US Strikes Over 80 Iranian Targets After Strait of Hormuz Attacks, Escalating Crisis
The United States military launched a new round of strikes against Iran on July 7, 2026, hitting more than 80 targets with precision munitions, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The strikes came hours after three commercial vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway critical for global oil shipments.
CENTCOM stated that the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and over 60 small boats operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) near the strait. The U.S. military described the action as a response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, which it said endangered civilian crews.
The escalation threatens a fragile interim agreement between the United States and Iran, which had aimed to de-escalate tensions in the region. The deal, signed weeks earlier, included a 14-point plan that temporarily halted strikes in the strait. However, that arrangement expired just before the latest attacks.
According to two U.S. officials cited by Axios, Iran fired at least two missiles at commercial ships on Monday night. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker off Oman's coast was hit by an unknown projectile and caught fire, while another vessel was struck by an Iranian missile. Both ships sustained damage, but no casualties were reported.
The strikes occurred amid the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike earlier in the conflict. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the U.S. attacks violated the interim agreement.
In a separate move, the United States revoked a licence that had authorised the sale of Iranian oil as part of the interim deal. The action was taken hours after the tanker attacks. Global oil prices rose following the escalation, reflecting market jitters over the stability of the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar condemned the attacks on commercial shipping, calling for restraint from all parties. The situation remains tense, with both sides accusing each other of undermining the interim agreement.
