US-Iran War Highlights: USA says military ready to keep Strait of Hormuz open

US-Iran War Live Updates: The US and Iran escalated sharply over the weekend after US Central Command said it carried out a third round of strikes on Iran, hitting roughly 140 targets, following Iran’s attack on the Cyprus-flagged tanker GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz — an incident in which one of 11 Indian crew remains missing, India’s foreign ministry said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responded with a wave of strikes across the region, claiming attacks on US-linked sites in Jordan’s Prince Hassan airbase, Qatar’s Al Udeid airbase, Oman’s Duqm port, and communications and radar sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to IRIB and Iran’s army. Qatar and Jordan, however, offered differing accounts — Doha said it intercepted a missile, while Jordan’s Petra news agency reported only minor damage from three missiles, contradicting Iran’s damage claims.

Explosions and strikes were also reported inside Iran itself, with officials citing hits on Bushehr, Hormozgan, Kerman, Khondab and Yasuj provinces, per IRNA, ISNA and IRIB. The UAE, Kuwait and Qatar reported intercepting missiles and drones, with Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirming three people, including a child, were injured by falling debris. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia condemned the Iranian strikes, while Lebanon’s prime minister voiced solidarity with the affected Gulf states.

Amid the fighting, Iran and Oman agreed to continue talks on managing Hormuz shipping traffic, with Qatar also joining discussions, though Iran’s Revolutionary Guard maintains the strait remains closed “until further notice.” The Joint Maritime Information Center disputed this, saying the southern transit route remains open and has been expanded for two-way traffic, though it kept the threat level at “severe.” Pakistan urged de-escalation in a call between the two countries’ foreign ministers, while analyst Harlan Ullman told Al Jazeera Iran holds the stronger strategic hand given its ability to threaten Gulf-wide disruption.

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