Iran claims strikes on vessels in Strait of Hormuz despite US insistence waterway remains open

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated further as military confrontations around the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt regional shipping lanes. Iranian state media claimed responsibility for missile attacks targeting six maritime vessels, including three oil tankers and three United States ships, alongside strikes directed toward an American aircraft carrier. The attacks follow a breakdown of a 14-point memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran in June, which had established a brief truce before US forces resumed strikes on July 8. While United States President Donald Trump asserted that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and that Iranian authorities face mounting internal difficulties, emergency responders were forced to extinguish a fire aboard a struck tanker. Meanwhile, American intelligence agencies warned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could intensify actions in the waterway.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.