IRGC Declares Hormuz Closed; U.S. Strikes Iran for Third Time in One Week

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz closed after attacking a Cyprus-flagged container ship it accused of traversing an 'illegal route' along Oman's coast. U.S. Central Command responded with its third round of airstrikes against Iranian targets in seven days, beginning at 7:15 p.m. ET Saturday, striking approximately 140 Iranian sites over the course of the week. The escalation came hours after regional diplomats concluded talks in Oman, and threatens to collapse last month's U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. Newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public address, vowed to avenge the killing of his father. The UAE reported its air defenses engaged Iranian missiles and drones, explosions were heard over Doha, and air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain.