US launches new wave of strikes on Iran; Tehran says diplomacy 'futile'
The US military carried out fresh strikes on Iran, while Tehran condemned the attacks and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, casting doubt on recent diplomatic efforts.
The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian targets on Sunday at 9 p.m. GMT, according to US Central Command, which said the aim was to further degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. This followed approximately 140 strikes the previous night.
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the "aggressive" US attacks, stating that they rendered the diplomatic efforts of recent months "futile." The ministry also claimed that talks with Oman in Muscat on Saturday failed due to US pressure on Oman.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed until further notice and until the end of American intervention in the region. In response, CENTCOM asserted that the strait remains open to all vessels lawfully transiting and that US forces are positioned to ensure freedom of navigation.
The renewed fighting began after an Iranian attack early Sunday on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz, which caught fire and forced the crew to abandon it. Iran also targeted US facilities in several Gulf states, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Kuwait reported damage to three land border posts and a drone strike on an offshore drilling platform that injured one person.
Iranian state media reported at least 10 "enemy projectiles" hitting Qeshm Island, which lies in the Strait of Hormuz, and strikes on Farur Island that killed a telecommunications worker and wounded two others. Iran also struck Oman, a country rarely targeted.
US President Donald Trump commented that "we're beating them up," acknowledging that the ceasefire is over but leaving the door open to further talks. Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, posted on X: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."
The escalation casts further doubt on the future of an interim US-Iranian agreement signed last month, which aimed to reopen the strait and end the war after 60 more days of negotiations.
