US and Iran trade strikes across Middle East, strait open

The United States and Iran exchanged a new wave of military strikes across the Middle East on July 12 and 13, 2026, targeting locations from the Strait of Hormuz to the Persian Gulf and beyond, in a significant escalation that further undermines a faltering interim agreement between the two nations. The fighting resulted in casualties on both sides and raised alarms across several U.S.-aligned Gulf states.

U.S. Central Command stated it launched strikes beginning at 2100 GMT on July 12, targeting dozens of Iranian military sites including air defense systems, coastal radar, and missile and drone capabilities, primarily along Iran's southern coast. The operation, described as a third wave of attacks in recent days, followed approximately 140 strikes the previous night. U.S. officials said the action was a response to an Iranian attack earlier on July 12 on the Cypriot-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, which caused a fire, left one civilian crew member missing, and forced the crew to abandon ship. The Pentagon stated the strikes aimed to degrade Iran's ability to attack international shipping and sailors.

Iranian state media reported explosions and strikes...