India, July 12 -- The United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran early Sunday after Tehran declared the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice", dramatically escalating tensions in the Gulf and threatening global energy supplies.

The latest US operation came hours after Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced that commercial shipping through the strategic waterway had been suspended following an encounter with a foreign vessel that it accused of ignoring military instructions.

Iran closes world's key oil corridor

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they fired a warning shot at a vessel taking what they described as an "unauthorised route" through the Strait of Hormuz.

"One vessel was struck by a warning shot and ...