The US military struck an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, escalating tensions as President Donald Trump pressed Tehran to accept a deal aimed at ending the war between the two countries.
US Central Command said in a social media post that an American fighter jet disabled the tanker’s rudder after the vessel allegedly attempted to breach a US blockade on Iranian ports.
The strike came despite an ongoing ceasefire between Washington and Tehran that has largely held since April 8. Trump warned Iran that the US would launch a renewed bombing campaign if Tehran rejected a proposed agreement that would reportedly include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump also said the two-month conflict could soon end and that disrupted oil and natural gas shipments may resume if Iran accepts the deal. However, the president did not provide details of the proposed agreement.
According to Axios, the White House is nearing a one-page memorandum with Iran that would include a temporary halt to Iranian uranium enrichment, easing of US sanctions, release of frozen Iranian funds and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had “strongly rejected” details of the proposal reported by Axios but was still reviewing the latest US offer.
Meanwhile, Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since a ceasefire with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group was announced on April 17. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the strike targeted a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Hezbollah did not immediately comment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that he hoped China would discuss the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian officials during a foreign ministerial visit this week.
Pakistan hosted direct talks between the US and Iran last month, though negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
