By Daily Times | July 12, 2026
The Middle East has been thrust into a new security crisis after Iran and the United States exchanged major military strikes, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Iran said it launched missiles and suicide drones toward targets in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. Iranian officials described the attacks as part of a broader response to what they called US and Israeli aggression.
The US military announced that it had carried out strikes on more than 140 targets inside Iran. Explosions were reported in several southern port cities, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Bandar-e Deyr, Jask, and Asaluyeh.
Tensions escalated further after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed until further notice”. The Guard also claimed it fired on a vessel attempting to pass through what it described as an unauthorized route.
In a televised address, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed retaliation for the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, whom Tehran says was targeted by the United States and Israel.
“Revenge is the will of our nation,”
Analysts say the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could have major consequences for global energy markets, as a significant portion of the world’s oil shipments passes through the strategic waterway.
Governments across the Gulf have placed security forces on high alert, while airlines and shipping companies are reviewing routes amid concerns that the confrontation could expand beyond Iran and the United States.
Diplomatic efforts are reportedly underway to prevent a further escalation, but military activity across the region suggests that the situation remains highly volatile.
