Iran supreme leader calls for revenge after father's burial
Tensions have escalated in the Middle East as the US launched strikes against Iranian military targets following an attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by targeting a US base in Jordan, marking a significant intensification of regional hostilities.
Why it matters
This conflict threatens global shipping routes and risks a wider regional war involving multiple nations in the Middle East.
Figure caption, Watch: US releases footage of fresh strikes on Iran
The US said it launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran after Tehran struck a ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it closed the waterway until further notice and warned of a severe response to US "aggression", according to state media.
Within hours of the US strikes, the IRGC said they had hit a US base in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain were all responding to missiles and drones from Iran.
It comes after incidents earlier this week in which three commercial tankers were attacked, prompting an exchange of strikes with the US.
US Central Command (Centcom) said it launched a third round of strikes this week after the IRGC "blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
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