US strikes Iran over latest ship attack and Tehran responds by hitting Arab states
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States attacked Iran early Sunday over an Iranian strike on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left one crew member missing. Iran responded with attacks targeting several countries in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman — the country on the other side of the strait that Tehran wants to join it in managing traffic there.
The fighting raised new questions about the interim deal Iran and the U.S. reached on June 17, beginning a 60-day period aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war. The midway point of that period comes within the week.
The strait, a key route for the global supply of oil and natural gas, has become the key sticking point in negotiations, and fighting over the past week has left negotiations in danger of collapse.
The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit some 140 targets in Sunday’s strikes including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, communication equipment and other sites. It said the attacks, heavier than in recent days, would weaken Iran’s ability to threaten shipping.
