US and Iran resume strikes as Hormuz dispute threatens peace effort
Al Jazeera reported that renewed fighting followed Iranian fire on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and fresh US strikes on Iran.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
The United States and Iran have returned to open hostilities only weeks after signing an agreement meant to lead toward a final settlement, Al Jazeera reported. The renewed fighting raises doubts about whether diplomacy can survive a dispute centered on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive maritime routes.
According to Al Jazeera, Washington resumed attacks after Tehran fired on ships moving through the waterway. The report said US strikes have mainly targeted Iran’s southern coast, while some other areas of the country have also been hit.
Al Jazeera said air attacks have intensified, increasing fears that the confrontation could widen into an all-out war. The report did not give a casualty figure or identify the vessels that came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump has informed Congress that hostilities have restarted, according to Al Jazeera. The broadcaster reported that Trump said military strength is the only way to negotiate with Iran.
Tehran has rejected that approach, saying it will not give in to US threats or aggression, Al Jazeera reported. That leaves the agreement signed weeks earlier under immediate strain, with both sides again using force while accusing the other of escalation.
Diplomatic track under pressure
The dispute has put the question of a lasting US-Iran deal back at the center of public debate. Al Jazeera framed the issue in a 28-minute programme hosted by Mohammed Jamjoom, asking whether the two governments can still reach an enduring settlement after the latest exchange of strikes.
The programme featured Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at The Soufan Center; Alan Eyre, a distinguished diplomatic fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former member of the US-Iran nuclear deal team; and Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar and head of the Iranian Studies Unit at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies.
Al Jazeera published the discussion on July 17, 2026. The programme came after a series of developments involving US and Iranian military action, including the reported exchange of strikes days after the peace agreement.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the immediate flashpoint in the latest confrontation, according to Al Jazeera. With US attacks resuming and Iran refusing to yield to Washington’s pressure, the next test is whether the earlier agreement can still serve as a path to talks or whether the conflict will continue to expand.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.