AJ
❗️ USA continue to escort ships through unspecified Hormuz transit routes:
🔹 Multiple sources including Fars News, Tasnim News, and UKTMO, began to circulate a report of a ship being targeted by a naval cruise missile after it ignored warnings from the IRGC Navy.
🔹 According to the report, the ship caught fire and the crew were forced to abandon ship and use life rafts, but all crew members were later rescued by local authorities.
🔹 Iran’s IRGC announced in the early hours of Sunday morning that the Strait of Hormuz had been completely closed until further notice, adding that US intervention has come to and end, and no ships will be allowed to pass.
🔹 The IRGC said that it was made clear in previous statements that foreign interference and the unlawful designation of shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz would be met with firm responses, and would disrupt the increasing flow of maritime traffic through the Strait.
🔹 According to the statement, warning had been ignored, as foreign actors attempted to navigate several vessels through an unauthorised route, disregarding warnings and instructions to correct their course and proceed via the approved shipping lane.
🔹 The IRGC said: “As a result, one vessel that had switched off its onboard tracking systems, thereby endangering maritime safety, was struck with a warning shot and brought to a halt.
🔹 Further warnings stated that if ‘the aggressor uses this incident -with it itself caused – as a pretext for further hostile action against us, it will be met with forceful responses, and additional enemy bases in the region will be targeted.
🔹 The statement stressed that consequences of such interference rested with the US-Israeli regime and with the countries that have allowed their territory to be used by ‘the enemy’ for attacks on Iran.
🔹 US Central Command said in a statement on X that the new strikes came after Iran ‘blatantly attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy,’ a Cyprus-flagged container ship that was being escorted through the Strait by US Naval Forces using an alternate route to that designated by Iran.
🔹 “A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to the onboard fire and significant engine room damage,” the report added.
🔹 Despite the US escorting the vessel and offering protection, the statement said: “Iran was provided another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum – after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels, but has again failed.”
🔹 The statement said that in response, the US imposed a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait, adding that the strikes were carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief.
🔹 US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also took to X in an attempt to spin the blame on Iran, saying that Iran had made a poor choice: “Now they pay,” he said.
🔹 On conclusion of the attacks, Central Command said they had hit approximately 140 Iranian targets with precision munitions launched by land- and sea- based fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels.
🔹 Targets included Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations.
🔹 During the three nights of strikes, CENTCOM have struck more than 300 targets at the direction of President Trump to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the Strait, adding that commercial vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continued.
🔹 CENTCOM claimed that since early May, US forces had helped facilitate the successful transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 400 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait.
🔹 As often happens when the US launch attacks, explosions had been reported by various sources across Iran, leading officials such as the Deputy Governor for Security Affairs in the Khuzestan Province denying reports about explosions in cities like Ahvaz and Abadan.
🔹 The Deputy Governor called the rumours ‘baseless’ and ‘part of a psychological warfare campaign,’ stating the security in the province remained stable, forces were on full alert, and no unusual incidents had been reported in the province.
🔹 Reports of 12 explosions in various parts of Bushehr province over the course of an hour were confirmed by Iranian media, while the Deputy Governor of Bushehr Province for Political, Security, and Social Affairs said that no casualties had been reported following attacks on ‘several cities in the province.’
🔹 Bushehr’s Governor later reported that strikes had targeted locations in Bushehr, Asaluyeh, Dayyer, Dashti and Tangestan between the hours of 2:45 and 3:00am, claiming at least ten explosions in total, with three in Bushehr city and one near Choghadak.
🔹 In a separate event, a projectile struck a military position near Yasuj in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province around 3am local time.
🔹 Smoke plumes were captured in images from residents of Konarak, as well as several US strikes Bandar-e-Jask, while IRIB reported more than 10 explosions heard in Jask.
🔹 Following the US attacks, Iranian Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X that the era of one-sided deals is over: “We told you – keep your word or pay the price – reality is knocking,” he wrote, sharing point 5 of the MoU and highlighting a part that stated the ‘Islamic Republic of Iran will make the arrangements.”
🔹 Iran’s IRGC struck back soon after, targeting US sites in Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, with an announcement saying the operations came in response to continued US strikes on southern Iran and US attempts to interfere with navigation in the Strait.
🔹 Missiles were reportedly launched from sites in Khomein, Hamadan, Zanjan, Shahr-e Babak, and Arak, with at least 10 reportedly targeting US assets in Jordan, as images revealed missiles allegedly flying over Al-Diwaniyah Governorate in southern Iraq on route to Jordan.
🔹 Iran targeted the Prince Hussein base in Jordan, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Shuyukh port in Kuwait, the Fifth Fleet base and Al Jafair in Bahrain, and Duqm Port in Oman, according to Iranian media.
🔹 Through several statements, the IRGC said its forces struck the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, claiming to have destroyed its command-and-control centre and MQ-9 drone hangars with ballistic missiles.
🔹 Another heavy and surprise attack was reported on the logistical support centres and refuelling sites for US aircraft carriers at the Port of Duqm in Oman.
🔹 Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base was targeted with ballistic missiles, according to the IRGC, who reported destroying the base’s fighter maintenance and repair centre and its command-and-control centre, while Qatar’s Interior Ministry said three people, including a child, had been injured by falling debris from intercepted missiles and drones.
🔹 Attack drones reportedly struck a Patriot air defence system, ammunition depot, and a radar site belonging to the US Navy in Kuwait, while another wave of attacks targeted a communication system in Bahrain.
🔹 Smoke was also seem rising from the vicinity of the Naval Support Activity in Bahrain, likely due to Iranian impacts, according to local sources.
🔹 Oman News Agency confirmed that sites in Musandam Governorate had been targeted by Iranian drones, stating the government condemned the attack, and said it was taking all necessary measures to protect country and its residents.
🔹 Jordan’s Armed Forces announced three missiles originating from Iran fell inside the Kingdom, with no casualties reported, as media suggested the missiles struck the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.
🔹 Saudi Arabia condemned the Iranian attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Jordan, accusing Tehran of violating international law, undermining regional security, and threating freedom of navigation.
