US attacks Iran over ship being hit in Strait of Hormuz; Tehran lashes out again at Gulf Arab states
Tensions in the Persian Gulf have escalated after Iran attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting retaliatory strikes from the U.S. Iran subsequently launched missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE.
Why it matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint, and the ongoing conflict threatens to destabilize international oil markets and expand the regional war.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United States attacked Iran early Sunday morning over an Iranian attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the container ship ablaze and forcing its crew to abandon it. Iran apparently responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The strait has become the key sticking point in any further negotiations between Iran and the United States to find a permanent end to the war that began back on Feb. 28. About a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war began. Iran's grip on it during the war led to a global energy crisis, though oil prices have sharply dropped since wartime highs of $120 a barrel.
The new crossfire in the Persian Gulf comes after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested an interim deal in the Iran war was "over."
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