The attack on the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy, which left one crew member missing and the vessel disabled, triggered the US strikes—the third round this week. Explosions were reported at energy hubs Bushehr and Asalouyeh and at the ports of Bandar Abbas and Bandar-e Dayyer. Iran’s IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and fired ballistic missiles at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan and Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, while conducting drone strikes on US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain; Qatar intercepted missiles and air defense sirens sounded across Bahrain and the UAE. The escalation follows Trump’s July 10 declaration that the ceasefire was over and the imposition of new sanctions.
Context
The escalation follows Trump’s July 10 declaration that the ceasefire was over and the imposition of new sanctions.