Oman said on Tuesday that it continues “transparent and neutral cooperation” with all parties to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States over the strategic waterway.
“Oman continues its transparent and neutral cooperation with all parties to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait, in full compliance with international law,” the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Sultanate of Oman remains fully committed to its obligations as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and calls on all parties to respect and abide by international law,” it added.
Meanwhile, an Iranian military spokesman said the Strait of Hormuz would only reopen if the rights of the Iranian people were respected. According to Iranian state television, army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said, “The Strait of Hormuz will never reopen through US attacks, war or evil. The only way to reopen it is by respecting the rights of the Iranian people.”
Akraminia also said Iran remained committed to avenging the killing of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei and all those who lost their lives during the war.
German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd criticised US President Donald Trump’s proposal to charge a 20 per cent fee on cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying imposing fees for passage through international waters “would be fundamentally wrong”. The company added it could not reliably estimate the financial impact of Gulf tensions on its business.
In Lebanon, Israeli forces continued operations despite a ceasefire. According to Lebanese outlet El-Nashra, an explosion occurred in Safita on the southern outskirts of Yahmar al-Shqif following Israeli attacks. Lebanese sources also reported another explosion in Kfar Tebnit less than two hours later.
Israeli forces also demolished several residential homes in Majdel Zoun in the Tyre district and Haddatha in the Bint Jbeil area early Tuesday. Bayut al-Siyad also came under Israeli artillery shelling, according to Lebanese sources.
Iran said it had launched drone and missile strikes against US military assets in Kuwait and targeted what it described as a hostile American vessel. The Iranian Army’s Public Relations department said explosive-laden drones struck US communication systems, fuel depots, Patriot missile batteries, a control tower and an ammunition warehouse in Kuwait in response to continued US aggression.
The Iranian Navy also fired cruise missiles at a “hostile” American vessel in retaliation for missile strikes on Iranian military sites.
Separately, Iran sent a letter on Monday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the UN Security Council accusing the United States of violating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and continuing acts of aggression.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, wrote that “almost immediately after the signing of the Memorandum, and continuing to the present day, the United States has not only failed to honour its commitments but has actively and systematically undermined the very foundations of the Memorandum.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also announced that Iranian ballistic missiles targeted a US air base in Jordan on Tuesday and urged Jordanians to dismantle American military bases in the country.
“You know very well that not only do we not have any enmity with your country, but we also love you, the noble people, who understand the pain and oppression of the Palestinian people more than any other nation,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by Fars News.
Jordan’s armed forces said they intercepted and shot down four missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iran.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of strikes on Iran on Monday after President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a naval blockade on Iran and proposed charging a 20pc fee on all cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said the strikes began shortly after Trump declared in an interview that Iran would be hit “very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow.” Trump later told reporters the US was targeting Iranian capabilities in the Strait.
Bahrain’s air defence systems also intercepted and destroyed Iranian aerial attacks over the kingdom, according to Nabeel Alhamer, media adviser to Bahrain’s king.
Earlier, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE.”
“The USA will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’, but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped,” he added.
Iran’s top joint military command rejected Trump’s remarks, saying Washington had no authority over the future of the waterway. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would remain the guardian of the Strait “forever”, adding in response to Trump’s proposed fee: “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”
The United Arab Emirates said two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others.
ADNOC Logistics and Services later confirmed that the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) Mombasa B and Al Bahyah sustained significant damage while transiting the Strait.
The UAE Defence Ministry said the tankers were hit in the southern shipping lane while sailing through Omani territorial waters. Four of the injured crew members were seriously hurt. Six of those injured were Indian nationals and two were Ukrainians. Fires broke out aboard both vessels but were later brought under control.
The ministry condemned what it described as a “blatant attack” and said the UAE reserved its full right to respond.
The IRGC confirmed striking two “offending” supertankers, accusing them of ignoring repeated warnings, switching off navigation systems and attempting to use what it called a mined route. The Guards blamed the United States for encouraging vessels to use an illegal route and warned such cooperation would delay the reopening of the Strait and trigger a global energy crisis.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile around 40 nautical miles northeast of Oman’s Qalhat. The vessel’s master reported damage to the starboard engine room, although all crew members were safe.
Kuwait condemned Iran’s attacks on the Emirati tankers, calling them “reprehensible” and describing the strikes as a flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to maritime security and global energy supplies. It also expressed solidarity with the UAE and urged an end to the fighting.
Iran also rescued 23 foreign crew members after a bulk carrier collided with another vessel north of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Fars News Agency, the vessel suffered severe hull damage and began taking on water, prompting an emergency evacuation. All crew members were safely transferred to Qeshm Island.
Maritime monitoring firm TankerTrackers said Iran had exported more than 80 million barrels of crude oil and refined products worth approximately $6 billion over the past 26 days.
The group added that nearly 30 million barrels of Iranian crude remained awaiting export as the US blockade was reinstated ahead of schedule. It also noted that more than 60 million barrels of floating storage capacity remained available within the blockade zone should Iran reduce production.
In southwestern Iran, four people were injured after US projectiles struck the city of Omidiyeh early Tuesday, according to Khuzestan deputy governor Valiollah Hayati. The attack occurred at around 2:10am local time, while rescue operations continued.
Soon after the renewed US strikes, explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas, Kish Island, Qeshm Island, Abu Musa Island and Jam in Bushehr province. Iranian media said explosions continued for more than three hours, though no casualties were immediately reported in several areas.
Iranian state television said the army had also targeted a “hostile” US vessel with cruise missiles, struck US facilities in Kuwait using drones and shot down a US MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Air raid sirens also sounded in Bahrain, which hosts a major US military base.
The latest exchanges followed Iran’s announcement at the weekend that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, increasing uncertainty over an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict and driving global oil prices higher.
The UN shipping agency opposed Trump’s proposal to impose transit fees through the Strait, saying there was no legal basis under international law for mandatory tolls on international straits.
The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Centre announced the blockade would take effect at 2000 GMT on Tuesday, covering all Iranian ports and coastlines. It said neutral transit to and from non-Iranian destinations would remain unaffected and humanitarian shipments would continue after inspection.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate General in Dubai cancelled consular appointments from July 13 to 15 because of the regional security situation.
Before the conflict began in February, around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day, transporting more than 15 million barrels of fuel worth at least $1.2 billion. A 20pc transit fee could generate an estimated $240m daily.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel, has destabilised the Gulf region, with Iran expanding its attacks on US military bases across several countries. Thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, have been killed.
Oil prices climbed nearly 3pc on Tuesday to their highest level in four weeks. Brent crude futures rose $1.90, or 2.3pc, to $85.20 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate gained $1.91, or 2.4pc, to $80.05 per barrel.
Both benchmarks had earlier risen by more than $2 a barrel, while Brent had surged 9.6pc in the previous session, its largest single-day increase since May 2020. Oil prices are now at their highest level since Iran and the United States signed the June 17 memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.