US Strikes Iranian Boats as Israel Escalates in Lebanon
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- U.S. Central Command said it struck Iranian boats and missile launch sites in self‑defense after they attempted to place mines, and defended its forces while using restraint during the ceasefire.
- Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it shot down a U.S. drone and fired at a fighter jet entering Iranian airspace, and reported three Iranians killed in a U.S. strike near Lark Island.
- Israel intensified attacks in Lebanon, killing at least 11 people in the village of Mashghara in the Bekaa Valley.
- Qatar negotiators continued to broker a ceasefire deal, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying a resolution could be reached in a few days, while President Trump demanded Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and others sign the Abraham Accords as a condition for normalization.
- Iran’s foreign ministry accused the United States of piracy and called the recent attacks a “gross violation of the ceasefire,” accusing the U.S. of bad faith amid diplomatic talks.
Why it matters: Renewed hostilities threaten to choke the Strait of Hormuz, worsening already tight U.S. crude supplies (inventories down 900 barrels) and raising oil prices, which hurts Gulf exporters and global consumers.
