The US military launched strikes against targets in Iran’s Hormozgan province on July 12 and 13, 2026, hitting locations near Qeshm Island and the port city of Bandar Abbas. Iranian provincial officials confirmed the attacks through state media, noting that no civilians were injured and no significant damage to civilian infrastructure was reported.
Ten to eleven projectiles were involved across the operation, according to Iranian sources. Witnesses described explosions and visible smoke rising from coastal areas, suggesting a coordinated series of strikes rather than a single isolated event.
What the US was actually targeting
US Central Command framed the strikes as a direct response to Iranian military activity threatening freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is not a stretch of water you can afford to ignore. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through it, making it one of the most consequential 33 kilometers of ocean on the planet.
