US and Israeli aircraft struck Iranian vessels south of Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, killing several Iranian nationals, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.
Although the agency did not confirm the exact death toll, several media reports said at least four people were killed in the attacks. Iranian authorities did not immediately release further details regarding the identities of the victims or the extent of the damage.
The reported strikes came despite an ongoing ceasefire and intensified diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a permanent agreement to end the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations on a final peace agreement were progressing, although key details still needed to be resolved. Speaking to reporters while travelling to New Delhi, Rubio said a final agreement could take several more days to complete.
He stated that all parties had shown strong alignment on the preliminary draft of the agreement. However, he added that negotiators still needed to settle disagreements over wording and specific clauses before reaching a final deal.
Rubio also criticised Iran’s efforts to impose restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, calling Tehran’s proposed tolling system unlawful and unsustainable. He stressed that international waterways must remain open and free from restrictions on commercial traffic.
The conflict began on February 28 after US-Israeli strikes targeted Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israel and US allies in the Gulf. Iran later shut the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions across the region.
A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took effect on April 8. Although negotiations in Islamabad failed to secure a permanent settlement, US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining restrictions on vessels linked to Iranian ports.
