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• Explosions heard near Sirik, Qeshm
• US revokes temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil
• Both sides trade allegations over MoU breach
• Washington, Doha blame Tehran over attacks on tankers
• Iran calls accusations ‘unacceptable’
• Another tanker directed to alter course as LNG ship makes U-turn
• Araghchi reacts to Trump’s provocations
WASHINGTON: In the first known US military strikes against Iran since late June when the two sides signed Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding for peace in the Middle East, the US Central Command forces launched a series of powerful strikes in response to what they called Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Several explosions were heard near Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran, according to Iran’s Fars news agency in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The strikes were launched shortly after the US revoked the temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil, blaming Iran for the attacks on Qatari and Saudi tankers near Oman though there was no claim of responsibility for the strikes on the ships.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei explained that commercial “vessels using uncoordinated routes with Iran or tampering with the ship’s tracking face risks and disrupt Iran’s efforts to facilitate safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz”.
The spokesperson said, “Iran is diligently fulfilling its commitments per MoU in regards to necessary measures to manage the Strait of Hormuz. Iran urges the countries of the region and shipping companies to refrain from any actions that contradict the provisions of the MoU.”
However, the US military in a statement claimed, “Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
The statement added, “US Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping.”
It was unclear what specifically the US targeted but Iranian media said six projectiles hit the area of Taheroui pier in Sirik in southern Iran.
Iran’s foreign ministry has accused the US of breaching Article 10 of the MoU by cancelling a temporary waiver on sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales. In a statement, the ministry condemned the US Treasury’s move, calling it a “clear violation” of the memorandum signed on June 18.
It said the decision, taken less than 20 days after the signing of the memorandum, showed “bad faith” and proved that the US administration could not be trusted.
The ministry also accused Washington of repeatedly violating parts of the memorandum, both directly and indirectly through what it described as Israeli actions against Lebanon.
Earlier, Qatar said one of the vessels was its LNG tanker Al-Rekayyat and blamed Iran, denouncing an “unacceptable” attack on international maritime navigation.
Doha later summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint, demanding an explanation and urging Tehran to “immediately cease any practices undermining regional security.”
“We hold Iran fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages or repercussions,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.
Iran voiced “dismay” over Qatar’s accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the claims “unacceptable”.
Later, a similar condemnation came from Saudi Arabia for an attack. The Saudi foreign ministry denounced, “Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker Wedyan while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the targeting of the Qatari tanker Al-Rekayyat”.
In a separate incident, a Liberia-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker – believed to be the Al Maryah – was ordered by Iranian forces to change its course and sail closer to Iran’s coast after attempting to transit the strait via Omani waters on Tuesday, a maritime security source said.
The vessel’s manager, Abu Dhabi oil company ADNOC, declined to comment on vessels in its fleet.
A separate LNG tanker made a U-turn on Tuesday after sailing towards the strait, LSEG ship tracking showed.
The number of ships sailing through both sides of the strait early on Tuesday was lower and reached seven ships from 25 on Monday, analysis from Kpler showed, as maritime authorities raised the threat risk for vessels transiting the waterway to “severe”.
Under the 14-point US-Iran memorandum, Iran and Oman, which border Hormuz, must hold talks “to define the future administration and maritime services” in the waterway with other Gulf states.
‘No talks if threats continue’
Meanwhile, responding to US President Donald Trump’s threats, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi maintained that negotiations on a final deal will not commence if threats continue.
A day earlier, Trump had said: “We’re either going to make a deal or we’re going to finish the job.... We can knock down their bridges in one hour, we can knock out their energy supply.”
In response, Araghchi wrote on X that millions of “proud Iranians rallied in unity” to honour assassinated supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and his legacy. “Neither them nor our brave armed forces are moved by any threats,” he said.
He added that the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States was clear. “Honor your signature,” he concluded.
Separately, France and Britain are expected to outline plans for a multinational maritime mission in the Strait of Hormuz at talks between Nato and Gulf Arab foreign ministers, but diplomats say Iran’s rejection of the initiative makes it unlikely to break the deadlock over the vital waterway, Reuters reported.
The meeting on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Ankara will bring together ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Ahead of the meeting, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, warned that “any action in the Strait of Hormuz without coordination with Iran is doomed to failure”.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026
