US Military conducts strikes on Iran after attack on ship in Strait of Hormuz
The US military launched strikes on Iran in response to an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Background
- The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, through which about 20% of the world's oil passes. It is a frequent flashpoint in US-Iran tensions.
- The US and Iran have been adversaries since Iran's 1979 revolution. US-Iran tensions escalated sharply after the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions; Iran responded by attacking oil tankers and US assets in the region.