US launches fresh round of strikes on Iran after attack on cargo ship: CENTCOM

The US military said Saturday that it launched a third round of strikes against Iran this week after Iranian forces opened fire on a ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz and announced the waterway's closure.

"U.S. Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy," CENTCOM said in a statement on US social media platform X, noting that the strikes began at 7.15 pm eastern time (1115GMT).

One civilian crew member is missing, said the statement, adding that the vessel was currently "unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engineroom damage."

A US official said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired a missile at the commercial cargo ship as it attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz, striking and damaging the vessel, according to a report by Axios.

The attack came one day after the Trump administration demanded that Iran publicly guarantee safe passage through the strait, a key US condition for halting the cycle of fighting between the two countries. It also followed talks in Muscat earlier Saturday involving Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and Qatari officials aimed at resolving the standoff.

The IRGC said in a statement that it warned several ships against using what it described as an unauthorized route through the strait and fired a "warning shot" after a cargo ship failed to change course.

"Following this incident ... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of the American interventions in this area, and no vessels will be allowed to pass through it," said the IRGC.

According to a diplomat briefed on the negotiations, Oman proposed during the Muscat talks fully reopening both shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, including restoring unrestricted access to the southern route through Omani waters under prewar rules.

The diplomat said Iran's delegation was unable to approve the proposal during the talks and returned to Tehran for further internal discussions. The US official said the cargo ship struck by the IRGC was transiting the southern route Oman had proposed reopening without restrictions.

The US military said Iran had been given "yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding" after previously being held accountable for attacks on commercial vessels, but "has again failed."

"In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait," said CENTCOM, adding that the strikes "are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief."