Key facts
- US launched strikes on Iran for a third consecutive day, targeting multiple locations.
- Iran retaliated with attacks on Bahrain, Jordan, and UAE-associated tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
- US President Donald Trump announced a 20% levy on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
- At least 28 people have been killed in Iran since the US strikes began.
- The renewed conflict threatens a return to all-out war and impacts efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military launched strikes on Iran for a third consecutive day, hitting targets across the country including the port cities of Bushehr and Bandar Abbas. Iran retaliated with attacks on Bahrain, which houses the US Navy’s fifth fleet, Jordan, which hosts US air force assets, and two tankers associated with the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain reported intercepting several attacks and accused Iran of targeting civilians, while Jordan intercepted four missiles. These actions threaten a return to all-out war and significantly impede efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump announced that the US would control the strait and charge ships up to a 20% toll for safe passage, a reversal of previous US policy supporting freedom of navigation. The conflict has resulted in at least 28 deaths in Iran since last week, with one Indian seafarer killed and 10 others wounded in attacks on tankers. The price of crude oil rose to a four-week high of over $86 a barrel.