US and Iran widen strikes as Hormuz shipping slows
US forces hit sites across Iran while Tehran reported strikes on Gulf targets, raising pressure on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
4 min read
The United States struck Iranian military sites for a third consecutive night late Monday, according to US Central Command. Iran said it answered with attacks on Gulf targets, including UAE-flagged tankers and US military facilities, intensifying a fight centered on the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said the latest US operation began at 4:45pm ET on Monday and was intended to reduce Iran’s ability to attack civilians and commercial vessels in the strait. The command later said the strikes lasted five hours and hit military targets in Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas.
Iranian state television and semi-official outlets reported explosions overnight along Iran’s southern coast, including in Bandar Abbas, on Kish and Qeshm islands, and in Jam in Bushehr province. Fars news agency, citing the regional governor’s office, said a projectile hit western Bandar Abbas without causing casualties.
Iran reports attacks across the Gulf
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it launched a broader retaliatory campaign against US interests and allies in the Gulf. Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian forces struck several vessels it described as violating rules in the strait and shot down a US-made drone near Bandar Abbas.
The United Arab Emirates said two of its oil tankers were hit by Iranian cruise missiles in Omani waters in the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE said one Indian crew member was killed on one tanker and eight other people were wounded.
Tasnim, citing an IRGC statement, said the force had hit two “offending” oil supertankers, apparently referring to the UAE vessels.
Iran’s army said Monday it had carried out a drone attack on US military targets in Kuwait, according to a statement posted by state broadcaster IRIB. The army said drones targeted a US Patriot missile system, fuel tanks, a watchtower, an ammunition depot and communications systems.
In Bahrain, the IRGC said it targeted weapons storage depots, a satellite communications center and a building housing US forces at al-Juffair Base. The IRGC also said it had hit the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain with missiles and drones, while air sirens were heard four times in Bahrain on Tuesday.
Jordan’s army said it shot down four missiles in Jordanian airspace that were fired from Iran, according to the official Petra news agency. The IRGC later said it launched ballistic missiles at US forces and key facilities at an airbase in Jordan, while saying its operation was aimed at the US military presence and not at Jordan or its citizens.
Trump cites combat authority as blockade nears
US President Donald Trump formally notified Congress on July 10 that fighting with Iran had resumed on July 7, invoking authority to keep US forces in combat for another 60 days without congressional approval. At a news conference Monday, Trump said Iran’s offensive abilities were being dismantled, while adding that a “deal is possible.”
Trump also repeated his demand that Gulf states help pay for the protection of shipping, saying Washington was protecting a wealthy region and expected payment. On Monday, he threatened to “take out” Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, also known as Pickaxe Mountain, which he described as a suspected nuclear site near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility.
The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Centre said a US blockade on Iran was due to begin at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday. JMIC said the blockade covers Iran’s ports and terminals along its southern coastline.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, said on X that a bill on the security and management of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf had been introduced in Parliament. He said Iran would defend its red lines, particularly over management of the strait.
Oil prices rise as crossings fall
Oil prices rose more than 9 percent on Monday, with Brent crude reaching about $81 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June. Kpler, a ship-tracking firm, said crossings through the Strait of Hormuz fell about 52 percent from July 10 to July 12 compared with the previous week.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.