US Launches New Strikes on Iranian Infrastructure to Protect Hormuz Traffic

U.S. Strikes Target Strategic Iranian Infrastructure

Following a week of intense regional volatility, U.S. forces initiated a fresh series of strikes on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET (21:00 GMT). According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation aimed to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The targets included assets linked to drones, missiles, ammunition, surveillance and naval operations, spread across coastal regions including Sirik, Qeshm Island, Jask, and the area west of Bandar Abbas.

These strikes represent the latest in a rapid sequence of hostilities that have unfolded since July 7. Just one night prior, CENTCOM reported striking roughly 140 Iranian military targets. The latest military action was authorized directly by President Donald Trump, who has signaled a hardening stance against the diplomatic efforts that previously sought to de-escalate the conflict.

For more on this story, see US Strikes 140 Iranian Sites as Tehran Retaliates Against Gulf Nations.

Collapse of the Mid-June Memorandum of Understanding

The recent violence marks a sharp departure from the optimism surrounding a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the U.S. and Iran last month. That agreement was intended to bring all hostilities to an immediate and permanent halt and create a 60-day window for negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and the administration of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the key point of contention remains the fifth clause of the document, which mandated that Iran make best efforts to allow commercial vessels safe passage without fees.

Conversely, Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, have interpreted the MoU as granting Tehran the sole responsibility for determining the arrangements for shipping within its territorial waters. As Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz noted regarding the broader conflict, Israel remains prepared to resume its own military campaign against Iranian targets if necessary, emphasizing a readiness to act with even greater force than previous engagements.

Regional Counterstrikes and Economic Impact

The conflict has extended well beyond the U.S.-Iran dynamic, drawing in neighboring Gulf states. Following the U.S. strikes, Iranian Revolutionary Guards reported retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases located in Kuwait and Bahrain. According to BBC reporting, air raid sirens were triggered in both countries, and Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence confirmed it was confronting hostile missile and drone attacks.

The economic impact on maritime trade has been immediate. Phil Belcher, marine director at the international tanker organization Intertanko, stated that the number of ships transiting the strait has plummeted. Where there were once roughly 130 vessels passing through daily before the war, recent estimates suggest that daily traffic has dropped to single digits on the southern route.

This follows our earlier report, Iran Launches Missile and Drone Strikes on Qatar, UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait.

President Trump’s Outlook on Diplomatic Negotiations

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have remained defiant. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and chief negotiator, warned that the Strait of Hormuz would only open under Iranian terms. Writing on social media, Ghalibaf stated, if you strike, you’ll get hit, underscoring that the current cycle of violence shows no sign of abating as both nations await the next move in a conflict that has now spanned multiple rounds of intensive airstrikes.

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