For the ninth consecutive night, the United States launched attacks on Iran’s defense facilities and maritime capabilities, with Tehran responding in kind. Warning sirens sounded in neighboring Gulf countries and Jordan, home to US military bases, as tensions escalated.

Both the US and Iran have accused each other of violating the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 17. US President Donald Trump declared the truce over, while Iran announced it no longer intends to adhere to the MoU.

Amid the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz — a critical passage through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas flowed during peacetime — has been shut by Iranian authorities. This closure has caused crude oil prices to surge once again. Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that during the earlier US blockade, Iran did not export a single barrel of oil.

The ongoing conflict has increased household costs and complicated the political landscape for President Trump and Republican candidates ahead of the November 2026 congressional elections, according to Farzanegan.

Nader Habibi, an Iranian-American economist, described the situation as a "severe shock to the GCC countries," noting that despite efforts to avoid involvement, civilian populations are indirectly affected after seven months of disruptions.

Aniseh Tabrizi, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, observed that since the MoU unraveled, there is "less optimism than before about diplomacy being feasible."

On Sunday, the US military reported the death of another American service member, bringing the total to 17.

Sources