US-Iran war as it happened: IRGC gunboat fires on ship in Hormuz; Iran says peace talks will resume if US removes blockade

Thanks for reading our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East.

Our live blog has closed for tonight, but you can follow tomorrow’s live coverage of the war here.

Here’s a look at what we covered today:

• Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said it would resume peace talks with America only if the United States ceased its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran International reported. It comes after Iran abandoned peace talks set for this week at short notice.
• US President Donald Trump says America is extending its ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request, as he awaits a unified proposal from the Islamic Republic.
• The deadline for the two-week ceasefire between US-Israel and Iran had been due to expire on Tuesday evening Washington time (Wednesday AEST)
• Israel and the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah, traded some fire today, even as more talks are expected in Washington this week after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect last Friday (US time).
• Two ships have allegedly been shot at in the Strait of Hormuz in the past few hours. An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboat allegedly shot a container ship, the British Royal Navy said in a statement on X. Hours later, another ship’s captain reported being shot at.
• Two Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to 30 days in military detention and removed from combat duty for destroying a statue of Jesus Christ in Lebanon, which has since been replaced, Israel’s military says.

Another ship has been fired on in the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boat fired on a container vessel in the area.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre, a part of the Royal Navy, reported that the captain of the ship said it had been fired on and “is now stopped in the water”.

“Crew are safe and accounted for,” it said on X. “There is no reported damage to the vessel.”

It is not clear which nations were involved in the incident.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations says it will resume peace talks with America only if the United States ceases its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran International reported.

Amir Saeed Iravani was quoted as saying peace talks would be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, as soon as the blockade was lifted. He said Iran was ready for any scenario, from negotiations to war.

Peace talks were scheduled to take place this week but fell through overnight.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on a container ship after it had “ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces”, according to Nour News, a website long affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Nour News added the ship had sustained “extensive damage” in the attack.

Although the United States has focused much of its fire in the war on Iran’s navy, sinking and heavily damaging dozens of vessels, the Revolutionary Guard operates a fleet of small attack boats, some of which have apparently survived the war.

Those vessels typically carry mounted machine guns, and can be used for mining operations.

The Revolutionary Guard “remains at peak readiness and determination to continue the fight, prepared for a decisive, certain and immediate response to any threat or renewed aggression”, a statement said.

AP

An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboat allegedly shot a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, the British Royal Navy said in a statement on X.

The UK Maritime Traffic Organisation said the ship was approached by the gunboat and was fired on, “which has caused heavy damage to the bridge”.

The crew were unharmed and there were no fires or environmental impact reported.

It is unclear what nation the container ship belongs to or why the Iranian gunboat attacked it.

US President Donald Trump has claimed Iran is in economic peril and the American blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is costing the Islamic Republic $US500 million ($699 million) a day.

“Iran is collapsing financially!” he said on Truth Social this afternoon.

“They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately - Starving for cash! Losing 500 Million Dollars a day. Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!”

It echoes posts Trump made earlier today that Iran wanted the US to end its blockade only because it was costing them half-a-billion dollars a day in lost revenue.