The operation comes amid growing risks for commercial shipping
The US military escorted 40 commercial vessels carrying around 18 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, marking a wartime high as Washington and Tehran exchanged a fresh round of strikes, according to two US officials familiar with the operation who spoke to CNN. Iranian media meanwhile reported that a US strike hit a home hosting a wedding in Kuhestak, killing four people and wounding at least 68. Bahrain said its air defence systems intercepted several Iranian air attacks early Wednesday, while Iranian state media reported drone attacks on US bases in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
Washington said Iran was preparing to use the launchers to fire mines into the waterway. Operations aimed at eliminating elements of Iran’s nuclear programme have effectively been “backburnered”, as the focus shifts towards securing the waterway and restricting Iranian oil flows, according to one US official. The US military said it was aware of the report but that it “never targets civilians. Egypt and Qatar have called for Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations, while Pakistan said it remains engaged in mediation efforts. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said Washington was pressuring countries still doing business with Iran, saying, “My message to everyone is stay away.”
Iran has also stepped up attacks on US allies in the Gulf. Iran retaliated by launching missiles at American bases in Jordan, which were intercepted. At the same time, the administration’s other priorities have taken a back seat. With the conflict intensifying, diplomatic efforts are continuing.
The escalation followed US strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.