The United States stated that its offensive operations against Iran were over and turned to protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. However, after a day of air strikes, another cargo ship was attacked, indicating that the conflict is still continuing. “Operation Epic Fury is over,” U.S. Secretary of State Rubio told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “We achieved our operational goals.”
Although the United States seems intent on promoting a de-escalation of the situation, it is still far from reaching an agreement to reopen the strait. The United States imposed a blockade on Iran, which responded by closing a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world's oil exports.
US Secretary of State Rubio
As Rubio spoke, a British monitoring agency said a cargo ship was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States says the closure around the Strait of Hormuz has stranded more than 1,550 commercial ships and about 22,000 crew members in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s president dismissed U.S. demands to resume negotiations as “impossible.”
According to the semi-official Fars News Agency, Iranian President Perzehiziyan said in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali Zaidi: “The problem is that although the United States pursues a policy of maximum pressure on our country, it also expects Iraq to Long returned to the negotiating table and ultimately gave in to his unilateral demands. ”
Oil prices fell on Tuesday, with Brent falling about 3.6% to below $111 a barrel after rising nearly 6% on Monday.