Iran denies ship attack as Donald Trump warns of renewed bombing amid war talks with Israel
Tensions in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel escalated on Thursday after Tehran denied involvement in an attack on a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, while US President Donald Trump warned that American bombing could resume if negotiations fail.
Iran’s embassy in Seoul rejected allegations that its armed forces were responsible for a blast aboard the Panama-flagged cargo vessel HMM Namu, which caught fire earlier this week while passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz with 24 crew members onboard.
The denial came after Trump claimed Iran had “taken some shots” at the vessel and urged South Korea to support US-led efforts aimed at restoring shipping operations in the region.
Despite expressing optimism about a possible breakthrough, Trump cautioned that military action would continue if talks with Tehran collapse. He said a deal to end the conflict remains “very possible,” but stressed that the US would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, Iran has yet to formally respond to a fresh US proposal aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian negotiators have accused Washington of attempting to force Tehran into “surrender.”
In another major development, the US military reportedly targeted an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday. According to US Central Command, a fighter jet disabled the vessel’s rudder as it allegedly attempted to breach the American blockade of Iranian ports.
The regional conflict also intensified in Beirut, where a senior commander of Hezbollah was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of the city.
Global markets reacted sharply to the developments, with Asian shares rising on hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough and crude oil prices remaining above 100 dollars per barrel amid concerns over global energy supplies and shipping disruptions.
