US launches airstrikes against Iran following attacks on commercial vessels in Strait of Hormuz
via GhanaWeb3 min read
The US military has initiated airstrikes against Iran, with explosions reported in Sirik, Qeshm Island, and Bandar Abbas. US Central Command CENTCOM stated these strikes are a response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera鈥檚 Tohid Asadi reported multiple explosions on Qeshm Island and near Sirik Port, both strategically significant for Iran's control over the Strait. Iran's foreign ministry holds the US responsible for breaching a June memorandum of understanding MoU that aimed to end a conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, and included lifting a US naval blockade in exchange for Tehran reopening the Strait. The MoU also involved a temporary waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil, which the US Treasury Department has now revoked. This revocation followed attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, including a Qatari tanker and a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that the US actions violate the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and that Iran will take necessary measures to protect its interests.
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