Strikes by U.S. forces on Iran followed a fresh burst of violence in the Strait of Hormuz, where three commercial vessels were attacked in a flashpoint that has again rattled attempts to bring the Middle East war to an end, the U.S. military said.
U.S. Central Command said the “powerful” strikes were triggered by Iranian assaults on ships transiting the crucial waterway and were intended to “impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping.”
The military action came soon after Washington revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil, a move that tightened the screws on Tehran even as it negotiates with the United States over a final settlement to the conflict.
Iranian state media reported a series of explosions in the Strait of Hormuz region moments after U.S. officials announced the “powerful” strikes.
According to a U.S. official, the strikes inside Iran hit air defence systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites.
Iran’s foreign ministry accused the United States of repeatedly violating their agreed memorandum of understanding and warned of retaliation after Washington struck targets linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
“Iran is issuing a serious warning about the consequences of America’s breach of the treaty, and will take decisive measures to protect its interests and national security,” the ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram by IRIB News.
The U.S. Treasury Department cancelled a license announced in June that had allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and related products through 21 August.
“Iran’s actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences,” a U.S. official said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official described the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding as “entirely performance-based,” saying Tehran would see benefits only if it demonstrated “good behavior.”
Even so, the official said U.S. negotiators were continuing to work “in good faith towards a final deal.”
U.S. Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway. The U.S. strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 7, 2026
UKMTO, a British maritime security agency, said an “unknown projectile” struck a tanker overnight and sparked a fire, before two additional vessels were hit — at least one of them by a drone.
All three vessels were attacked close to Oman, which had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline — an initiative Iran has opposed as it seeks to impose fees on ships using the narrow waterway.
Qatar identified one of the vessels as its LNG tanker Al-Rekayyat and blamed Iran, condemning what it called an “unacceptable” assault on international maritime navigation.
Doha later summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint, demanding an explanation and urging Tehran to “immediately cease any practices undermining regional security.”
“We hold Iran fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages or repercussions,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.
Iran said it was “dismay”ed by Qatar’s accusations in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA, calling the allegations “unacceptable.”
Hormuz dispute
The incidents, ending more than a week of relative calm, renewed fears over freedom of navigation after Iran lifted its blockade of the vital route following a fragile ceasefire with the United States.
Oil prices climbed by more than two percent as the new attacks revived anxiety about global energy supplies and raised fresh questions about how durable the U.S.-Iran agreement really is.
“We are now in a sensitive period where potential alternatives to an Iranian toll or fee system are being explored,” said Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London.
“Iran is sending a clear signal that no alternative will be accepted.”
Krieg said tankers attempting to divert through the Omani maritime corridor without registering with Iran would be punished, describing the strikes on shipping as a “clear violation” of the ceasefire agreement and international law.
Maritime traffic had cautiously begun to move again after Washington and Tehran signed the memorandum last month, but Iran has insisted there will be no return to pre-war arrangements, when vessels could pass freely through the strait.
Under the 14-point U.S.-Iran memorandum, Iran and Oman — the two states bordering Hormuz — must hold talks “to define the future administration and maritime services” in the waterway with other Gulf states.
Qatar had previously refused to mediate while under Iranian fire as Tehran launched an unprecedented aerial bombardment against Gulf states in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli strikes.
But Doha has since stepped forward more forcefully, hosting indirect talks between Iran and the United States last week.
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