US asks to open Hormuz by bombing

Amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, Iran and the United States have made opposing claims over the vital Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Washington has asked Tehran to make the waterway suitable for navigation.

The US claims that the strait is still open and international commercial shipping continues to pass through. However, Iran has said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice.

Tensions have flared again after the US said it had attacked more than 140 Iranian military targets. Washington claims that the strikes were in response to an Iranian attack on a ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The US alleges that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked a Cyprus-flagged container ship, the MV GFS Galaxy. The attack damaged the ship's engine room and it was unable to continue its journey. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also said that one sailor was missing.

Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) of the United Kingdom said that according to military authorities, the crew of the ship abandoned ship and took refuge in lifeboats.

The IRGC claimed that the ship did not follow their designated route, so the naval cruise missiles were fired at it. At the same time, they said that future ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz will have to use their proposed route.

On Sunday, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported that the enemy had fired missiles at the strategically important Qeshm Island. The island has an important IRGC base.

Meanwhile, the IRGC also claimed to carry out a massive attack on US regional bases and allied countries on Sunday.

On Sunday evening, CENTCOM said that they had launched a new round of military operations against Iran. This operation is being conducted to weaken Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

A temporary ceasefire agreement signed last month aimed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and pave the way for a permanent solution. But this week, US President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire had effectively ended due to the recent Iranian attacks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US of violating the ceasefire agreement. However, Trump said that the path to talks was not completely closed and that mediators were trying to restart the talks.