The United States has carried out its latest round of attacks against Iran, further diminishing hopes for a peace agreement between the two nations. US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the strikes on Sunday, July 12, stating they were ordered by President Donald Trump to hold Iranian forces accountable.
Details of the Strikes
In a post on X, CENTCOM said: "At 5 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Commander in Chief has directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable."
These strikes mark the third round of attacks this week, following a pattern of escalating conflict since the war began on February 28, when joint US-Israeli attacks targeted several key Iranian sites.
Impact on Global Trade
In retaliation, Iran closed the critical Strait of Hormuz trade route, through which 20% of all global oil passes. The closure has disrupted global oil supplies and heightened tensions in the region.
Earlier on Sunday, the US struck more than 100 sites in Iran after a missile attack on a vessel in the strait. The container ship's crew was forced to abandon it while it was ablaze. Iran also carried out strikes on targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
Scale of the Attacks
In a separate statement, CENTCOM said it hit around 140 targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps and communication equipment. The ceasefire agreement collapsed last week after Iran's attack on ships. President Trump cancelled the deal on Tuesday after Tehran launched missile attacks on three gas and oil vessels in the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the week.
