Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz as US launches third wave of strikes
U.S. Central Command said the United States completed a third round of air and missile strikes against Iran on July 12, hitting about 140 Iranian military targets – missile‑and‑drone launch sites, ammunition depots, communications networks and coastal surveillance facilities. The operations were ordered by President Donald Trump in response to an Iranian warning‑shot that damaged a Cypriot‑flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that the strait would remain closed “until the end of U.S. interference in this region” and warned of a “severe response” to any retaliation. In parallel, the IRGC launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, prompting sirens and air‑defence alerts across the Gulf.
U.S. officials said commercial vessels continue to transit the waterway, which carries roughly one‑fifth of global oil and LNG shipments. Diplomatic talks in Muscat have stalled, with Tehran insisting the strait stay shut until its demands are met. The escalation follows President Trump’s declaration that the cease‑fire agreement with Iran is over, while both sides accuse the other of violating a June memorandum of understanding meant to end hostilities.