US forces launched strikes on missile sites and suspected mine-laying boats in southern Iran, raising fresh concerns over the future of ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the Middle East conflict.
US-Iran draft deal outlines Hormuz reopening and sanctions relief
According to US Central Command, the attacks targeted Iranian missile launch sites and vessels allegedly attempting to deploy mines near the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes came as Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for another round of talks with the United States aimed at securing a broader ceasefire agreement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations were continuing despite the escalation.
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today,” Rubio said, adding that discussions were focused on “specific language in the initial document.”
He also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz “is going to be open one way or the other.”
Iranian state media reported explosions near Bandar Abbas overnight, although authorities said the situation remained under control.
The latest escalation threatens efforts to restore maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route that has faced severe disruption during the conflict.
Oil prices fluctuated following the strikes, with markets reacting to renewed uncertainty surrounding the reopening of the strait and global energy supplies.
Meanwhile, Israeli operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon intensified, adding further pressure to regional de-escalation efforts linked to the US-Iran negotiations.
US President Donald Trump also stated that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile should either be transferred to the United States for destruction or dismantled under international supervision.
Iranian officials said progress had been made in negotiations but cautioned that a final agreement was not yet imminent.
