Iran strikes Gulf nations after US attacks, closes Strait of Hormuz

Iran launched a wave of missiles and drones at several Gulf states on Sunday morning, retaliating against US airstrikes. Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were reportedly targeted. Tehran also announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about one-fifth of the world's oil passes, until further notice.

The US strikes came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on a Cyprus-registered container ship, claiming it was on an unauthorized route. State media reported that the IRGC then struck a second vessel, accusing it of violating regulations. The IRGC navy stated that a ship that had endangered maritime security by turning off its systems was hit and brought to a halt.

Shortly after, US Central Command said it had conducted a round of strikes against Iran, hitting at least 140 targets. The military said it was imposing a heavy cost by degrading Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships. Targets included missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition depots, communication networks and surveillance locations. In response, the IRGC closed the Strait of Hormuz and warned of a severe response to US aggression.

Separately, the office of US Senator Lindsey Graham announced that he had died from a sudden illness. Graham, 71, was a key ally of Donald Trump and a hawk on foreign policy, supporting the Iraq war and urging military action against Iran. He had served in the Senate since 2003 and was running for re-election.

India's foreign ministry condemned the attack on the commercial vessel GFS Galaxy off Oman's coast, confirming that 10 of the 11 Indian nationals aboard had been rescued, with one still missing.