US and Iran trade strikes for tenth night as tanker hit in Strait of Hormuz, ceasefire collapses
US Central Command says it struck Iranian command centres and missile sites, while Iran targeted bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. A tanker was hit by an unknown projectile near Oman.
Tenth night of US strikes on Iran
US Central Command launched airstrikes for the tenth consecutive night, targeting command centres, missile launch sites, air defence systems and maritime assets. The operation began at 22:30 Iran time, according to CENTCOM, with the stated aim of further weakening Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping. Iranian state media reported explosions in multiple provinces: five blasts in Yazd, and strikes in Ahvaz, Lar, and around Bandar Abbas and Qishm in Hormozgan province. At least three people were killed and eight wounded, according to Iranian reports. The governor of Abdanan in the southwest said there were no casualties there, but damage was not disclosed.
Iran retaliates across the Gulf
In response, Iran's military targeted US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. State news agency IRNA said attacks in Kuwait hit radar installations, satellites and missile systems at a US base, as well as a munitions depot at Al-Adari camp, the headquarters and depots at Ali Al-Salem airbase, and multiple communication facilities. In Jordan, fuel tanks at Al-Azraq airbase were struck; the Jordanian army said it intercepted ten Iranian missiles, with no damage or injuries. Residents of Bahrain heard air raid sirens three times; the Gulf state hosts a major US naval base. Iran also claimed to have hit targets deeper inside US-aligned territory, though Jordan reported no harm.
Tanker struck near Oman
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that an oil tanker was hit by an unknown projectile about 15 kilometres northeast of Limah, Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel and took to a lifeboat. UKMTO is investigating the incident. A day earlier, a fire broke out on another ship in the same area; the cause remains unknown but is presumed to be an attack. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed two other ships hit sea mines and caught fire, but the US military dismissed those reports as false.
The passage of commercial ships through the important international maritime corridor continues unabated. Since early May, CENTCOM forces have facilitated the passage of approximately 900 commercial ships and 450 million barrels of crude oil.
Ceasefire collapses
A declaration of intent signed last month for an immediate ceasefire and restoration of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has unravelled. The agreement envisioned 60 days of negotiations toward a peace deal. President Trump suspended the declaration earlier this month at the NATO summit in Ankara, and Iran followed suit on Saturday, 18 July. The US says it remains open to talks, but for now both sides continue to answer attacks with new attacks.
- War begins; Iran blocks Strait of Hormuz
- US and Iran sign ceasefire declaration
- Trump suspends declaration at NATO summit in Ankara
- Iran suspends declaration
- Tanker fire in Strait of Hormuz, cause unknown
- Tenth night of US-Iran strikes; tanker hit by projectile near Oman
Oil trade disrupted
Roughly one-fifth of global oil trade normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran has almost completely blocked commercial shipping since the war began in February. The US, in turn, blocks passage to Iranian ports to prevent the country from exporting oil. CENTCOM insists the strait remains open, citing the 900 ships and 450 million barrels it says it has helped transit since early May. The ongoing hostilities have kept the vital waterway in a state of semi-blockade, with sporadic tanker incidents adding to the risk.
