US strikes Iran-linked targets as Gulf states report alerts
The US military said it disabled a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, while JD Vance said a lasting Iran outcome requires a deal.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
The US military said it disabled an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz as it carried out another round of strikes tied to Iran, Al Jazeera reported. The developments add pressure around one of the world’s key energy routes, while Gulf states reported air alerts and interceptions.
According to Al Jazeera’s recap of recent developments, the US military said it fired Hellfire missiles at a tanker that was trying to sail toward an Iranian port in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military also said it had launched another wave of strikes on Iran.
Iranian media reported explosions on Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, Al Jazeera said. Iran, meanwhile, carried out retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region, with sirens sounding in Bahrain and Kuwait reporting that it intercepted missiles and drones, according to the same report.
Strait of Hormuz remains central to US aims
Al Jazeera correspondent Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, said US Central Command had again struck targets linked to what Washington describes as Iranian efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz. Hanna said those targets generally include coast guard stations, drone batteries and missile batteries.
Hanna reported that the strikes were ongoing and had continued for several days. He said US President Donald Trump had indicated the campaign could reach deeper into Iran if there is no deal or agreement in the next few days.
Trump also said Iran would be “soon defeated” and played down the conflict’s effect on global energy prices, according to Al Jazeera. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran would honor the Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 16 if Washington also complies with it, the outlet reported.
Vance says military action needs a diplomatic end
US Vice President JD Vance discussed Iran and Israel in an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan released Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera. Vance said the US was heading in the right direction with Iran, though he described the process as complicated.
Vance said destroying Iran’s nuclear sites and limiting its ability to rebuild them was a short-term goal, while a durable outcome would require an agreement. He identified keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and protecting the movement of global oil and gas supplies as Washington’s immediate strategic priority.
Vance also said military force alone would struggle to secure shipping because low-cost drones can threaten vessels. He argued that opponents of talks with Iran were offering only continued bombing, which he described as ineffective.
Vance said he had been “less enthusiastic than others” about the military campaign but backed carrying out the president’s decision after it was made. He also said the Middle East should not be viewed only through the Iran-Israel conflict, citing Washington’s close ties with both Israel and Gulf Arab states.
Vance said the period of sending thousands of US troops to topple governments had ended, and that the US military would not decide other countries’ political futures, according to Al Jazeera.
Lebanon talks reported separately
In a separate regional development, the US said Lebanon and Israel had agreed on the structure and guidelines for a limited Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon after talks in Rome, Al Jazeera reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.