The United States military launched a series of strikes against Iran on Tuesday night in response to what it described as "unwarranted, dangerous" Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command accused Tehran of a "clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement signed last month.
Three tankers, including the Qatari liquefied natural gas vessel Al Rekayyat, were hit near Oman within hours. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) confirmed the attack, with the crew of the Al Rekayyat reporting a drone strike on the port side near the engine room. The other two vessels were a Saudi-flagged tanker, Wedyan, and a third ship.
Qatar condemned the attack as a "serious and explicit violation" of international law and said it would hold Iran fully responsible. Saudi Arabia also condemned the attacks, stating they threatened international navigation and global energy supplies. Iran rejected proposals from France and the UK to help secure the southern route through the strait, insisting it alone would manage the waterway.
Iran's foreign ministry claimed the ceasefire memorandum left it, in consultation with Oman, responsible for reopening the strait and that it had the right to impose fees on ships for providing security. The ministry rejected an Omani proposal for a new authority modelled on the Malacca and Singapore straits, arguing that security services are costly and must be compensated.
