War, latest news. New US strikes on 140 Iranian targets; Tehran announces closure of the Strait of Hormuz

(Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader and former head of the Revolutionary Guards, stated today that the Strait of Hormuz – the focal point of tensions with the United States – is more important to Iran than its nuclear programme. “This strategic waterway is more important than dozens of atomic bombs, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it,” said Rezaei, as quoted by the ISNA news agency, referring to Iran’s nuclear programme, which the US, Israel and Western countries suspect has military aims. Tehran denies these allegations but insists on its right to civilian nuclear energy.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned “Iran’s violation of the principles of international law, the United Nations Charter, the Charter of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the rules of good neighbourliness, through Iran’s repeated attacks on merchant ships, which threaten the security and freedom of navigation”. The Kingdom was not targeted in the latest series of Iranian attacks, but a Saudi oil tanker was damaged whilst passing through the Strait of Hormuz last week.

In the wake of remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who threatened to avenge his father’s death, Iranian media outlets close to the regime are calling for attacks against Israel. This is reported by Channel 12 in an extensive feature that highlights headlines and comments from the main Iranian media outlets. The daily newspaper Kayhan, regarded as the regime’s main propaganda outlet, wrote: “An attack on Israel would deal a devastating blow to the United States”. The editor of Kayhan, regarded as the mouthpiece of the Iranian establishment, has called for attacks on US bases in the region to continue and for Israel to be targeted as well.

The daily newspaper *Asr-e Iranian* adopted an even harsher tone, running the headline: “Revenge, certainly against the murderers.” At the centre of the front page is a photograph of a large banner displayed during Ali Khamenei’s funeral, bearing the words in English: “We Will Kill Trump”, accompanied by the Persian translation. The image depicts President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and the leaders of three Gulf states: the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed; the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa; and the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad al-Sabah. The newspaper Jam-e Jam joined the media campaign, publishing a message in Hebrew on its front page: “Revenge is coming soon”, repeated in Farsi and English.

(A military site on the outskirts of Yasuj, in the south-western Iranian province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, was attacked by US and Israeli drones at 3.00 am on Sunday night, local time, according to Deputy Governor-General Fatrah Mohammadi. The attack caused limited damage to a vehicle and there were no casualties, he added, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

The Sabreen news agency, which is close to the Iranian regime, has published a list of targets attacked overnight. These include the Amir Hussein base in Jordan, the Al-Adid airbase in Qatar, the port of Al-Sheikh in Kuwait, the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet and the Al-Juffair area in Bahrain, the port of Al-Daqam in Oman and US military fuel depots in the same area.

India stated today that eleven of its citizens were on board a vessel that was struck in waters east of Oman, whilst Iran and the United States exchanged further attacks. “Of the eleven Indian nationals on board, ten have been rescued so far, whilst one Indian national is still missing,” the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement.

Qatar’s Ministry of the Interior has announced that three people, including a child, were injured by falling shrapnel during the interception of Iranian missiles.

“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice”. This was reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu, which explained that the force had stated that several vessels had attempted to take an unauthorised route through the Strait, despite repeated warnings to change course and follow an approved passage. The strategic waterway, it is emphasised, “will remain closed until further notice and until the end of US operations in the region; no vessel will be permitted to pass through”.

The Jordanian army has stated that three Iranian missiles struck the kingdom’s territory at dawn, against the backdrop of renewed hostilities between Iran and the United States. “Three missiles launched from Iranian territory struck various locations in the kingdom at dawn, without causing any casualties. The damage is limited to minor material losses,” said a military source quoted in an army statement.

“The Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and which arrived in Muscat on Saturday, discussed with Omani officials the need for coordination between the two countries on how to manage the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The two sides agreed to continue talks at political and technical levels to reach an agreement aimed at ensuring the safety of navigation in the waterway,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. According to the IRNA news agency, Baghaei also confirmed the presence of a Qatari delegation at the talks in Muscat, “as one of the countries in the region that has played a mediating role between Iran and the United States”.

The Iranian army spokesperson, Amir Akraminia, stated on Sunday that the United States is seeking to impose its own course of action in the Strait of Hormuz, in breach of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two sides. “We are responsible for any movement in that waterway and we will defend our right,” he emphasised. “The Americans intervened once again in the affairs of the Strait of Hormuz last night and received a firm response from Iran,” he said, as quoted by IRNA, adding that “the United States would do well to cease its interference and respect the memorandum of understanding, as its actions are creating instability in the region”.

The US armed forces struck five towns in the southern Iranian province of Bushehr, which overlooks the Persian Gulf, overnight. This was reported by the official Iranian news agency IRNA, as cited by Al Jazeera, quoting a local official. According to reports, the attacks targeted the towns of Asaluyeh, Dir, Bushehr, Dashti and Tangestan, in one of Iran’s most strategically important provinces due to the presence of energy infrastructure and the Bushehr nuclear power station. The province had already been repeatedly targeted in recent days amid the military escalation. According to the Iranian authorities, previous raids are said to have destroyed civilian infrastructure, including areas situated near the Bushehr nuclear power station. No official figures have yet been provided regarding any casualties or damage caused by the latest bombings.

“The era of unilateral agreements is over. We told you so: keep your word or you will face the consequences. Reality is knocking at the door.” This was posted on X by the Iranian chief negotiator and Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Ghalibaf.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced this morning that it had struck a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, following previous attacks on a container ship which had prompted retaliatory action by the United States. Tehran struck “a second vessel that was violating regulations in the Strait”, according to a statement broadcast by state television and the IRNA news agency. The Pasdaran added that they had also launched missile strikes against a US base in Qatar.

The US armed forces have stated that they struck at least 140 targets in Iran last night, in retaliation for an attack by Tehran on a merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz. “US forces struck approximately 140 Iranian military targets with precision-guided munitions launched from land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and military vessels,” the US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement. The targets struck included missile and drone sites, ammunition depots, naval facilities, communications networks and coastal surveillance posts.

“US Central Command has carried out a third series of strikes against Iran, holding Iranian forces responsible for the attack on another merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz.” This is according to Centcom’s official account. “US forces,” it explains, “struck approximately 140 Iranian military targets with precision-guided munitions launched from land- and sea-based fighter aircraft, drones and warships. The targets included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition depots, communications networks and coastal surveillance posts.” “During three nights of strikes this week, Centcom struck more than 300 targets on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, with the aim of reducing Iran’s ability to attack civilian seafarers and merchant ships transiting freely through the Strait. The transit of merchant ships through this vital international maritime corridor continues. Since the beginning of May, US forces have helped to facilitate the passage of over 800 commercial vessels and 400 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom concluded on social media.