Trump says Iran breached ceasefire after tanker attack in Strait of Hormuz

Tensions in and around the Strait of Hormuz remained high after Iran launched drones at Bahrain on Saturday and was also seen as likely responsible for an attack on a commercial ship, even as the U.S. and Iran continue talks following an extension of their ceasefire. The incidents came a day after U.S. Central Command said it struck Iranian missile and drone sites as well as coastal radar positions in response to earlier attacks on vessels crossing the waterway. The fighting has increasingly centered on control of shipping routes through the strait, a critical artery for global energy flows. Washington has promoted an alternate channel along Oman’s coast and said Saturday that the route had been expanded for inbound and outbound traffic, while Oman and the International Maritime Organization have set up a mechanism to help vessels use it. Central Command has also offered “safe passage coordination,” and the U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council said this week that navigation through the strait must remain free of tolls, fees or other attempts to assert control. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said Iran appears to be using force to deter ships from taking non-Iranian routes while simultaneously seeking diplomatic recognition from Gulf Arab states for its control over passage. Iran has warned that safe passage cannot rely on “parallel routes” or decisions made outside Tehran. The Joint Maritime Information Center on Saturday raised the threat level in the strait to “substantial” from “moderate,” highlighting the continuing risk to shipping and the likelihood that a full return to normal traffic will take time.