US launches third strike on Iran following attack on commercial vessel in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after its forces fired at a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the M/V GFS Galaxy, which it said was traveling on an unauthorized route and had disabled its navigation systems. The IRGC statement said the vessel was hit by a warning shot and forced to stop, and that the closure would remain in effect until "the end of US interference in this region."

The United States responded by launching a third series of air strikes against Iranian targets, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes, carried out on Sunday evening, targeted ground-to-air missile launchers, drone and missile storage facilities, launch sites and surveillance radars in the southern Iranian cities of Bushehr and Asaluyeh. The U.S. statement said the attacks were intended to degrade Iran's ability to target civilian mariners and commercial ships.

The Iranian vessel sustained significant engine-room damage and a crew member was reported missing. In a separate development, Iranian and Omani officials met in Muscat to discuss a proposal for managing traffic through the strait, suggesting a division of lanes between Omani-controlled and Iranian-controlled waters.

U.S. officials have said they are seeking a public declaration from Iran that the strait is open and safe for navigation, warning that further attacks could lead to additional U.S. actions.