Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel while the United States conducted another round of airstrikes targeting the Islamic Republic over control of the key waterway.
The 10 consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes have not caused Tehran to ease its control over the strait, through which approximately one-fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded once passed in peacetime.
Even as the U.S. and Iran approach a potential full-scale war again, Iran’s interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for discussions. However, it remains unclear what new agreement could be reached to end the fighting.
The interim deal signed last month intended to halt hostilities has collapsed. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely paused. As fighting escalates, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied upon by millions of people.
In a new warning to Americans, the U.S. State Department stated that “Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world.”
This escalation has driven oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded above $88 a barrel on Tuesday, and regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to an average of $4 a gallon, putting financial pressure on Americans ahead of midterm elections this fall.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military identified two soldiers killed in Jordan during attacks that left one other person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. On Monday, President Donald Trump used social media to warn that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”
Trump was scheduled to attend a ceremony Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base where at least one service member’s remains were expected to arrive.
US strikes continue as ships are attacked
The U.S. military’s Central Command announced on Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released additional footage of bombings targeting sites in Iran.
The command stated, “American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait.”
Despite this, traffic through the strait has slowed significantly due to the latest violence. The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, compelling the crew to leave the vessel.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as two other ship attacks on Monday in the waterway.
The route around Oman has been encouraged by the U.S. military for ships seeking to avoid Iran’s control.
Tehran has also targeted U.S.-allied nations across the Middle East.
Kuwait reported that its air defenses fired at an incoming barrage, and Jordan’s armed forces stated on Monday evening they shot down three Iranian missiles, adding there was no material damage or casualties. Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country’s air traffic systems, asserting they endanger civilian travel.
Nearly 100 US injuries since early July
The Pentagon’s chief spokesman indicated that nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured since the U.S. resumed strikes on July 7, and 96% of them have returned to duty.
Sean Parnell posted on X Monday in response to a New York Times report alleging the Pentagon withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes, stating that “The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions.” He denied that the Pentagon was concealing injury data.
However, as of Monday night, the military’s Defense Casualty Analysis System, which tracks deaths and injuries in conflict, had not been updated with the latest attacks.
Yemen rebels threaten strikes on other Mideast waterways
Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Houthis, who receive support from Iran, stated they would block shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by targeting Bab el-Mandeb, a maritime chokepoint similar to the Strait of Hormuz, in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week which they blamed on Saudi Arabia.
With the Strait of Hormuz potentially blocked, Saudi Arabia has been utilizing a pipeline to reach the Red Sea to export millions of barrels of oil. The Houthis previously demonstrated their capacity to disrupt shipping there when they targeted vessels for months during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, attacking over 100 ships.
Saudi Arabia’s military declared it would maintain the waterway's openness.
Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a Saudi military spokesman, stated, “All Houthi threats against transiting vessels will be dealt with swiftly and firmly, as such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy.”
A glimmer of hope for diplomacy
Pakistan has increased diplomatic efforts recently to revive the interim deal.
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. remains open to negotiating with Iran but stressed that “it has to be real.”
Rubio commented, “If the door opens to diplomacy — if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations — that’ll be a very positive development.” He added, “That’s not where we are tonight, unfortunately.”
Iranian authorities reported on Sunday that at least 50 people were killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on February 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed.