APTOPIX Iran War Strait of Hormuz

Iran state media says a ballistic missile with improved capabilities demonstrates Tehran's shifting stance toward taking preemptive action against threats. A senior Iranian official earlier said new missile capability had been “tested” against a U.S. warship over the weekend. On Saturday, the U.S. said it struck Iranian oil tankers in response to ballistic missiles launched at U.S. warships. Meanwhile, the White House is dismissing Iran's stated plan to create an "exclusion zone" near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. insists the waterway remains open. Regional figures including a senior UAE official are expressing frustration over the uncertainty around the strait.

The U.S. military says it has destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in response to the latest attacks on its warships. Tehran then hit back at American targets in Jordan. It's the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes that have lurched the sides back toward open hostilities in a more than 6-month-old war. Following Tuesday's American strikes, Iran launched missiles toward U.S. targets in Jordan, according to Iranian state-run media. Jordan’s military said its air defense systems intercepted 18 ballistic missiles launched toward its territory and two others fell in places where no one lives. It said it has no reports of casualties.

An Iranian commercial ship was struck early Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz, with one perso…