By Zoey
The United States and Iran exchanged sharp accusations on Monday over control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as a new wave of military strikes and retaliatory attacks pushed tensions across the Middle East to dangerous new levels.
The latest escalation has further undermined diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict and increased concerns that the fragile interim agreement between the two countries could collapse completely.
The renewed hostilities followed an Iranian attack on a container ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday near the coast of Oman. The strike marked another significant escalation in a conflict that has increasingly centered on one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical gateway for global energy supplies, historically carrying nearly one-fifth of the world’s traded crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Since the outbreak of the conflict, commercial shipping through the narrow waterway has faced repeated disruptions as Iran intensified attacks on vessels and increased military pressure throughout the region.
Shipping companies have responded by altering routes, delaying voyages, and increasing security measures, raising concerns over the stability of global energy markets despite oil prices retreating from earlier wartime peaks.
The United States and Iran are approaching the midpoint of a 60-day interim agreement that was originally intended to pave the way for comprehensive peace negotiations. Instead of fostering dialogue, the temporary arrangement has been overshadowed by escalating military operations, competing territorial claims, and increasingly hostile rhetoric from both sides.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that any return to full-scale war would have devastating humanitarian, economic, and regional consequences, urging all parties to exercise restraint and pursue diplomatic solutions before the conflict spirals further out of control.
The U.S. military’s Central Command announced that American forces carried out strikes against dozens of Iranian military positions on Monday. According to military officials, the operation targeted air defense systems, radar installations, missile launch equipment, drone facilities, naval assets, and small attack boats believed to be involved in threatening commercial shipping.
American military officials emphasized that freedom of navigation remains a fundamental principle of international maritime law and insisted that Iran does not possess exclusive authority over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded forcefully to those statements. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which oversees much of Iran’s missile program and naval operations, rejected the American position and declared that the strait falls within Iran’s territorial jurisdiction. The organization accused the United States of illegally interfering in regional affairs and vowed that Tehran would continue defending what it described as its sovereign rights.
The growing confrontation quickly spread beyond Iranian territory. Missile warning sirens sounded multiple times in Bahrain, where the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet is headquartered, while Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting incoming hostile projectiles. Officials in both countries did not immediately report significant damage or casualties.
Jordan’s military also announced that its air defense systems intercepted four Iranian missiles that entered its airspace. Authorities said the interceptions prevented casualties and property damage. Jordan hosts American military personnel and has increasingly strengthened regional defense coordination amid the conflict.
Inside Iran, state media reported multiple strikes across Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Markazi, and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces. Iranian officials confirmed at least two fatalities, though additional casualty figures were not immediately available. Emergency crews continued assessing damage at several military and infrastructure sites affected by the attacks.
Sunday’s Iranian military operations extended well beyond the Strait of Hormuz, with attacks and missile activity reported across Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman. Oman, which shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran and has traditionally served as a mediator between Tehran and Western governments, summoned an Iranian diplomat to formally protest the attack carried out near its territorial waters.
Elsewhere in the region, drones targeted a military base operated by the Kurdistan Freedom Party, an Iranian Kurdish opposition movement based in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. A commander with the group’s armed wing confirmed that its Chamshar base came under attack, although no official casualty figures or damage assessments were released. No organization immediately claimed responsibility for the strike.
The latest exchange of attacks came after one of the largest American military operations since the conflict began. Early Sunday, U.S. forces reportedly struck around 140 targets inside Iran, including missile launch sites, drone facilities, ammunition depots, communications infrastructure, and logistical support centers. The scale of the operation far exceeded previous rounds of strikes conducted over the past week.
President Donald Trump defended the military campaign, saying the United States had carried out a major offensive against Iranian military capabilities while reaffirming Washington’s commitment to protecting international shipping routes.
Iran responded by launching attacks against countries hosting American military forces while maintaining that it alone possesses the authority to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials have repeatedly suggested that foreign commercial vessels could eventually face restrictions or fees for using the waterway.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf declared that previous understandings with the United States had effectively ended, accusing Washington of failing to honor its commitments and warning that Iran would continue responding to what it described as American aggression.
Despite Tehran’s repeated claims that the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed, the United States maintains that commercial traffic continues moving through the waterway under the protection of allied naval forces. American officials say military escorts have helped guide ships along a southern route closer to Oman’s coastline, allowing vessels to bypass areas considered most vulnerable to Iranian attacks.
That alternative shipping corridor has itself become a source of tension, with Iran repeatedly targeting vessels using the route in an effort to reinforce its influence over maritime traffic.
The prolonged disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has continued to fuel uncertainty in global energy markets. Although crude oil prices have retreated significantly from wartime highs exceeding $120 per barrel, analysts warn that any sustained closure or major escalation around the waterway could once again trigger sharp increases in energy prices and disrupt international supply chains.
Diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader regional war continue despite the escalating violence. Although President Trump suggested last week that the interim agreement had effectively ended, regional mediators including Pakistan, Qatar, and Egypt remain engaged in negotiations aimed at restoring a ceasefire and reviving political dialogue.
Officials familiar with the mediation process said discussions continued over the weekend, with diplomatic channels remaining open despite the mounting military confrontation. Pakistan confirmed that its foreign minister held a telephone conversation with Iran’s top diplomat, urging restraint and encouraging both sides to pursue de-escalation.
Meanwhile, Iran’s newly installed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, made his first public remarks since the funeral of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a strongly worded statement, he vowed that Iran would avenge his father’s killing and declared that the country would continue resisting what he described as foreign aggression, signaling that Tehran’s leadership remains prepared for a prolonged confrontation even as international efforts to restore peace continue.
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