US military says began new wave of strikes in Iran

World

The strikes are aimed to "continue degrading" Tehran's ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US said.

13 Jul 2026 06:06AM

(Updated: 13 Jul 2026 06:31AM)

WASHINGTON: The US military announced a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Sunday (Jul 12), saying it aimed to "continue degrading" Tehran's ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest salvo began at 9pm GMT on Sunday (5am, Monday, Singapore time), US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, adding that President Donald Trump "has directed the strikes to hold Iranian forces accountable".

Tehran condemned the latest wave of US attacks on its territory, saying they had "rendered futile" all the diplomatic efforts of the last few months.

"The US regime has also caused the return of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and disruption of international commercial shipping by openly interfering in the process of Iran implementing the necessary arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz," a foreign ministry statement said.

The new wave of strikes followed an exchange of heavy missile and drone assaults between the US and Iranian forces.

Oil prices jumped on Monday as Iran expanded strikes on Gulf states following attacks by the United States, threatening energy shipments via the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures climbed US$2.67, or 3.51 per cent, to US$78.68 by 2204 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at US$73.89 a barrel, up US$2.48, or 3.47 per cent.

The first wave of strikes, on Sunday morning, was in response to an Iranian strike on a container ship in the critical waterway the day before.

In response, Iran hit Gulf Arab states in an escalating cycle of violence that left the negotiations between Tehran and Washington to end the war at the edge of collapse.

The strikes extended to Qatar, a mediator in ceasefire talks that had not come under attack since April, while the United Arab Emirates, which had not been targeted since early May, said its air defences had engaged missiles and drones from Iran.

In a brief phone interview with Reuters on Sunday afternoon, Trump referred to this weekend's US strikes on Iran. "We're beating them up," he said.

Iranian media on Sunday said there had been missile attacks and explosions around the port of Bandar Abbas, home to military facilities on the strait, and nearby Qeshm Island.

Iran and the US are nearly at the midway point of the 60-day period of their interim deal aimed at reaching a permanent end to the war.

The strait, a key route for the global supply of oil and natural gas and long considered an international waterway, has become a sticking point in negotiations that seem in danger of collapse.

Source: Agencies/co