FLASH
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The escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz area has led to mutual military attacks, casualties, tensions throughout the region and an increase in oil prices on international markets.
The Middle East is entering a new phase of escalation, after the United States launched attacks on Iranian military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran responded with attacks on American targets in the region and on merchant ships.
According to Al Jazeera, US forces bombed a number of targets in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Jask , as well as in the Bushehr area , along the Persian Gulf coast, in the early hours of Monday. These areas are considered strategic for controlling the Strait of Hormuz and are home to Iranian radar stations and military installations.
BREAKING: Fresh, massive strikes reported near Bandar Abbas, Iran.
— سيف الدرعي| Saif aldareei (@saif_aldareei) July 12, 2026
Multiple explosions are rocking Iran's most critical naval port on the Strait of Hormuz right now. The pressure on the IRGC is not stopping. pic.twitter.com/Mp3BOUQXaI
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces had opened fire on merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It said that US aircraft shot down an Iranian cruise missile and a suicide drone.
In response, Iran announced it launched "large-scale" attacks with ballistic missiles and drones against "enemy bases" in the Middle East.
Salvo of Iranian short-range ballistic missiles fired from Jam towards US forces in Bahrain just a few moments ago. pic.twitter.com/FxkGGeMCK3
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) July 13, 2026
Sirens were heard in Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, and in Jordan, where Iran had struck a base housing US MQ-9 surveillance drones the day before. Jordanian authorities temporarily closed Amman airport for security reasons.
At least one victim in Iran
According to the Iranian state news agency IRNA, at least one person was killed and four others were injured in a US bombing in the city of Masar, in southwestern Iran.
Iranian authorities stated that the attack hit a pumping station for irrigation of agricultural lands.
Meanwhile, according to information cited by international media, one of the targets of the American attacks was a senior Revolutionary Guard commander, who was reportedly killed inside an underground command center.
Oil becomes more expensive
Markets reacted immediately to the developments. In the early hours of Monday, the price of Brent crude for delivery in September rose by 3.75%, reaching $78.86 per barrel, while US WTI crude rose by 3.65%, to $74.02 per barrel.
According to Al Jazeera's analysis, if the escalation continues, the price of oil could again exceed the $80 per barrel level, due to the risk the conflict poses to global supply from the Gulf region.
CENTCOM: Goal is to protect free navigation
In an official statement, CENTCOM announced that, on the orders of US President Donald Trump, US forces launched new attacks on Iran with the aim of limiting Tehran's ability to attack civilian sailors and commercial vessels passing freely through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the statement, the US president ordered the operation to hold Iranian forces accountable for their actions.
At 5 pm ET today, US Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The Commander in Chief has directed the strikes to hold Iranian...
— US Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 12, 2026
Iran accuses US of sabotaging diplomatic efforts
Iran's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the US attacks, accusing Washington of destroying efforts in recent months to restore stability in the Middle East.
Tehran claims that the US has violated the agreements reached during the talks and has prevented, through open and covert pressure on Oman, the reaching of an agreement on managing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian authorities also rejected statements by Donald Trump, who had claimed that Iran had accepted a deal, but then attacked a ship with a drone just hours later.
It is worth recalling that US military operations against Iran began last week. Iran responded on Sunday by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching ballistic missile attacks on US positions in the Middle East.
Earlier, Iranian forces had also attacked a Cypriot-flagged merchant ship, claiming it had followed an "unauthorized" route in the Strait of Hormuz. As a result of the attack, an Indian sailor is reported missing.
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