U.S. forces began carrying out new strikes on Iran on July 11, in response to an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes began around 7:15 p.m. ET, and were made in response to an Iranian attack on the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy. CENTCOM said one of the vessel’s civilian crew members is missing following the Iranian attack, and the ship is unable to continue its journey due to an onboard fire and damage to its engine room.
"In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait. The strikes are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief," CENTCOM said.
Shortly before the U.S. military announced the strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for firing upon a vessel that it said was attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz through a route not approved by Iran. The IRGC said its forces also began enforcing a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which sits on a key route for the oceangoing export of oil and other commodities.
U.S. forces struck Iran earlier this week in response to attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces have, in turn, fired on U.S. outposts across the Middle East.