US military strikes Iran again after another ship attack in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command said Saturday night that military forces began a third round of strikes against Iran, after the country said the Strait of Hormuz was closed again – following a warning shot fired by its military that struck a vessel it said was using an unauthorized route in the waterway.

Explosions were seen and heard in Bandar Abbas and Sirik, two towns along the shores of the strait, a critical shipping route for oil and natural gas, Iran state media reported.

“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 American military said, according to the Associated Press. 

The vessel that was struck was a Cyprus-flagged container ship, which sustained “significant engine room damage” and a civilian crew member is missing, U.S. Central Command also said.

The ship being hit and the U.S. response appears to further jeopardize the U.S. and Iran's already fragile ceasefire agreement reached last month – with the opening of the strait being a key component of the deal.