United States launches new wave of strikes on Iran over Hormuz tensions

The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) announced a fourth wave of air‑, sea‑ and drone strikes on Iranian military targets on July 12‑13, 2026. Dozens to over a hundred sites were hit, including air‑defence systems, coastal radars, missile‑ and drone launch positions, ammunition depots and small vessels. The operation employed fighter jets, warships, cruise missiles and, for the first time, sea‑borne attack drones, aiming to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responded with missile and drone attacks on U.S. facilities across the Gulf – in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar and Oman – prompting air‑raid alerts and the interception of several projectiles. Iranian state media reported one civilian death and four injuries in southwestern Iran, while a Kuwaiti offshore platform suffered a minor injury.

UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned of a “significant escalation” and urged both sides to resume diplomatic talks, noting that a return to full‑scale hostilities would have catastrophic regional and global economic consequences. Oil prices spiked as markets reacted to the heightened risk to the vital waterway. President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. had “hit Iran hard,” while the United States maintained that navigation through the strait remained open despite Iranian claims of closure.