Us Iran War Strait Of Hormuz Strikes Oil Prices West Asia Crisis

, escalating tensions in the region amid an already fragile ceasefire. Iran has said that it will respond in kind.

US says over 80 targets hit: The US Central Command said that it hit over 80 targets in Iran, calling the attacks an “immediate response” to the latest strikes by Tehran on commercial ships. The strikes, according to CENTCOM, targeted Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near Hormuz.

“U.S. forces struck Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait (of Hormuz) to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor,” it said in a statement.

“The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation,” CENTCOM added.

Iranian military command vows ‘crushing response’ to US strikes: Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, early on Wednesday (July 8), said that the United States committed a “blatant act of aggression” by targeting parts of southern Iran, further vowing a “crushing response”. It further warned that Tehran will not tolerate US interference in managing the Hormuz.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of committing “major” violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), citing Washington's strikes on Iran, renewed oil sanctions, Threats of further strikes, violations of Iranian “adjustments” in Hormuz and continued Israeli attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere,” Ghalibaf said in a post on X. “We don’t fold.”

Oil prices climbed nearly 2 per cent on Wednesday (Jul 8), after the United States launched airstrikes against Iran and reimposed crude sales sanctions.

Brent crude futures gained $1.38, or 1.9%, to $75.54 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to $71.81 a barrel, up $1.37, or 1.9% at 0128 GMT.

Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, early on Wednesday (Jul 8), said that the United States committed a "blatant act of aggression" by targeting parts of southern Iran, further vowing a "crushing response". It further warned that Tehran will not tolerate US interference in managing the Hormuz.

The US Central Command said that it hit over 80 targets in Iran, calling the attacks an "immediate response” to the latest strikes by Tehran on commercial ships. The strikes, according to CENTCOM, targeted Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near Hormuz.

"U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait (of Hormuz) to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor," it said in a statement.

"The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation," CENTCOM added.