Dubai, Jul 21: Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship even as the United States conducted yet-another round of airstrikes targeting the Islamic Republic over control of the key waterway.
The 10 consecutive nights of US airstrikes haven't compelled Tehran into loosening its grip on the strait, through which about a fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded once passed in peacetime.
Even as the US and Iran inch closer to all-out war again, Iran's interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for talks. However, it remains unclear just what new deal could be reached to end the fighting.
The interim deal signed last month that was meant to end the fighting has crumbled. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. And as fighting intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.
The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above USD 88 a barrel and regular gasoline in the US climbed to an average of USD 4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans' wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.
Meanwhile, the US military identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan in attacks that left a third person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!"
Trump was planning to attend a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where at least one service member's remains were due to arrive.
