Iran has condemned recent US airstrikes in southern Iran as a ‘gross violation’ of a ceasefire, according to the BBC, as US Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes targeted Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines. The attacks occurred on Monday. And Centcom described them as ‘self-defence strikes’ aimed at protecting US troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.

Strait of Hormuz and Energy Prices

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must be open ‘one way or the other,’ as reported by Al Jazeera, though the Strait, a central global energy chokepoint, has been partially blocked by Iran, causing an rare oil supply shock. This has led to rising oil prices and increased costs for fuel, fertilizer, and food worldwide. The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which killed Iran’s supreme leader and triggered further hostilities.

Iran’s Response and Retaliation Threats

Iran’s Major Guard said it reserved the right to retaliate against the US strikes, according to Al Jazeera. They reported that air defence units had downed a US drone and fired at another drone and a fighter jet that entered Iranian airspace over the Gulf region. Iran’s foreign ministry stated it held the US responsible for the consequences of its ‘aggressive and unjustified actions’ in the Hormozgan region, which borders the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian government statement warned that the Islamic Republic would not leave any ‘evil unanswered’ and would defend the Iranian nation.

Trump’s Stance and Diplomatic Tensions

US President Donald Trump has emphasized his key aim in the conflict as preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon through its highly enriched uranium program. Tehran has consistently denied having such intentions. Trump also stated that talks with Iran were going ‘nicely’ in a post on Truth Social, but warned of new attacks if negotiations failed. He wrote that the outcome would be ‘a Great Deal for all, or no Deal at all.’ Meanwhile, an explosion was reported near a tanker 60 nautical miles from Muscat, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The tanker and its crew were safe, but some bunker fuel was discharged into the sea.