The Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying one-fifth of the world's oil and LNG, is effectively closed after Iran fired a warning shot at a vessel on an unauthorized route. This escalation follows three nights of intense US airstrikes targeting 140 Iranian military positions, part of a broader campaign to degrade Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping. The move shatters a fragile ceasefire that President Donald Trump had declared over just days ago, though he has left the door open for renewed talks. Main Developments US Central Command confirmed on Saturday it struck 140 Iranian military targets, bringing the total to over 300 during three nights of strikes. The operation aims to “degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait,” the command said. Iranian state media reported explosions across several port cities in response. Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards retaliated swiftly on Sunday, destroying a command and control center and drone hangars at a base in Jordan, targeting a US military radar site in Kuwait, and attacking aircraft carrier support platforms in Oman. They also struck a fighter jet maintenance center and command facility in Qatar. The United Arab Emirates confirmed its air defense systems intercepted missiles and drones from Iran, while warning sirens sounded in Bahrain and explosions were heard in Doha. Read also: Why Typhoon Bavi's Inland Threat Matters More Than Its Landfall The Guards claimed to have disabled a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, reinforcing their blockade. Iran warned that any retaliation over the strait closure would be met with a “severe response.” Despite these threats, US Central Command maintains that commercial vessels continue to transit the waterway, though the situation remains volatile. Background This latest conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran. A ceasefire, negotiated shortly after, was declared over by President Trump after a series of attacks between the two nations escalated over the past week. The US revoked a license authorizing Iranian crude sales on Tuesday, following attacks on three Qatari and Saudi commercial tankers. That prompted US strikes on Iranian sites, which in turn drew Iranian attacks on US military facilities across Gulf states. Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a written statement on Saturday threatening vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the war’s initial attacks. The statement, released to mark funeral ceremonies for the former leader on Thursday, pledged to “avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs.” The son has not been seen in public since the war began and did not attend the ceremonies. Why It Matters The Strait of Hormuz closure has sent energy prices soaring, fueling global inflation and raising fears of an economic slowdown. Higher gasoline prices are a politically sensitive issue for President Trump ahead of November congressional elections. The war has destabilized the entire Gulf region, with Iran expanding its target set after weeks of hitting only Kuwait and Bahrain while avoiding Qatar since early April and the UAE since early May. Analysts say Iran uses ship attacks and blockades to gain leverage in negotiations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused the US of violating the ceasefire agreement, posting on X: “There can only be mutual compliance.” Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf echoed that sentiment: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.” What's Next Araqchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi met in Oman to discuss “appropriate mechanisms for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.” Oman’s state news agency confirmed that Omani and Iranian negotiators will continue talks “at the technical and political levels.” President Trump has left the door open to continued negotiations, but with both sides escalating attacks, the path to de-escalation remains uncertain. The strait will remain closed, the Revolutionary Guards said, until “the end of US interference in this region.”