On Sunday, July 12th, 2026, renewed strikes targeted Iran and Kuwait amid ongoing hostilities between Tehran and Washington centered on the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported at least 10 enemy projectiles struck Qeshm Island, located on the strait, while explosions were also reported in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask, and Khuzestan province. One soldier was reported killed in Jask.

Kuwait, where Tehran has repeatedly targeted US installations, stated that border posts and an offshore oil platform had been attacked. The attacks came hours after the third exchange of fire this week between Iranian and US forces, with control over the Strait of Hormuz remaining a critical issue complicating peace negotiations.

US Central Command confirmed it had conducted strikes on approximately 140 Iranian military targets. Meanwhile, Muscat reported rescuing 23 crew members from a commercial ship abandoned after an Iranian attack caused it to catch fire. The crew was found on a lifeboat about 17 kilometers east of Oman, according to the British maritime agency UKMTO.

The conflict over the Strait of Hormuz has intensified since the war began with surprise US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28th, 2026. Tehran insists on controlling the strait, while Washington maintains it cannot allow this. Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the strait would be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in the region, though Iranian sources also stated that traffic was flowing and the strait remained open to lawful vessels.

These developments highlight the fragile and volatile situation in the Gulf, with the vital waterway's status remaining contested amid ongoing military actions.

Sources