and drone launch sites, ammunition depots, communications equipment and other military facilities. The strikes were intended to “degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait,” Central Command said. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote online: “Iran made a poor [...]
