US Launches Airstrikes on Iran in Retaliation for Strait of Hormuz Container Ship Attack

Key Points:

• The U.S. military has launched a third round of airstrikes against Iran, Central Command announced.
• These strikes are a direct response to an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the strait closed to all traffic indefinitely.

President Donald Trump authorized a new series of airstrikes targeting Iran on Saturday, following an aggressive move by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to attack a commercial vessel in the vital Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military confirmed the strikes in a statement, emphasizing the need to counter Iran's escalating actions against international maritime traffic.

The targeted vessel, the M/V GFS Galaxy, a container ship sailing under the Cypriot flag, suffered a fire and significant damage to its engine room after the Iranian attack, preventing it from continuing its voyage. A civilian crew member is reported missing. U.S. Central Command stated that the airstrikes are designed to impose a substantial cost on Iran and diminish its capacity to assault civilian mariners and commercial ships transiting the strait unimpeded.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated, "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) July 12, 2026

In response to the incident, the IRGC announced via Iranian state news outlet PressTV that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz to all ship traffic until further notice, stating, "No vessel will be permitted to transit the strait." This marks the third instance this week that the U.S. has conducted airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for attacks on commercial vessels navigating the Hormuz waterway.

The recent attacks have occurred along a southern route near Oman's coast, which is under U.S. military protection. Reports suggest Tehran is insisting that vessels utilize a northern route that passes through its territorial waters. This escalation comes despite a memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 between the U.S. and Iran aimed at reopening the strait. However, disagreements have emerged over the specific terms and transit routes stipulated in the agreement. David Goldwyn, former U.S. State Department special envoy for international energy affairs, noted that the MOU failed to define ship traffic management, effectively postponing a resolution on the issue.

Previously, Energy Secretary Chris Wright had asserted that the U.S. military would guarantee energy flow from the Gulf, regardless of an agreement with Iran, stating on June 24, "Iran will not have the ability to close the Strait of Hormuz going forward."

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly arrived in Oman for discussions with Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, with Oman serving as a key mediator in de-escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. A U.S. official clarified that the U.S. technical negotiations team was not involved in these Omani-led talks. French and UK officials are reportedly reviewing Omani proposals that could allow for navigational fees in the strait, provided these tolls are non-compulsory and sanctioned by the UN's International Maritime Organization.