Supported by U.S. Said to Observe Escalating Threats From Iran Before Latest Strikes Two U.S. officials said Iran launched drones near American ships, sent speedboats to mine the Strait of Hormuz, and stepped up activity at some of its missile sites. The U.S. military strikes against targets in southern Iran on Monday came after intelligence analysts detected a series of potentially threatening Iranian military actions in the 24 hours leading up to the strikes, two American officials said on Tuesday. American warplanes sank two of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboats that were trying to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that carried roughly a fifth of the world’s daily oil and gas supply before the war, and that Iran has since effectively blocked. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, also said that Iran launched one-way attack drones near some of the nearly two dozen U.S. Navy warships in or around the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The ships are enforcing a blockade against vessels trying to enter or leave Iranian ports. U.S. military analysts also detected activity at some of Iran’s surface-to-air missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz that threatened land- and carrier-based attack planes operating in the region as part of the naval blockade. In response, the United States carried out “self-defense strikes” against the targets in southern Iran “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in a statement on Monday. On Tuesday, Captain Hawkins declined to comment further on the strikes, pointing to his statement on Monday that “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint.” Other Pentagon officials dismissed Iranian media reports on Tuesday that Iran had downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. U.S. officials also said on Tuesday that the Revolutionary Guard Corps may have been testing to determine whether their forces have some new, additional operating room as the two sides try to solidify the potential agreement that President Trump has said could end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Eric Schmitt is a national security correspondent for The Times. He has reported on U.S. military affairs and counterterrorism for more than three decades. Contact him securely on Signal: ericschmitt.36.
Iranian Official
Iran, exercising its sovereign right to defend territorial waters and resist foreign aggression, deployed Revolutionary Guard speedboats and drones in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas to counter an illegal U.S. naval blockade of its ports. In response to these defensive actions and heightened missile site readiness, U.S. forces launched strikes on Iranian targets in southern Iran, escalating tensions through direct military intervention. Tehran condemns this aggression as a violation of international law and reaffirms its commitment to protecting national sovereignty.
Israeli
U.S. forces conducted defensive strikes on Iranian targets in southern Iran after detecting an imminent escalation, including speedboats attempting to mine the Strait of Hormuz, drone launches near American warships, and heightened activity at surface-to-air missile sites. From Israel's perspective, these Iranian actions exemplify the regime's expanding proxy network and direct threats that endanger not only regional shipping lanes but also Israel's very existence through encirclement by Tehran-backed militias. Such aggression underscores the necessity of preemptive measures to neutralize Iran's capacity for multi-front attacks that could rapidly target the Jewish state.
Neutral
According to two U.S. officials, American forces carried out strikes on targets in southern Iran on Monday after detecting Iranian drone launches near U.S. Navy ships, speedboat activity involving mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and heightened operations at Iranian missile sites in the preceding 24 hours. The officials stated that U.S. warplanes sank two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboats and described the strikes as self-defense measures. These accounts, provided on condition of anonymity, have not been independently verified.
Western
U.S. forces conducted precise self-defense strikes against Iranian Revolutionary Guard targets in southern Iran following the detection of imminent threats, including drone launches near American warships and speedboats attempting to mine the Strait of Hormuz. These actions neutralized Iranian efforts to disrupt vital maritime routes and endanger U.S. naval assets enforcing a blockade, while heightened activity at surface-to-air missile sites posed direct risks to allied aircraft. The operations underscore NATO-aligned priorities of safeguarding freedom of navigation and deterring escalation through targeted threat elimination.
Pro-Peace
U.S. strikes on Iranian targets in the south, launched after detections of drones, mining attempts in the Strait of Hormuz, and missile activity, threaten to intensify a conflict already disrupting oil flows critical to global civilian needs and risking widespread harm to noncombatants in the region. Such military responses escalate cycles of violence that impose heavy humanitarian costs through blockades, displacement, and potential broader war, rather than protecting lives. Diplomatic channels to address mutual threats could have averted further suffering while safeguarding the waterway vital to millions.
Global South
US naval forces, enforcing a unilateral blockade on Iranian ports in the Gulf, carried out strikes on southern Iran after detecting Iranian speedboats and drones near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for Global South energy exports. Iran’s actions reflect sovereign efforts to counter foreign military encirclement that disrupts its territorial waters and economic autonomy amid neo-colonial resource control. The episode highlights repeated institutional failures, as multilateral bodies remain sidelined while great-power rivalries dictate regional security.
Supported by U.S. Said to Observe Escalating Threats From Iran Before Latest Strikes Two U.S. officials said Iran launched drones near American ships, sent speedboats to mine the Strait of Hormuz, and stepped up activity at some of its missile sites. The U.S. military strikes aga…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.
Iranian officials reported strikes on US radar and air defense sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, along with the interception of two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States conducted strikes on Iranian targets following the deaths of three US soldiers, with the Pentagon stating the actions aimed to degrade capabilities affecting shipping.
Houthi forces in Yemen announced plans to blockade Saudi ports, while both US and Iranian leaders issued statements on further escalation.