US strikes Iran after Hormuz tanker attacks, Tehran vows retaliation

US forces struck Iran on Tuesday, hours after three commercial vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said the strikes targeted Iranian positions responsible for the attacks. Washington also revoked a sanctions waiver on Iranian oil, escalating tensions that threaten a fragile ceasefire ending the Middle East war.

Why did the US launch strikes on Iran?

The US launched strikes on Iran after Iranian forces attacked three commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the strikes would impose heavy costs for targeting commercial shipping. Washington also revoked a sanctions waiver on Iranian oil, increasing pressure on Tehran during ongoing negotiations.

Central Command described the strikes as "powerful" and said they were meant to punish attacks on commercial shipping in the vital waterway. The US Treasury Department separately canceled a license issued in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil through August 21. A US official told AFP that Iran's actions in the strait were "wholly unacceptable" and would be met with consequences.

The same official said the US-Iran memorandum of understanding was "entirely performance-based," meaning Tehran would see benefits only if it showed good behavior. US negotiators were still working in good faith toward a final deal, the official added.

How did Iran respond to the strikes?

Iranian state media reported numerous explosions around the Strait of Hormuz. Six were reported on the island of Qeshm, seven in the city of Sirik and more in the major port of Bandar Abbas.

Iran's foreign ministry accused the United States of repeatedly violating the memorandum of understanding between the two countries. It threatened retaliation in a statement carried by official media. "Iran is issuing a serious warning about the consequences of America's breach of the treaty, and will take decisive measures to protect its interests and national security," the ministry said.

What happened to the commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz?

British maritime security agency UKMTO said an unknown projectile hit a tanker overnight, sparking a fire. Two more vessels were struck afterward, with at least one hit by a drone. All three vessels were attacked close to Oman.

Oman had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline to help ships avoid danger. Iran opposed the plan, since it is seeking to impose fees on ships using the narrow waterway. Qatar said one of the vessels was its LNG tanker Al-Rekayyat and blamed Iran for the attack.

How did Qatar react to the attack on its tanker?

Qatar called the strike an unacceptable attack on international maritime navigation. Doha later summoned Iran's deputy ambassador to demand an explanation and urge Tehran to stop undermining regional security. "We hold Iran fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages or repercussions," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.

Iran voiced dismay over Qatar's accusations, calling the claims unacceptable in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.

What does this mean for the US-Iran ceasefire?

The attacks ended more than a week of relative calm and revived concerns over freedom of navigation. Iran had lifted its blockade of the waterway after a fragile ceasefire with the US, but that truce is now in question. Oil prices rose more than 2 percent as the renewed attacks reignited worries over global energy supplies.

Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King's College London, told AFP that alternatives to an Iranian toll or fee system are now being explored. "Iran is sending a clear signal that no alternative will be accepted," Krieg said. He added that tankers using the Omani corridor without registering with Iran would be punished, calling the attacks a clear violation of the ceasefire and international law.

Maritime traffic had tentatively resumed after Washington and Tehran signed the memorandum last month. Iran has insisted there will be no return to pre-war arrangements that let vessels pass freely through the strait. Under the 14-point memorandum, Iran and Oman must hold talks with other Gulf states to define future administration of the waterway.

Qatar had earlier refused to mediate while under Iranian fire, after Tehran launched an unprecedented bombardment of Gulf states in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes. Doha has since taken a more active role, hosting indirect talks between Iran and the US last week.