WASHINGTON -- The US launched a new wave of military strikes early on July 12 against Iran after Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and Iranian forces struck a Cyprus-flagged container ship, sharply escalating tensions in one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had begun a third round of strikes this week after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
"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," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," it added, saying the strikes were being conducted on the orders of President Donald Trump.
Trump told CNN on July 12 that "We hit them very hard last night."
He claimed that Washington and Tehran were close to a deal before the latest exchange of fire.
"They were giving up everything, and then all of a sudden two hours after that they hit a ship with a drone. These people, there is something wrong with them," he said.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth underscored Washington's message in a post on social media, writing: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
A senior US official told reporters that American forces targeted Iranian air surveillance radars, maritime surveillance systems, missile and drone storage facilities, missile and unmanned aerial vehicle launch sites, and surface-to-air missile launchers in an effort to weaken Tehran's military capabilities.
Iranian state media reported explosions across southern Iran following the strikes. State broadcaster IRIB said three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and two in Sirik, while additional blasts were reported on Qeshm Island, all overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement issued several hours after the launch of air strikes, US forces said they hit about 140 Iranian military targets, which brings the total number this week to 300 in an effort to "degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait."
Iran Claims Waterway Closed, Warns Of Retaliation
The latest US operation followed one of Iran's most consequential moves in the confrontation with Washington: the stated closure of the Strait of Hormuz until further notice.
The status of the strait remained unclear as of midday on July 12. CENTCOM insisted that the waterway was open and that ships were transiting through.
"Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," it said on X.
In a statement carried by IRIB, the IRGC navy said several vessels had attempted to transit the strait using what it described as an "unauthorized" or "unapproved route" despite repeated warnings.
"A vessel that had jeopardized maritime security by switching off its systems was struck and brought to a halt," the IRGC said, without identifying the ship.
The IRGC said one vessel was hit by what it described as a warning shot before being stopped.
"The Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of the US interventions in this area and no vessel will be allowed to pass," the statement said.
The IRGC warned that any further military action against Iran would trigger a "severe response" and that additional regional bases could be targeted.
CENTCOM said the Cyprus-flagged Galaxy suffered significant damage and was left unable to continue its voyage.
Later on July 12, Oman said it had rescued 23 crew members, with one missing, from the stricken Galaxy after receiving a distress signal.
"Twenty-three crew members were rescued and provided with necessary medical care. Search operations are continuing for one crew member who remains missing," Oman's Maritime Security Center said on X.
Diplomatic Efforts Falter Amid Military Escalation
The military escalation came as diplomatic efforts in Oman appeared to falter.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi to discuss mechanisms for ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Tehran.
Earlier, Oman said discussions with Iran would continue at both the technical and political levels in an effort to reach agreements consistent with international law regarding navigation through the waterway.
There were no US officials participating in those discussions.
RFE/RL has learned from diplomatic sources that Omani mediators handed proposals to the Iranian delegation aimed at resolving disputes over maritime navigation. Senior officials declined to comment on the substance of the proposals.
According to diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions, Iran left the negotiations saying it would return after reaching a unified internal position on proposals that would have allowed freedom of navigation through Omani waters in the southern part of the strait without tolls.
Shortly afterward, Iran's national security apparatus responded by firing on a commercial vessel and announcing the closure of the waterway.
In recent months, Trump has promoted what he has called the "Southern Highway" -- a shipping route that keeps vessels closer to Oman's coastline and farther from Iranian territorial waters.
Tehran has repeatedly insisted that only its preferred route, running closer to the Iranian coast, is considered safe and has previously been accused of targeting vessels using the Omani route.
War Of Words Raises Risks Of Wider Conflict
The latest confrontation unfolded against an increasingly volatile political backdrop. Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge for the killing of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, saying retaliation "must inevitably be carried out."
"This matter depends neither on my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will come to pass," he said, adding that Iran had compiled a list of individuals to be targeted.
Hours earlier, Trump warned that any assassination attempt against him would trigger overwhelming US military retaliation.
"1000 missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow," Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying the United States would "completely decimate" Iran if such a threat materialized.
The exchanges come after an interim cease-fire that had briefly paused fighting following the war that erupted in late February with large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Trump has since declared the cease-fire effectively over while saying he remains open to renewed negotiations.
Analysts See Diplomatic Window Narrowing
Analysts said Iran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz and attack commercial shipping marked another setback for diplomatic efforts.
"The Iranian regime is proving once again that when the US outstretches a hand in the spirit of diplomacy it is met with a clenched fist from Tehran," Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, told RFE/RL.
“The US will need to escalate to send a message to the Islamic republic.”
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies typically pass, significantly raises the risk of broader regional instability and could have major consequences for international energy markets if the disruption persists.
With diplomacy struggling to gain traction and both Washington and Tehran hardening their positions, the latest military exchanges underscore the growing danger that the confrontation could expand well beyond the Gulf.
