U.S. strike on Greater Tunb island in Strait of Hormuz

The United States launched a sustained military strike on Greater Tunb Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, targeting Iranian coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage facilities. The 90-minute attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, directly targeting a strategic outpost Iran uses to control shipping through the critical waterway.

U.S. Central Command stated the strikes were intended to further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil passes. The military action follows the collapse of a ceasefire and memorandum of understanding earlier this month, under which Iran had agreed to provide safe passage for vessels. Since that breakdown, commercial ships have again been targeted in the region.

Greater Tunb is a small, rocky island with immense strategic value due to its location alongside the deepwater shipping lanes at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. It is one of seven islands forming a defensive arc that extends Iran's military and surveillance presence from its mainland. Analysts describe these islands, which include Abu Musa and Lesser Tunb,...