U.S. Launches Third Round of Strikes on Iran After Attack on Container Ship in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command said Sunday that U.S. forces had launched a new round of strikes on Iran after what it described as an attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on a commercial container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that left one crew member missing.

“At 7:15 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus‑flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said. It added: “The strikes are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief.”

The immediate trigger, according to the U.S. military, was not a strike on a military site or a clash at sea but a direct hit on a civilian merchant vessel in one of the world’s most important shipping lanes. The latest operation marks the third U.S. strike round against Iran in the same week, underscoring how quickly tensions have escalated around commercial traffic through the strait.

CENTCOM said the M/V GFS Galaxy suffered an onboard fire and significant engine-room damage and was unable to continue its journey after the attack. It also said one civilian crew member was missing. Maritime reporting cited by major outlets said the crew abandoned the burning ship to a lifeboat.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said there were 11 Indian nationals on board the vessel. It said 10 had been rescued and one was missing.

CENTCOM framed the strikes as a response aimed at protecting shipping through the waterway. “In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” it said.

Iranian state and semi-official media gave a sharply different account. Reuters and other outlets, citing Tasnim and other Iranian reporting, said the IRGC announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed after the ship incident. According to Reuters’ account of the statement, the IRGC said: “The Strait of Hormuz is closed ‘until further notice’ and until the end of U.S. interference in this region.” Iranian reporting also said vessels using an “unauthorized route” could be struck, which Iran presented as its justification.

CENTCOM said the latest U.S. operation struck about 140 Iranian military targets. It also said that over three nights of strikes this week, U.S. forces had hit more than 300 targets in total. Those figures are U.S. military claims and have not been independently verified. Independent verification of the full extent of damage inside Iran remains limited.

The focus on a commercial vessel gives the latest escalation particular weight. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow but vital maritime chokepoint for oil shipments and other global trade, and attacks there carry consequences far beyond the immediate military confrontation. International maritime bodies, including the International Maritime Organization and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, along with shipping industry groups, have repeatedly warned about threats to merchant shipping and seafarer safety in the area.

The developments also point to mounting strain on a mid-June 2026 U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that was intended to extend a ceasefire and help reopen the strait to commercial traffic. With a merchant ship disabled, a crew member missing and the United States now carrying out its third strike round of the week, that framework appears to be under severe pressure.