US and Iran engage in new spiral of attacks

On 12 July 2026, the United States launched a third round of strikes on Iran, with the US saying it hit about 140 military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it acted in response to an attack on a civilian vessel, reported as a Cyprus-flagged container ship, after Iran's IRGC attacked it and declared the strait closed 'until further notice'. Explosions were reported across southern Iran.

Iran carried out attacks across the Gulf. Reports say Iran struck Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and the UAE, and UAE air defences intercepted missiles and drones. The IRGC said it hit a second vessel in the strait and targeted a US base in Qatar. The US military said 'traffic is flowing' through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran's claims that it is closed.