After days of calm, U.S. says it intercepted Iranian missile attack on American troops
The U.S. military reported intercepting an Iranian missile attack on American troops, marking a new escalation in the Persian Gulf. Tensions remain high as Iran continues to challenge control over the Strait of Hormuz despite previous ceasefire efforts.
Why it matters
The conflict in the Strait of Hormuz threatens global oil supplies and risks a broader military confrontation in the Middle East.
All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted, U.S. Central Command said in a statement, adding that U.S. forces "remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness."
The U.S. and Iran had experienced a period of calm, during which neither announced attacks for days following weeks of escalation over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway and narrow chokepoint through which 20 per cent of the world's oil normally flows.
Iran effectively closed the strait when the war began by firing at freighters and tankers off its coast or threatening too. Following the signing of an interim ceasefire deal in June, a battle for control over the strait has erupted.
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