US pauses strikes on Iranian missiles in Hormuz

Shafaq News- Washington

The White House suspended strikes on Iranian missiles and drones in the Strait of Hormuz to avoid escalation ahead of the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3, Axios reported on Friday, citing a US official.

The suspension had made Iran “more emboldened to launch attacks to raise oil prices and pressure President Donald Trump,” the official added.

Earlier, US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper stated that nearly 400 commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the past seven days, while US forces helped Gulf partners ship more than 100 million barrels of oil last week.

Iran’s Navy detected a burning oil tanker east of the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the vessel had disabled its tracking systems while attempting to cross a prohibited zone in the Gulf of Oman.