In this picture obtained from Iran’s ISNA news agency on May 4, 2026, the Iran-flagged tugboat Basim sails near a ship anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. (Photo by Amirhossein KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP) /
The United States and Iran traded strikes on Thursday for the second day running as Washington and Tehran battled over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The vital oil and gas corridor is a key point of contention in the Middle East war, with Tehran insisting on control of the strait despite it being open to free passage before US-Israeli attacks sparked the conflict in February.
After the foes traded attacks on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was “over”, but left the door open to more talks and added any strikes would end quickly.
US forces said the latest attacks against Iran were aimed at “their ability to threaten the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”, citing recent strikes against commercial ships in the waterway.
