WASHINGTON: The US military said Saturday it has launched a new round of strikes against Iran, after Tehran "blatantly attacked" a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest strikes, which began at 7.15pm in Washington (2315 GMT), came "after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command 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," CENTCOM said, adding that the strikes were being carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump.
US defense secretary Pete Hegseth said simply: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would be closed "until further notice," state media reported.
The Guards had fired warning shots at a vessel using an unauthorized route, the reports said.
The move threatens to further complicate efforts to salvage US-Iran negotiations after both sides exchanged strikes over the past few days.
A key roadblock to a final agreement is the future of the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran insisting it will control shipping through the waterway and Washington demanding unrestricted navigation. - AFP
