US forces launched over 80 strikes on Iranian targets in response to Iran's targeting of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the US military announced early Wednesday. The attacks came just hours after Washington revoked Tehran's license to sell oil, which had been issued only last month following an interim ceasefire deal.
Details of the US Strikes
In a statement on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes hit over 80 targets with precision munitions on July 7, as an immediate response to Iran's latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The targets included Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait.
The statement said the strikes aimed to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the trade corridor. Iran recently attacked three commercial vessels: the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity.
Iran's Accusations of Ceasefire Violations
Following the strikes, Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the US of committing major violations of the initial ceasefire deal, known as the Islamabad memorandum of understanding. In a post on X, he listed the violations as persistent threats of further strikes, reinstating oil sanctions, and attacks on southern Iran. He stated, "The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold."
The renewed hostilities threaten to disrupt shipping transiting the Gulf channel and complicate efforts to secure a permanent end to the conflict, which was launched by the US and Israel on February 28.
Impact on Maritime Security
Three civilian vessels were hit in the strait on Tuesday, the most in a single day since late April, according to UN International Maritime Organisation figures. In response, maritime authorities have raised the threat level from substantial to severe. The strategic waterway remains a flashpoint in the fragile truce, having sparked a previous exchange of fire after a cargo ship was struck.
President Donald Trump has said the US would either reach a deal with Tehran or "finish the job." Meanwhile, tensions are high in Iran with funeral ceremonies for the late former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening attack of the war.
International Response and Future of the Strait
The initial deal between the US and Iran secures safe, toll-free passage of the waterway for 60 days, pending a final agreement on Tehran's nuclear plans. The pact leaves it to Iran and Oman, with other Gulf states, to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has continued to exert leverage, demanding ships seek permission to transit and raising the possibility of future charges.
Iran claims it alone is permitted to carry out mine clearance in the strait under the interim agreement, after Oman agreed to work with Britain and France to keep the sea route open. The UK and France have been at the forefront of a proposed international mission to protect vessels using the waterway once hostilities end. However, Iran warned that involvement of any other country in the channel would amount to a provocation.
A joint statement by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said: "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for the global economy. Restoring safe transit for ships of all nations through the Strait is a matter of global concern. The Sultanate of Oman has agreed to work with the United Kingdom and France to ensure that its sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation. The UK and France also stand ready to deploy the wider multinational military mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional stability, respect for sovereignty, and upholding global security, freedom of navigation, and international law.
