The military confrontation also widened beyond the strait. The United Arab Emirates said its air defences intercepted two ballistic missiles and three drones from Iran on Friday, leaving three people with moderate injuries. In the Strait of Hormuz itself, Iranian and US forces were involved in sporadic clashes, while the US military said it struck two Iran-linked vessels trying to enter an Iranian port and forced them to turn back.
Oil markets reacted nervously. Brent crude rose back above US$100 a barrel after dipping sharply earlier in the week, reflecting the market’s uncertainty over both the ceasefire and the future of shipping through Hormuz, which before the war carried about a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Iran, meanwhile, accused Washington of breaching the truce. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the US kept opting for military action whenever diplomacy was possible, while Iranian media reported casualties after what it described as a US Navy attack on a commercial vessel. On the American side, Washington also stepped up sanctions, targeting 10 individuals and companies, including entities in China and Hong Kong, accused of helping Iran’s military obtain components for its drone programme.
For now, the peace effort remains alive, but only just. The fighting has not fully stopped, the ceasefire is under strain, and the core disputes over sanctions, shipping and Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain unresolved.
Source: Reuters