The US early on Sunday launched fresh strikes on Iran, saying the attack was in response to an Iranian attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
“At 7:15 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
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“A civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage,” the US Central Command wrote on its official handle on X.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that Iran confirmed the attacks, with local news IRNA quoting an Iranian official as saying US forces attacked five cities in the Bushehr province, including Asaluyeh, Dir, Bushehr, Dashti and Tangestan.
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Iran promptly carried out retaliatory attacks, targeting American interests in Gulf countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
In Qatar, officials said at least three people were injured by debris from intercepted missiles.
Both Iran and the US accuse each other of violating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between them.
While the US accuses Iran of attacking some ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran accuses the US of trying to create a corridor within the Strait where ships can pass without Iranian approval. Iran says the MoU requires Iran to approve the free passage of ships through the Strait.
US President Donald Trump had earlier declared that the ceasefire between the two countries was over.
Last week, he announced CENTCOM plans to strike the country about 24 hours ahead of the attack and threatened that the US could denuclearise Iran without a deal.
This attack by the US appears to be the heaviest since the MOU was signed in mid-June. US strikes in Kerman province wounded at least two people. The strikes had targeted a communication tower in Southern Iran.
CENTCOM earlier disclosed that its forces hit 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday after the IRGC announced the Strait of Hormuz was closed “until further notice.”
READ ALSO: EDITORIAL: US-Iran war: For global peace, let this rapprochement be
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has pledged to avenge his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during a US-Israel joint attack in February.
In the supreme leader’s first public message since the funeral ceremony for his predecessor began a week ago, Mr Khamenei said vengeance was “the demand of the nation” and “must certainly” take place.
“Revenge is the will of our nation,” the statement read, according to Al Jazeera.
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers.”
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