US Launches Third Round of Strikes on Iran; Strait of Hormuz Closed

On July 11, 2026, the United States launched a third round of strikes against Iran, beginning at 7:15 p.m. ET. The escalation followed an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps attack on the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC fired a naval cruise missile at the vessel after it allegedly traveled on an unapproved route, causing significant engine-room damage and an onboard fire that left the ship unable to continue its journey. One civilian crew member was reported missing, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre confirmed the crew had abandoned ship and were in a lifeboat.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard declared the Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice, citing vessels switching off tracking systems, transiting unauthorized routes, and disregarding repeated warnings to correct course. Iran warned that any US aggression in response would be met with a severe response and that new enemy bases in the region would be targeted.

Iran's IRGC claimed it struck a US base in Jordan—the Prince Hassan Air Base—destroying its command and control center and MQ-9 drone hangars. The UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain activated air defenses and intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, with warning sirens sounding in Bahrain and explosions heard in Doha.

US President Trump declared the ceasefire over following the Iranian attacks, while leaving the door open for continued talks through mediators. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in Oman to discuss mechanisms for safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides agreeing to continue talks at technical and political levels.

The current escalation follows the February 28, 2026 killing of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli airstrike on the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran. Khamenei was buried in Mashhad last Friday. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeded him as Iran's new Supreme Leader.

In his first public statement, center-left outlets report, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge for his father's death, declaring "vengeance is the will of our nation" and stating that Iran had compiled a list of individuals to be targeted. BBC News reported that many Iranians participating in funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei carried placards calling for the killing of US President Trump.

According to Iranian officials cited by BBC News, US strikes killed 17 people and injured 115 in Iran. The Times of Israel reported that explosions were confirmed in multiple Iranian coastal locations including Bushehr, Asaluyeh, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Qeshm Island following the third round of US strikes.

The Times of Israel contextualized Iran's stance on controlling the Strait of Hormuz—which the international community has regarded for decades as an international waterway—as a position that emerged after the war began. The outlet noted that Iran's grip on the strait during the war led to a global energy crisis, with oil prices reaching wartime highs of $120 a barrel before sharply dropping.

The Times of Israel, citing CNN, reported that Oman drafted a proposal for the Strait of Hormuz including free navigation through its southern corridor and requiring prior Iranian approval for vessels in the northern corridor through Iranian territorial waters, with no tolls imposed. A senior Iranian source told Reuters—reported by both center-right and center-left outlets—that Iran, the US, Qatar, and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate in a call that mediators were trying to arrange for Saturday.

BBC News reported that US media claimed Iran told American officials that earlier attacks on tankers were a mistake and blamed a rogue internal group—a characterization not corroborated by other outlets in this analysis.

Trump threatened via social media that any attempt to assassinate him would lead the US to "completely decimate" Iran, posted that "1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran," and stated the US military would automatically retaliate if he were killed. The threats came amid conflicting reports about an alleged Iranian assassination plot.

The United States and Iran hold opposing positions on who violated existing agreements regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The US characterizes Iran as having failed to adhere to a Memorandum of Understanding on commercial shipping. Iran, conversely, accuses the US of violating an interim deal by ending waivers that had allowed Iran to sell crude oil on the open market in US dollars.

The US urged mariners to transit through a southern route via Oman's territorial waters. Iran insisted the only safe route runs through Iranian territorial waters. The dispute reflects broader disagreement over which shipping corridors through the Strait of Hormuz are legitimate and safe for commercial vessels.

Two senior US officials issued contradictory statements about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed that Israel shared intelligence about a specific Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. Trump himself denied that Israel provided such intelligence and denied there was a fresh assassination plan. The conflicting accounts leave the status of any alleged plot unclear.