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US strikes Iran again after Strait of Hormuz ship attack — AI-generated representative image of a container ship under maritime security watch in the Strait of Hormuz amid reported attacks and regional strikes.

Editorial Team

US strikes Iran entered a third wave this week after what US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as a “blatant” attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the ship suffered a fire in its engine room and that one crew member is missing.

The escalation is sharpening risks to commercial shipping and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that handles roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. It also adds strain to a June 17 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran aimed at creating space for a lasting ceasefire and extending time for peace talks. For broader context on Tehran’s stated response options, see Iran’s Plan to Strike Back Against the U.S..

Key developments

CENTCOM said the latest US strikes targeted around 140 sites, including missile and drone locations, ammunition depots, and radar installations.
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X after the strikes began: “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.”
Iranian state-linked broadcaster Press TV reported strikes in southern Iran, including on the ports of Chabahar, Bushehr, and Sirik, which it said had also been hit earlier in the week. Press TV also reported that air defenses were activated over Tehran.
Iran responded by firing missiles at Gulf states, with air raid alerts reported in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain.
The IRGC said it had “destroyed” a command center and hangars housing US MQ-9 Reaper drones at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, and that it targeted a support and refueling facility for US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm in Oman.
Press TV reported that Iranian forces launched drones at a US Patriot air defense system, an ammunition depot, and a radar site in Kuwait, as well as a radar site in Bahrain.
Shortly before the US attacks, the IRGC Navy said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed to all shipping until the US ended what it called “illegal interventions” in the region, and warned it would strike US bases in response to “any further aggression.”

Context and background

The latest strikes come amid escalating tensions over maritime security in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier this week, three ships were hit by projectiles, prompting the US, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to demand that Iran stop targeting tankers.

In a statement on Saturday, the IRGC blamed the US for the earlier “incidents,” accusing Washington of “illegally designating” a shipping lane near the Omani coast. The US has used that lane to guide vessels through the strait, the report said. Related regional pressure points have also surfaced in recent coverage, including World Reacts to Israeli Strikes on Iran: Calls for Restraint Amid Rising Tensions.

Details and evidence

In its Saturday statement, CENTCOM said the new US strikes followed the reported attack on the GFS Galaxy, which it said caused a fire in the vessel’s engine room. CENTCOM said one crew member remains missing.

“The United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait,” the US military said.

Current status and next steps

As of Saturday evening local time, the US said it had carried out a new round of strikes and framed the operation as tied to the reported shipping incident in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, through IRGC statements carried by state media, said it would keep the strait closed and threatened additional attacks on US bases if it faced further action.

There was no independent confirmation in the provided material of the claims made by either side about damage from the strikes and missile and drone attacks. Further updates are awaited on the missing crew member from the GFS Galaxy and on whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will resume.