U.S., Iran tensions rise after attacks on commercial shipping
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United States and Iran-aligned Houthi militants carried out on Tuesday separate attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as Washington and Tehran struggled to revive talks aimed at ending the war.
The U.S. military said it fired two Hellfire missiles from an MH-60 helicopter at the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman, disabling its steering gear. U.S. Central Command said the vessel ignored repeated warnings and was attempting to sail toward an Iranian port in violation of a US naval blockade.
Hours earlier, Houthi forces attacked the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing four crew members and two Yemeni rescuers, according to Yemeni authorities. The Houthis said they targeted a vessel carrying Saudi military supplies. The attack marked the first confirmed deaths from Houthi attacks on commercial shipping since the Iran war began.
The attacks further disrupted maritime traffic through the region. Reuters reported that only six vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, compared with around 130 to 140 vessels a day before the war.
Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions for ending the war, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was in a “very good position” and claimed the United States had “total” control of the Strait of Hormuz. He also warned that Iran could face further military action if it escalates.
The developments came despite diplomatic efforts involving Oman, Pakistan and Qatar. Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, traveled to Tehran on Tuesday for talks aimed at helping bridge differences between Washington and Tehran, while Iran maintained its demands for reopening the strategic waterway.