The Trump administration has reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil sales following a series of attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions under a fragile ceasefire.
U.S. Central Command announced in a statement posted on X that its forces had “begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”
The military statement confirmed that “the U.S. strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” marking a sharp deterioration in relations.
Central Command also declared that “Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” signaling that Washington views Tehran’s conduct as a direct breach of the existing agreement.
A U.S. official warned that “Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior,” and added that “Iran’s actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences.”
The reimposition of sanctions eliminates one of the central concessions granted to Tehran in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which had been a key outcome of the ceasefire memorandum of understanding between the two nations.
Global oil markets reacted sharply to the announcement, with Brent crude rising 3% to $76 a barrel, while U.S. oil surged nearly 6%, climbing back above $70 for the first time since June 30.
The U.S. Treasury Department had originally agreed to lift sanctions on Iranian oil for 60 days as part of the ceasefire deal, but a notice published Tuesday stated that the earlier relief had been “revoked and superseded in its entirety.”
Buyers of Iranian oil have been given until July 17 to wind down any transactions already in progress, with the previous waiver having been set to allow sales through August 21.
A U.S. official told The Hill that the memorandum of understanding is “performance-based,” and that negotiators are continuing to work toward a final agreement despite the latest escalation.
Trump and members of his administration had consistently maintained that sanctions relief was contingent on Iran upholding its commitments, including immediate demilitarization of the Strait of Hormuz and progress on ending its nuclear program.
Iran has repeatedly attacked vessels transiting the reopened strait, claiming those ships violated rules Tehran had set for approved passage, a position Washington has flatly rejected as a pretext for continued aggression.
The administration has not signaled how long the reimposed sanctions will remain in place or what conditions Iran would need to meet for relief to be considered again.
