US intensifies strikes on Iran over Hormuz

The United States launched airstrikes on Iran for a fifth consecutive day, targeting missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island in the Persian Gulf. President Donald Trump vowed to intensify the bombardment until Iran stops attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and agrees to reopen the waterway. Iran retaliated with counterstrikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. A US-Iran interim peace deal signed about a month ago has all but collapsed as both sides feud over control of the strait, through which major energy exporters like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE send most of their exports. Oil prices surged, with Brent crude rising above $85 per barrel, gaining 13% for the week. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated the strait will remain closed until US strikes and the naval blockade end. The International — International Maritime Organization warned the strait remains too dangerous for commercial vessels, and the European Union raised its aviation threat level for airlines flying through the Middle East. Trump backed away from a plan to charge a 20% fee on cargo shipments through the strait after Gulf allies urged him to drop it, but maintained the naval blockade. US strikes have reportedly killed over 30 civilians in recent days, and Iran reported seven soldiers killed by a missile attack on a barracks in Iranshahr.