Iran’s Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas were attacked in a fresh strike. Several projectiles were targeted in Iran. State-run IRNA news agency reports that at least 10 to 11 “enemy projectiles” targeted the strategically vital Qeshm Island on Sunday afternoon (local time).
Simultaneously, unconfirmed reports of explosions also emerged from the nearby crucial port city of Bandar Abbas, as per Al Jazeera.
According to Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir Teymouri, the strikes exclusively targeted military installations, and no civilian or military casualties have been reported so far. The identity of the attacking forces has not yet been officially confirmed by Tehran.
US CENTCOM’s ‘positioned and prepared’ warning before attack
The sudden escalation comes hours after US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a stern warning, stating that American forces are fully “positioned and prepared” to enforce and ensure the freedom of navigation through the critical chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, specifically citing a necessity to counter “Iranian aggression.”
Meanwhile, Iran expanded its military response by targeting US facilities across Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, intensifying concerns that the conflict could spread across the wider West Asia.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it destroyed a command-and-control centre and drone storage facilities in Jordan, struck a US radar installation in Kuwait, attacked support and refuelling platforms linked to a US aircraft carrier in Oman, and hit a jet maintenance and command facility in Qatar.
Earlier, the US military launched a third wave of strikes on Iranian targets on Saturday after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces attacked the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
In the attack on M/V GFS Galaxy, which had 11 Indians aboard, 10 were rescued while one remains missing.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned Iran’s attack on civilian vessel and called for peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy.
In a statement, MEA said, “Of the 11 Indian nationals on board, 10 have been rescued so far, while 1 Indian National is reportedly missing… The continuing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are deeply worrisome. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return to the region. The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways in the region, in keeping with international law, must be restored at the earliest.”
The vessel caught fire and sustained significant damage to its engine room, while one crew member remains missing. CENTCOM said the strikes, authorised by US President Donald Trump, were intended to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping passing through the strategic waterway.
Trump declares Hormuz open, despite IRGC claims
As tensions escalated, Trump declared that the Strait of Hormuz remained “open for all” vessels. However, the IRGC maintained that the waterway was “closed until further notice” and announced attacks on US-linked facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman in retaliation for American strikes on Tehran.
The US military also said it had struck 140 Iranian military targets in its latest operation while reiterating that ships traveling legally through the Strait of Hormuz could continue to use the route.
Reports indicated that the Omani southern shipping lane remained operational for two-way maritime traffic despite Iran’s claims that the strait had been shut.
Saperately expressing concerns about the escalating hostilities, mediator Pakistan called for de-escalation. Islamabad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep concern over the growing confrontation between the United States and Iran. It called for immediate efforts to reduce tensions and reiterated that Pakistan remained committed to supporting peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy.
