The Middle East has entered a new cycle of escalation, with the United States carrying out strikes against Iranian facilities in response to actions by Tehran that Washington believes are obstructing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, in turn, has attacked US targets across the wider region, as well as commercial vessels.

In the early hours of Monday, US forces bombed several targets in cities near the Strait of Hormuz, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Jask, as well as locations along the Persian Gulf coast and farther inland, including Bushehr.

These areas are strategically important because of the role they play in Iran’s efforts to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz. They also host radar stations and military installations.

As the wave of attacks continued, a CENTCOM spokesperson said that Revolutionary Guard forces had opened fire on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“So far, US aircraft have successfully intercepted an Iranian cruise missile and a one-way attack drone,” the spokesperson said.

Iran responded by launching what it described as another “large-scale” attack involving ballistic missiles and drones against “enemy bases” across the wider Middle East.

Sirens sounded in Bahrain, home to the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, as well as in Jordan, where Iran had struck a base hosting US MQ-9 surveillance drones the previous day. Jordan also closed Amman airport as a precaution.

At least one person was killed and four others were injured during a US airstrike in the city of Masar in southwestern Iran during the early hours of Monday, according to a local official.

Iranian authorities said the strike hit an irrigation pumping station used for agricultural land.

Reports also indicated that a senior Revolutionary Guard official was targeted and killed while inside an underground command center.

Oil prices rose during the early hours of Monday following the US strikes against Iran.

The price of North Sea Brent crude for September delivery increased by 3.75% to $78.86 per barrel at approximately 1:10 a.m., following the opening of Asian markets.

The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery rose by 3.65% to $74.02 per barrel.

Analysts estimate that, should the wave of attacks continue, oil prices could once again exceed $80 per barrel. The risk posed by the conflict to oil-producing economies across the Middle East also remains significant.

In a statement, CENTCOM said that, acting on the orders of US President Donald Trump, American forces began launching a new series of strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, corresponding to midnight in Greece.

The operation was intended to further limit Iran’s ability to attack civilian sailors and commercial vessels travelling freely through the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM added that the US president had ordered the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the US strikes and accused Washington of undermining all efforts made during recent months to restore peace in the Middle East.

It also accused the United States of openly violating almost all the terms of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding and causing insecurity to return to the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said the negotiations had focused on arrangements for managing the Strait of Hormuz, but claimed that the United States had prevented an agreement through both open and covert pressure on Oman.

Tehran also rejected Trump’s claims regarding the outcome of the talks, describing them as false statements driven by desperation.

Trump had claimed that Iran agreed to a deal on Saturday under which it was prepared to “give up everything,” but that two hours later it suddenly attacked a vessel with a drone.

US forces began striking Iran last week. Iran responded on Sunday by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching a series of ballistic-missile attacks against US positions across the Middle East.

Earlier, Iran had attacked a commercial vessel sailing under the Cypriot flag, claiming that it had followed an “unauthorized route” through the Strait of Hormuz. An Indian crew member remains missing following the attack.

Source: protothema.gr