US Launches Strikes on Iran in Escalation Over Hormuz Shipping Attacks
US forces conducted military strikes on Iran on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, following attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the US military confirmed. The operation marks a sharp escalation in tensions that have complicated efforts to end the broader West Asia conflict.
US Central Command described the strikes as 'powerful' and stated they were a direct response to Iranian attacks on ships transiting the strategic waterway. The Command warned that the action would 'impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping.'
Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across the region, including six on Qeshm Island, seven in the city of Sirik, and several more in the major port city of Bandar Abbas. Iran's Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating the memorandum of understanding 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 strikes came shortly after Washington revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil, increasing pressure on Tehran as it negotiates a final settlement to the conflict. The US Treasury Department cancelled a license announced in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell, and deliver crude oil and related products through August 21.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iran's actions in the Strait were 'wholly unacceptable' and would have consequences. The official added that the US-Iran memorandum was 'entirely performance-based,' with benefits tied to Iranian 'good behavior.' However, US negotiators continued to work 'in good faith towards a final deal,' the official said.
Britain's maritime security agency UKMTO reported that an 'unknown projectile' struck a tanker overnight, causing a fire, before two more vessels were hit, at least one by a drone. All three vessels were hit near Oman, which had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline—an initiative opposed by Iran as it seeks to impose fees on ships using the waterway.
Qatar identified one of the vessels as its LNG tanker Al-Rekayyat and blamed Iran, denouncing an 'unacceptable' attack on international maritime navigation. Doha summoned Iran's deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint, demanding an explanation and urging Tehran to 'immediately cease any practices undermining regional security.'
'We hold Iran fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages or repercussions,' Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.
Iran expressed 'dismay' over Qatar's accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the claims 'unacceptable.'
The attacks ended more than a week of relative calm, reviving concerns over freedom of navigation after Iran lifted its blockade of the vital waterway following a fragile ceasefire with the US. Oil prices rose by over two percent as the renewed attacks reignited worries about global energy supplies and cast doubt on the durability of the US-Iran agreement.
'We are now in a sensitive period where potential alternatives to an Iranian toll or fee system are being explored,' Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King's College London, told AFP. 'Iran is sending a clear signal that no alternative will be accepted.' Krieg said tankers trying to use the Omani maritime corridor without registering with Iran would be punished, and called the attacks a 'clear violation' of the ceasefire agreement and international law.
