The US has launched a series of “powerful” strikes on Iran in response to attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (Centcom) said on Tuesday it had begun the assault, “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent individuals in an international waterway”.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister called the US attacks a violation of the US-Iran memorandum signed last month, and warned that Tehran would “take decisive measures”.
The tankers were damaged within a 24-hour period on Monday and Tuesday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). No casualties were reported.
In response, a US official said Iran would be met with consequences and called the attacks “wholly unacceptable”.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia also denounced the attacks, each saying a tanker from its country had been hit as it was transiting in or near the Strait, and blaming Iran.
In a statement on Tuesday night, Centcom said in a post on X that the US strikes were “in response to Iranian attacks”.
“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” it said.
Meanwhile, the US Treasury earlier on Tuesday also revoked a sanctions waiver that had temporarily lifted oil sanctions on Iran.
The licence, which authorised Iran to sell oil and petrol products, was part of the memorandum of understanding, signed by Washington and Tehran last month.
A notice published on the Treasury’s website on Tuesday said it would allow a wind-down period to 17 July for transactions that had been allowed under the waiver.
Iran’s foreign ministry called the move a breach of the memorandum and said it proved the “bad faith, inconsistency, and unreliability” of the US government.
It added that Tehran “will take whatever measures it considers necessary to safeguard its national interests and national security”.
