US launches new strikes on Iran to protect Strait of Hormuz shipping

U.S. forces launched two waves of strikes on Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites after reimposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, escalating a fight that now centers on the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the second wave began at 3 p.m. ET and was aimed at protecting shipping through the narrow waterway. The targets included coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites.

Iran struck three vessels there on July 13, including two on shuttle-run routes designed to move oil while avoiding Iranian territorial waters. By July 9, shipping in the strait had already slowed to a near-standstill, and UN News put the number of stranded seafarers at about 6,000 aboard hundreds of vessels.

Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, making it one of the most important energy chokepoints on earth. Any prolonged disruption would lift tanker insurance, freight rates, and fuel costs, then feed through to U.S. consumers in gasoline, diesel, and heating bills. Trump also backed down from a planned 20% fee on ships using the strait before the latest escalation hardened into a blockade and new strikes.

Iran has warned that the strait would remain closed “until the US ends its aggression,” a threat that keeps the maritime route at the center of the crisis. Strikes and retaliation have also touched neighboring Gulf states and reached farther north in Iran. The United States intensified attacks deeper inside the country and fired on a ship it accused of trying to break the blockade.