US-Iran Tensions Flare Over Strait of Hormuz

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated following a series of retaliatory strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for international energy supplies. The conflict began on Thursday when an Iranian drone attacked the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Ever Lovely off the coast of Oman, damaging its upper deck but allowing it to continue its voyage. According to U.S. Central Command, American forces shot down three additional drones that were part of the same coordinated attack.

In response, President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against Iranian missile and drone storage locations as well as coastal radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. The strikes targeted multiple facilities in Iran, including those on Qeshm Island. These actions were taken in direct retaliation for what the U.S. described as Tehran's violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Despite this, Iran has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the cargo ship. However, according to PBS and Los Angeles Times, Iran’s joint military command warned that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use its approved routes or face a 'forceful response.' This warning was issued after both U.S. and Iranian diplomats met with mediators in Qatar.

The escalation continued on Saturday when a tanker was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, with all crew members reported safe and no environmental damage. Suspicion immediately fell on Iran, although no group has claimed responsibility. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed the incident but provided no further details.

In a significant escalation early Sunday morning, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, the IRGC stated that it had fired missiles and drones towards the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet at Port Salman in Bahrain. Both Bahrain and Kuwait condemned the attacks, with Bahrain describing them as a 'flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.' According to UPI, two ballistic missiles were intercepted in Kuwait's airspace.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) temporarily suspended evacuation efforts by ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following the attacks. As reported by Los Angeles Times and HuffPost, this decision came after Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority stated that transit outside designated routes would not be covered by safe passage guarantees. The IMO paused these operations until safety assurances could be confirmed.

President Trump has threatened further military action if Iran does not comply with the ceasefire agreement. In a post on Truth Social, he warned that 'There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started.' According to CNBC, Trump also stated that the U.S. military would 'complete the job' if Iran didn't comply with the ceasefire.

Despite the ongoing hostilities, President Donald Trump announced on Monday that a meeting between Iran and the United States will take place in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. This announcement came less than two hours after a top Iranian official said that technical talks over the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran 'are not planned' for this week. According to Al Jazeera, Trump's statement on social media indicated that Iran had requested the meeting, but Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied any such plans, stating that consultations are ongoing but no technical talks have been confirmed.

The White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed to Fox News that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will lead the US negotiating team in Doha. Technical talks are expected to take place on the sides of the high-level negotiations. The U.S. and Iran reached a deal earlier this month to end the war, kicking off a 60-day period of negotiations over key issues including Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Meanwhile, Gulf markets opened weaker on Monday as reciprocal strikes by the U.S. and Iran in recent days kept investors on edge despite an agreement between the two countries to stop further attacks. According to Reuters, uncertainty over the peace deal's durability pushed oil prices higher, although crude has since surrendered nearly all of its war-related gains as markets rapidly reassessed the likelihood of easing supply pressures.

The 14-point interim peace agreement, reached on June 17, was intended to stop the fighting that began after U.S. and Israeli action on February 28, reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, and allow negotiations to continue on issues including Iran's nuclear programme.