US and Iran Exchange Missile and Drone Strikes; Strait of Hormuz Declared Closed by Iran

The U.S. and Iran exchanged a barrage of missile and drone airstrikes on Sunday, as Tehran targeted American facilities in several Gulf states while declaring the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway closed to traffic.

The Revolutionary Guard said it closed Hormuz to all ship traffic "until further notice," according to the Iranian state news outlet PressTV. "No vessel will be permitted to transit the strait," the Guard said in a statement published by PressTV.

On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," disputed that claim, saying the strait was open ⁠to commercial traffic. Trump ordered renewed airstrikes against Iran on Saturday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a commercial ship transiting the strait, the U.S. military said in a statement.

The M/V GFS Galaxy, a container ship sailing under the flag of Cyprus, was unable to continue its journey after the Iranian attack caused an onboard fire and significant damage to the vessel's engine room, U.S. Central Command said. A civilian crew member was missing, Centcom said.

Iran responded to the renewed assault by targeting U.S. facilities in several neighboring countries.

Qatar's Ministry of Defense said its armed forces intercepted several ballistic missiles. Bahrain's Interior Ministry urged its citizens to seek shelter after sounding an alert. Kuwait's army said it was confronting "hostile aerial targets."

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday it holds Iran "fully and legally responsible for these attacks and their resulting repercussions and consequences."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that the continuation of these attacks constitutes a dangerous escalation that will complicate de-escalation efforts and undermine political and diplomatic endeavors aimed at achieving security and stability in the region," its statement read.

The United Arab Emirates said in a statement it "condemned in the strongest terms the renewed hostile missile and drone attacks by Iran targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the Sultanate of Oman."

A senior Gulf government official told MS NOW that the region is on "high alert" after the Iranian strikes. The source said Iran's "desire to control the Strait of Hormuz is fanciful and dangerous," stating the Gulf countries "will never allow it."

The U.S. airstrikes on Saturday were the third time it has bombed Iran this week in retaliation for attacks on commercial vessels transiting Hormuz.

Iran has attacked ships that are using a southern route along Oman's coast protected by the U.S. military. Tehran is demanding that vessels use a northern route through its territorial waters.

U.S. Central Command on Sunday morning sought to alleviate fears of mariners transiting the strait, saying in an X post that the "Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway."

"U.S. forces are positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations. Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing," the post said.

The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 to reopen the strait. But Washington and Tehran are now disputing the terms under which Hormuz was supposed to reopen.

Under the agreement, Iran promised to "make arrangements using its best efforts" to ensure safe passage for ships transiting Hormuz and agreed to not charge a toll for 60 days. But the agreement left the precise transit routes undefined.

"The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking," Iran's parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, MB Ghalibaf, said in a post on X.

"The underlying problem here is that the memorandum of understanding did not reach an understanding with respect to the management of ship traffic through the strait," said David Goldwyn, who served as the U.S. State Department's special envoy for international energy affairs under former President Barack Obama.

"It essentially punted that issue," Goldwyn said.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said last month that the U.S. military would "assure the flow of energy out of the Gulf with or without an agreement with Iran."

"Iran will not have the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz going forward," Wright said at a conference in New York City on June 24. "That's their key leverage and we're taking that leverage away from them."

Earlier on Saturday, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman to meet with Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. Oman has been one of the key mediators in efforts to end the war between the U.S. and Iran.

Oman's foreign minister summoned the Iranian ambassador on Sunday and delivered a note of protest "following drone attacks targeting sites in the governorates of Musandam and Al Wusta," according to a statement from the country's Foreign Ministry.

"During the meeting, the Undersecretary expressed Oman's deep concern over these irresponsible acts," the statement read. "He called for respect for the sovereignty of states, the principles of good neighbourliness and non-interference in internal affairs, as well as adherence to the values and ethical norms that bind the two neighbouring countries and peoples."

A U.S. official told MS Now that its technical negotiations team was not involved in the discussions in Oman.

A senior Middle East diplomat with direct knowledge of the talks told MS Now that France and the U.K. are studying proposals drafted by Oman that may allow the charging of navigational fees in the strait, so long as the tolls are not compulsory and have the support of the UN's International Maritime Organization, which regulates sea transport.