Washington DC: The United States on Saturday launched a third round of military strikes against Iran following allegations that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the Cyprus-flagged container ship M/V GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to an official statement on X by US Central Command (CENTCOM), a civilian crew member remains missing, and the vessel has been rendered unable to continue its voyage due to an onboard fire and substantial damage to its engine room.

"At 7:15 p.m. ET today, US Central Command forces began launching the third round of strikes this week against Iran after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces blatantly attacked M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM stated.

CENTCOM added that Iran had been granted an opportunity to demonstrate compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for previous assaults on commercial vessels, but had "again failed."

"In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait. The strikes are being carried out at the direction of the Commander in Chief," the social media post said.

Responding to CENTCOM's post on X, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."

The American strikes were executed just hours after the IRGC announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice," declaring that the strategic maritime corridor would remain shut until the United States halts its "interference" in the West Asia region, Press TV reported.

According to an IRGC statement, the decision was implemented "in light of the security situation resulting from the unlawful intervention of foreign powers," with the military branch adding that no vessel would be allowed to navigate through the strait.

The IRGC Navy also issued a warning against any subsequent military intervention directed at Iran under the pretext of the waterway's closure.

"Should the aggressor enemy exploit this development... as a pretext for committing another act of aggression against us, it will be met with a forceful response, and additional enemy bases in the region will be targeted," the statement added.

The IRGC assigned total accountability for any potential fallout to the United States, Israel, and regional nations that host American military installations.

The rapid military escalations are unfolding alongside continuous, backchannel diplomatic initiatives. Qatari mediators have travelled to Iran in an effort to defuse the situation and establish parameters for the renewal of US-Iranian discussions.

Furthermore, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi conducted talks with his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, in Muscat on Saturday.

In a statement on his official Telegram channel, Araghchi noted that the two diplomats reviewed bilateral relations and regional matters. According to Iran's Foreign Ministry, the two parties specifically deliberated on mechanisms to guarantee the safe transit of vessels in accordance with Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, whilst Oman reaffirmed its backing for diplomatic avenues to de-escalate the conflict.

ANI