The ‘facade’ of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire crumbles after after largest round of fighting in months — ‘an undeclared naval war can escalate’

The battle for the Strait of Hormuz is heating up as the U.S. and Iran exchange bigger and bigger blows to control the critical energy chokepoint.

The past week has seen three rounds of strikes by the U.S. military, which is responding to Iranian attacks on commercial ships and defending a route that follows the Omani coast.

According to Central Command, U.S. forces hit a total of 300 targets “to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait.”

The biggest round came late Saturday, when about 140 Iranian military targets were struck, including missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations, Central Command said.

Meanwhile, Iran has attacked Gulf Arab neighbors, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman, marking the most extensive fighting since April.

Despite declarations from Tehran that the Strait of Hormuz is closed again, the U.S. insisted that’s not true.

“U.S. forces are positioned and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available despite unwarranted Iranian aggression, harassment, threats, and arbitrary declarations. Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing,”........

© Fortune