Iran says it fired advanced missile at US warships
Iran has claimed it fired an advanced ballistic missile at US warships near the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions in the region. The US military reports that its vessels successfully evaded the attack, while Iran threatens to establish a new maritime exclusion zone.
Why it matters
This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, threatening global oil and gas supply chains.
Iran has threatened the United States with "economic warfare" and said it had fired an advanced missile at US warships, underscoring the risks of further escalation in the war only days after both sides traded blows again.
The six-month-old war has been marked by a cycle of pauses followed by periodic flare-ups, with the US last reporting attacks on Iranian targets on Saturday, when US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers.
Iranian state media reported that Iran fired the Qassem Basir missile yesterday.
Despite US attempts to open up the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has continued to disrupt shipping through the critical artery for global oil and gas supplies, and there is no sign of progress towards a diplomatic breakthrough that could end the war which began with US and Israeli strikes on 28 February.
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