The United States and Iran each asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a weekend of attacks across the Middle East, further threatening diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war. The escalation began with Iran striking a container ship in the strait off the coast of Oman.
US Military Strikes
The US military's Central Command (Centcom) described its forces as hitting dozens of sites in strikes on Monday, including air defense systems, radar sites, missile and drone equipment, and small boats. 'The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade,' Central Command said. 'Iran does not control it.'
Earlier on Sunday, the US military reported hitting some 140 targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, and communication equipment. This represented a far heavier set of attacks than in two previous rounds of strikes over the past week. President Donald Trump told NBC's 'Meet the Press': 'We bombed the hell out of them last night.'
Iranian Retaliation
Iran retaliated by attacking nations in the region hosting US military forces, while insisting it alone must control the strait and potentially charge vessels for transit. Iranian attacks on Sunday extended to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and even Oman, whose territorial waters with Iran form part of the strait.
Oman, a long-time interlocutor between Tehran and the West, summoned an Iranian diplomat to criticise the attack. 'The era of one-sided deals is OVER,' wrote Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament and a key negotiator. 'We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.'
Diplomatic Stalemate
Iran and the US are nearly at the midpoint of the 60-day interim deal intended to set up talks for a permanent end to the war. Instead, the situation has devolved into a series of attacks over the strait and its future. President Trump suggested last week that the interim deal was 'over.'
Mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, and Egypt have continued efforts to reach a final agreement. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned: 'A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences.'
