US Strikes Iran After Tanker Attack in Hormuz; Iran Hits Back at Gulf States
The United States launched a major wave of airstrikes against Iran early Sunday, July 12, 2026, in response to an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The strike set the vessel ablaze and forced its crew to abandon it, according to the US military.
Iran retaliated by targeting several Gulf nations that host US forces, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. The exchanges mark a significant escalation in a conflict that began on February 28, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a critical flashpoint.
The US Central Command stated that it hit approximately 140 targets in Sunday's strikes, far exceeding the two previous rounds. Targets included missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps and communication equipment. The US said the attacks aim to weaken Iran's ability to threaten civilian shipping.
“Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media.
Iran, in turn, struck nations in the region with US military presence, while insisting it must control the strait and potentially charge vessels for passage. About one-fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passed through the strait before the war began. Iran's grip on it has caused a global energy crisis, though oil prices have fallen from wartime highs of $120 per barrel.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament and a key negotiator, wrote: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price.”
Missile alerts sounded across several Gulf Arab nations early Sunday. Qatar's military said it intercepted incoming Iranian fire, with explosions heard in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates. Three people, including a child, were wounded by falling shrapnel, according to Qatar's Interior Ministry.
Bahrain, home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet, experienced missile alerts for the third time on Sunday. Kuwait's military also reported intercepting incoming fire. The Omani state news agency said drones struck sites in northeastern Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, following talks between Iran and Oman on Saturday.
The UAE reported that no missiles crossed its borders, though sirens sounded. The country had not been targeted in the latest round of attacks; a previous incident in May involved a drone sparking a fire near its only nuclear power plant.
In the Strait of Hormuz attack, a Cyprus-flagged container ship suffered significant engine room damage. A civilian crew member is missing, US Central Command said. All crew members, including the missing person, are Indian nationals, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. India condemned the attack and is working with Oman on search and rescue, calling for free and unimpeded navigation through the strait.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said the ship had been travelling close to the Omani shoreline, a route used to avoid Iranian territorial waters.
