Iran and US Reportedly Exchange Fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state television reported on Wednesday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and US forces exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing provincial authorities in Hormozgan, reported that explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, coastal cities, and Iranian islands due to the clashes in the strait. Mehr News Agency also reported that explosions were heard east of Sirik, linked to the exchange of fire in nearby Gulf waters. The reports emerged amid a new wave of explosions in several locations in southern Iran as military confrontation between Iran and the US intensifies. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that the strikes were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM also said that US forces have resumed a naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The US has deployed more than 20 Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft to operate across the Middle East, stating that American forces remain ‘vigilant, lethal, and ready’. Tensions between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz have escalated again in recent days. Both sides have launched attacks despite a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement.