The United States launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday, in retaliation to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz even as Tehran continued elaborate funeral processions for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
CENTCOM said its forces had "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," adding that the action came in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting Hormuz.
It described Iran's "demonstrated aggression" as "unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire."
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
A US official told Reuters the strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles and drone launch sites, while Axios reported the operation was several times larger in scale than a similar exchange late last month.
Iranian state media reported explosions and injuries across Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas and Sirik.
WATCH: Massive explosions in Hormozgan Province, Iran following U.S. airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/j8H9vexYoM
— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) July 7, 2026
The exchange marks the most serious challenge yet to the memorandum of understanding signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 17 June, with talks in Doha last week having ended without progress on the Hormuz question.
The US and Israel have been at war with Iran and its regional allies since 28 February, after strikes killed Khamenei and several other officials.
ALSO READ: Qatari, Saudi Tankers Damaged As Hormuz Sees Biggest Day of Attacks Since US-Iran Peace Deal
Compounding the tension, Washington moved to reverse a temporary sanctions reprieve extended to Tehran.
The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control revoked Iran-related General License X, dated 21 June, and replaced it with General License X1, effective 7 July, covering the "Revocation and Wind Down" of the earlier authorisation for the production, delivery and sale of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical and petroleum products.
Trump had earlier said the US had given Tehran "a week off" during the funeral ceremonies, which have drawn millions of mourners across Tehran, Qom and, on Tuesday, Najaf in Iraq.
Tuesday's strikes came as Trump attended a NATO summit in Ankara, managing the renewed crisis from the sidelines.
ALSO READ: 'Have To See': Trump Keeps NATO Allies On Tenterhooks With Troop Cut Plans
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