US and Iran trade fire as tensions rise over Strait of Hormuz
BBC News 2026-07-13 04:30:02
Context: The US and Iran have engaged in a series of attacks and counterattacks, escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which around 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes. The exchanges began after the US launched strikes against Iranian military targets on Saturday, prompting Iran to retaliate with attacks on US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. The situation has cast doubt over the future of an interim US-Iran agreement signed in June.
Key Facts
- The US launched a new attack on Iran on Sunday evening, striking dozens of Iranian military targets, including air-defence systems, coastal radar sites, and missile and drone capabilities, with Centcom announcing the strikes started at 17:00 ET (22:00 BST).
- Iranian state media reported that the US strikes killed one person in southwestern Iran, while four were injured, with the deputy governor for security and law enforcement in Khuzestan province, Valiollah Hayati, confirming the casualties.
- Within hours of the fresh US strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had struck US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, marking an escalation in the scale of hostilities.