US strikes Iran after Hormuz attacks, testing 3-week-old peace deal

The United States struck Iranian military positions near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, retaliating for attacks on three commercial vessels that CENTCOM called a clear violation of the June 17 memorandum of understanding. Explosions were reported near Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and the port of Sirik — all locations central to Iran's naval operations in the waterway that handles about 21% of global oil trade.

"The administration has exhausted its patience with Iranian ceasefire violations that directly threaten global shipping," a senior US defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. "Iran had a chance to stop shooting, and they didn't take it."

The Iranian attacks that triggered the US response followed the expiration of a one-week agreement between Washington and Tehran on halting hostilities in the strait. Iran fired at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting Hormuz on Monday night, according to two US officials cited by Axios. The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a tanker traveling south near the Omani coast was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire, with two additional ships also reported hit. All three vessels suffered significant damage, though no casualties were initially reported.

The US Treasury Department separately revoked the general license allowing Iranian oil sales on Tuesday, tightening economic pressure on Tehran simultaneously with the military strikes. The dual-track response reflects Washington's escalating frustration with Iran's compliance record under the memorandum, which had already been under significant strain. Indirect talks in Doha last week ended without meaningful progress, and Iran skipped one round of technical discussions, citing unmet conditions related to access to unfrozen funds.

A Peace Deal Under Pressure

Tuesday's military exchange represents the most serious challenge to the accord signed by Presidents Trump and Pezeshkian on June 17, just three weeks ago. Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had previously warned that Iranian armed forces were prepared to respond to American threats, writing on social media: "No matter how much they talk, it is we who act." Iran's parliamentary security committee spokesman Ibrahim Rezaei told Kurdistan 24 that the era of Iranian restraint was over and that both Washington and Jerusalem should expect "worse and more painful days ahead."

The strikes unfolded as President Trump attended the NATO summit in Ankara, managing a renewed Gulf crisis from the margins of a major alliance gathering. European allies had been waiting for clarity on the state of the US-Iran peace deal before committing their own naval forces to Hormuz operations, with France and Britain having assembled a potential naval mission on standby. The resumption of Iranian attacks and Washington's military response now place that European deliberation in a fundamentally different strategic context.

The last time the US struck Iranian targets in response to Hormuz attacks, in late 2025, Tehran responded with a barrage of drone and missile strikes against US positions in Iraq and Syria, pushing WTI crude above $90 a barrel for the first time in six months. The Strait of Hormuz remains the world's most critical oil chokepoint, with the US Energy Information Administration estimating that 21% of global petroleum consumption transits the waterway daily. A sustained disruption could add $10 to $15 a barrel to crude prices, according to previous estimates from the International Energy Agency, while safe-haven assets such as gold and the US dollar typically strengthen during Gulf escalations.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.