U.S. and Iran exchange strikes amid Strait of Hormuz tensions
The United States and Iran engaged in a series of military strikes on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz region. The U.S. military conducted airstrikes on Iranian targets after accusing Tehran of attacking three commercial ships in the strategic waterway. In retaliation, Iran launched strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The U.S. Central Command stated that American forces hit Iranian air defence systems, radars, and more than 60 small boats used by Iran's Paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which have been implicated in harassing vessels in the strait. The command described the strikes as a response to attacks on commercial shipping that endangered civilian lives. Iran acknowledged the strikes but did not report any casualties or damage.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed targeting U.S. military bases in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, and Kuwait, where U.S. Army forces are stationed. The Guard accused the U.S. of violating a ceasefire agreement known as the Islamabad understanding.
The exchange of fire occurred during a period of mourning for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28, 2026. His funeral, spanning several days, had been expected to see a reduction in hostilities. However, the attacks underscored the fragility of an interim agreement aimed at halting the broader conflict in West Asia.
The U.S. also revoked a license that had permitted Iran to openly sell crude oil on the international market as part of the interim deal. This license had allowed Iran to conduct oil sales in U.S. dollars for the first time in years, though it had long been suspected of selling sanctioned oil to China at below-market prices.
On Wednesday morning, missile alerts were sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported that a tanker off the coast of Oman was hit and caught fire. Iranian state television claimed the liquefied natural gas tanker was attacked after ignoring warnings but did not directly acknowledge responsibility. Two other ships sustained damage but no injuries were reported, and they continued their voyages.
Negotiations for a final agreement, which were to begin after Khamenei's burial, were now uncertain. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on social media, 'The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold.'
This series of attacks echoed similar incidents late last month, when Iranian strikes on shipping prompted U.S. retaliatory actions and subsequent Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait. The latest strikes occurred while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Turkiye for a NATO summit.
