The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has escalated with a series of missile and drone strikes, jeopardizing efforts to establish a ceasefire. On Tuesday, US forces targeted the Botswana-flagged tanker M/T Lexie, which was attempting to breach a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, using a Hellfire missile to disable its engine. In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed to have launched missiles and drones at the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, a claim denied by the US military's Central Command (Centcom). Amidst these military exchanges, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program, while Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi threatened to suspend negotiations due to US and Israeli actions in Lebanon. The situation remains tense, with Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon continuing despite claims of a ceasefire, resulting in civilian casualties. The US military has redirected numerous vessels attempting to navigate to and from Iranian ports since the blockade commenced in April.