US-Iran war LIVE Updates: Military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain hit as Iran retaliates to fresh US strikes | World

The tensions in the Middle East have escalated again after Iran attacked ships and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Amid this, the US launched several waves of strikes on Iran into Monday morning over an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing over the weekend. Iran retaliated by targeting US military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait in retaliation for fresh American strikes. According to the US military, the strikes aimed to “continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships.”

It is pertinent to mention that the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the focal point of the escalating tensions, with Washington and Tehran issuing conflicting claims over the status of one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. US President Donald Trump has insisted that the strategic waterway remains “open”, while Iran maintains that maritime traffic will not be allowed until “stability and calm are restored,” according to the country’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority. The latest exchange marks one of the most serious escalations since the US-Israel war against Iran began on February 28, fuelling concerns that the already fragile diplomatic efforts to end the conflict could collapse.

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