US launches third strike on Iran after vessel attack

The United States launched a third round of military strikes against Iran on the evening of July 11, 2026, in retaliation for an Iranian attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, an escalation that prompted Iran to close the strategic waterway. The exchange has shattered a fragile ceasefire and plunged diplomatic efforts to secure the vital shipping lane into crisis.

U.S. Central Command stated that forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked the MV GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, as it transited the strait. The military said the vessel sustained significant engine room damage and an onboard fire, leaving it disabled, with one civilian crew member reported missing. The crew abandoned the ship. In a statement, Central Command said Iran had failed another opportunity to adhere to a recent Memorandum of Understanding and that the U.S. strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, aimed to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping.

Shortly before the U.S. action, Iranian authorities announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz until further notice. The IRGC stated the closure was a response to foreign interference and that no...