US Launches Second Night of Strikes on Iran

The United States has carried out a second consecutive night of military strikes on Iran, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate following renewed clashes around the Strait of Hormuz.

Get today's headlines by email

The latest operation lasted several hours, with the US military saying it struck dozens of Iranian military targets. Iranian state media reported that the country's armed forces were responding to the attacks.

A US military spokesperson said the latest strikes followed an incident in which Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired on another commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait of Hormuz Tensions Deepen

The strategically vital waterway remains at the center of the confrontation, with Washington and Tehran issuing conflicting accounts over the safety of commercial shipping. The strait is a critical route for global energy supplies and is viewed as one of Iran's main sources of leverage in negotiations.

Iran Claims Strikes on US Bases

Iran said it had retaliated by targeting US military facilities in Gulf nations.

According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, the IRGC said it struck US infrastructure at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, claiming it destroyed fuel storage tanks and Patriot air defense systems.

Ali Al Salem Air Base hosts US forces, according to US Central Command.

The IRGC also said it targeted the nearby Ahmad Al Jaber Air Base, claiming to have damaged an FPS radar system.

Kuwait's Armed Forces had not confirmed the reported attacks, and CNN said it had contacted US Central Command for comment.

Iran also claimed it launched strikes against US military facilities in Bahrain.

Fars reported that the IRGC said it had targeted helicopter maintenance and repair facilities, a hangar housing a P-8 Poseidon aircraft, and the drone command and control center at Sheikh Isa Air Base.

"The retaliatory operations will continue," the IRGC said in a statement carried by the agency.

Bahrain's interior ministry said air raid sirens had sounded and urged residents to seek shelter. There were no immediate reports of damage.

US Central Command had not publicly commented on the reported strikes.

Oil Prices Rise

The latest escalation has added to concerns over stability in the Gulf and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude and US crude oil prices both rose more than 3% on Sunday following the weekend's military exchanges and growing fears of disruption to global energy supplies.

Join the discussion?

13 July 2026

View full article