US Central Command launched a sweeping military operation against roughly 90 Iranian military sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, 2026. The strikes represent the most significant direct US military action against Iran in recent memory, and they landed squarely on one of the most economically sensitive chokepoints on the planet.
The Strait of Hormuz handles approximately 20% of global oil and gas shipments.
What happened and why it matters
The US operation was a direct response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz around July 6-7. Those attacks breached a fragile ceasefire that had been established in June 2026.
CENTCOM targeted more than 80 military sites, including air defense systems, radar installations, command networks, and anti-ship missile positions. Over 60 small boats belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were also hit in the operation.
