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Or sign-in if you have an account.This frame grab taken from AFPTV video footage on July 12, 2026, shows cargo ships anchoring near the Strait of Hormuz off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates at Khor Fakkan. Photo by Photo by AFPTV /Getty ImagesU.S. forces struck Iran for a third time in a week, prompting retaliatory attacks on at least five Arab nations as Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed “until further notice.”Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe Islamic Republic responded early Sunday with drone and missile assaults on American allies across the Middle East, including Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar. So far, only minor damage was reported and no casualties.The Joint Maritime Information Center, a global monitoring body, reported the southern route of the Hormuz strait near Oman’s coast was still open on Sunday, despite Iran’s announcement.Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Channel Israel will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againU.S. Central Command said President Donald Trump had ordered fresh strikes targeting Tehran’s ability to attack commercial vessels after Iranian forces hit a Cyprus-flagged container ship.Iranian media reported blasts on the country’s southern coast, including at the energy and petrochemical hubs of Bushehr and Asalouyeh, the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar-e Dayyer, and the Sirik area near the Hormuz strait, a global energy chokepoint. A communication tower was hit in the southern province of Kerman, injuring two people, according to the Mehr news agency.The increasingly heated tit-for-tat attacks are throwing into doubt the fate of U.S.-Iran negotiations that are supposed to lead to settling key issues such as the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and eventually bring an end to the war Washington and Israel began in late February.“Iran made a poor choice,” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said on social media. “Now they pay.”Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the latest Hormuz closure earlier Sunday, saying it won’t allow any vessels to pass until foreign interference ends, according to state-run IRIB News.Control of the waterway — through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas once moved — has been central to U.S.-Iran negotiations. The IRGC accused the U.S. of seeking “to create disruption in the south of the Strait of Hormuz” by “instigating several vessels.”There was almost no visible traffic in the strait on Sunday. The maritime security threat “remains severe,” the multinational JMIC said in a note, as it described the waterway as still technically open to traffic.Before the latest escalation, both the U.S. and Iran had suggested there was still room for talks even as the rhetoric intensified.The IRGC said it fired ballistic missiles at the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan on Sunday, targeting a U.S. command and control centre and multiple drone hangars. The kingdom reported being hit by three missiles, without giving further details.Qatar, meanwhile, said three people were injured by falling debris after Iranian missiles were intercepted. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported the Guards had targeted Al-Udeid Air Base with ballistic missiles.Kuwait also said it was responding to aerial attacks, after Iran’s regular army announced drone assaults aimed at a U.S. Patriot missile battery, an ammunition depot and a radar site in the country. The Iranian military said a U.S. communications array and radar installation in Bahrain were targeted too.Iranian state media reported other strikes against U.S. naval logistics hubs and aircraft carrier refuelling platforms at Oman’s Port of Duqm. Oman said a drone targeted the northern Musandam governorate, without giving details.The IRGC halted a cargo ship after firing a warning shot because it tried to transit the Hormuz strait on Saturday despite a warning, IRIB reported. Fars reported Iranian forces had “struck and halted a second non-compliant vessel,” though it didn’t provide further details.A Cyprus-flagged container ship that was hit, M/V GFS Galaxy, is missing a civilian crew member and was unable to continue its journey after suffering significant damage, U.S. Central Command said.Only two oil products tankers were seen approaching the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.One empty very large crude carrier began signalling again in the Persian Gulf close to the Omani side early in the day, suggesting it pushed through the waterway from the Gulf of Oman without its transponders turned on. Bloomberg News couldn’t immediately determine when the supertanker crossed the strait.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Oman on Saturday for talks on the future of Hormuz, but there was no sign of involvement by senior U.S. envoys.Earlier, Iran demanded that the U.S. implement key commitments under a recent deal before more talks take place, rejecting Trump’s contention negotiations could continue without a ceasefire. Tehran said Washington must meet Iran’s conditions for resolving transit issues through the strait and normalizing its oil exports.On Friday, Trump had threatened to shower Iran with “1000 Missiles” if it acted on a threat to kill the U.S. leader, “in this case, ME!”The U.S. had also demanded that Iran publicly declare all channels of the Hormuz open to shipping and pledge not to attack civilian vessels transiting the waterway. Tehran would face consequences if it fails to deliver the public assurance, senior Trump administration officials told reporters on condition of anonymity.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.