US launches strikes on Iran after attacks on tankers in Strait of Hormuz
The United States military carried out strikes against Iran on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, following a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, sharply escalating a confrontation that has already complicated efforts to end the broader West Asia conflict.
U.S. Central Command said the strikes were in response to Iranian attacks on ships transiting the vital waterway. A statement described the strikes as “powerful” and said they would “impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping.”
Iranian state media reported multiple explosions around the strait, including six on the island of Qeshm, seven in the city of Sirik, and more in the major port city of Bandar Abbas.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of repeatedly violating a memorandum of understanding agreed between the two sides and threatened retaliation. “Iran is issuing a serious warning about the consequences of America’s breach of the treaty, and will take decisive measures to protect its interests and national security,” the Ministry said in a statement carried by official media.
The attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which saw three commercial vessels hit, had already raised alarm over the safety of one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints. The strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through it.
