US Launches Air Strikes on Iranian Targets Near Strait of Hormuz

The United States launched a new series of air strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, escalating a conflict that had recently shifted toward an economic standoff and threatening to reignite a six-month-old war. The strikes, which began at noon Eastern Time, targeted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps positions and followed a weekend exchange of fire and attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command stated the operation was a direct response to recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial vessels in the strait and against American service members deployed to the region. Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island, in the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, and at a civilian airport in Jiroft. President Donald Trump warned on social media that if Iran retaliated, "they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level." The latest strikes came after a period of relative calm following a June 2026 Memorandum of Understanding intended to halt the conflict. That pause broke down over the weekend of August 29-30, when U.S.