US and Iran trade fire as tensions rise over Strait of Hormuz

The US launched a new attack on Iran on Sunday evening, continuing days of strikes between the two countries. Iranian state media reported that the strikes killed one person in southwestern Iran, while four were injured. Within hours of the fresh US strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had struck US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain. The escalating attacks cast doubt over the future of the interim US-Iran agreement signed in June, amid conflicting claims over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open. Iran says it has closed the key waterway until further notice, while the US insists it is open. On Sunday evening, Centcom announced another round of strikes against Iran, targeting dozens of Iranian military targets including air-defence systems, coastal radar sites, and missile and drone capabilities. Oil prices jumped on Monday in Asia, with Brent crude up by 4.3% at $79.26 a barrel. The new wave of US strikes came after US forces hit 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday evening. Iran's IRGC responded with wide-ranging attacks on US bases and allies across the region, including Qatar and the UAE. The renewed fire has put in jeopardy an interim ceasefire agreement signed last month, though US President Donald Trump said talks would still continue.