Updated

A rapidly escalating military confrontation between the United States and Iran continues in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed it struck three oil tankers and three US-affiliated vessels, while US Central Command says it has intercepted the flow of shipping in the opposite direction, redirecting 92 commercial vessels, disabling three, and boarding two as part of a maritime blockade aimed at choking off Iran's oil exports. CENTCOM also confirmed it struck a ship off Iran's coast amid the standoff. Iran's oil minister said Kharg Island, the country's main export terminal, has been hit 550 times in recent months, and Tehran has announced the creation of an "Economic War Headquarters" to manage the fallout from US sanctions and the blockade. Iranian officials warned of a "more painful" response if the country is attacked further, underscoring fears that the standoff could escalate into a broader war even as Tehran signals it is prioritizing economic survival for now.