Roving Periscope: Amid ongoing ‘peace talks,’ the US, Iran at it again
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Waiting for the other side to blink first, the US and Iran returned to the war-mode on Thursday with Tehran announcing closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of US attacks, and also started striking America’s allies in West Asia, the media reported.
Two ‘violating ships’ attempting passage through Hormuz were hit, Iranian media said.
Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani rejected US President Donald Trump’s fresh threat, saying “no sustainable deal can be reached through threats, intimidation, or the use of force.”
3 Indian sailors killed
In this renewed round of hostilities, three Indian seafarers were killed in the US attacks on their ship off the Oman coast, the reports said.
The casualties occurred after US Central Command used precision munitions to strike the Palau-flagged oil tanker off the coast of Oman for allegedly violating an ongoing blockade on Iranian oil.
The Indian seafarers, initially reported missing, died after a vessel was attacked by US forces off the coast of Oman earlier this week, India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. Calling it a “tragic” loss, he said the bodies of these sailors have been recovered.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker, the Settebello, had a total crew of 28 members, including 24 Indian nationals and four foreigners—two Pakistanis, one Ukrainian, and one Russian—when it came under the US military’s attack in the Gulf of Oman. The US military said it attacked the vessel after it allegedly failed to follow its instructions and was carrying oil from Iran.
It was initially reported that while 21 Indian sailors were rescued from the ship, three seafarers — identified as deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya and chief engineer Patnala Suresh — remained missing.
Exchanging fire
The U.S. military said on Wednesday that it has begun fresh round of strikes against Iran after Trump said more were coming. The escalating attacks threatened to derail still-hoped for peace efforts to end the war, with Trump warning that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations.
Iranian media reported explosions in the country’s south near the Strait of Hormuz after Washington acknowledged carrying out strikes. Explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, the island of Qeshm, and the cities of Minab and Sirik, they said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned on Wednesday that its neighbours in the Gulf had a “legal and moral responsibility” to prevent American and Israeli strikes, as Tehran and Washington traded attacks.
In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry “reiterated the legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the U.S. military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran.”
The Strait of Hormuz
Iran also declared the Strait of Hormuz closed as US-Iran tensions escalated.
Its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) warned that all vessels could be targeted after fresh US strikes, while Washington insisted commercial shipping continued through the strategic waterway.
“Effective immediately, due to insecurity in the region, the Strait of Hormuz is declared closed to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships,” the IRGC said in a post on its official Telegram, CNN reported.
“Any vessel attempting to transit the strait will be targeted,” the statement added.
Al Jazeera reported, citing Iranian media, that heavy clashes and an exchange of fire have been reported in the Strait of Hormuz between US forces and naval units of Iran’s IRGC.
The US forces are said to have struck seven coastal locations so far, with attacks reported in and around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island and Hengam Island.
IRGC Navy said that two vessels attempting to “illegally” transit the Strait of Hormuz have been struck.
Citing Iran’s Mehr news agency, Al Jazeera reported fresh explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas, noting that the blasts were linked to an incident in the eastern part of the city.
Additional explosions were also reported in several other locations, including the southern towns of Sirik and Minab, as well as Qeshm Island and the northern city of Gorgan.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that its forces have begun launching additional self-defence strikes against multiple targets in Iran.
It also stated that the action is in response to continued and “unwarranted” Iranian aggression.
In a post on X, the official account of US Central Command shared, “U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defence strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction. The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”
