Al Jazeera

By Enes Abuomer and Zaid Sabah

    The US launches “powerful strikes” against Iran after attacks on three ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, including Qatari and Saudi Arabian tankers.

    Tehran’s military has promised a “crushing response” as Iranian media reported explosions in the port city of Sirik, in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.

    The US also revokes a waiver that allowed Iran to sell oil under an interim peace agreement signed between Washington and Tehran on June 17.

    The coffin of Iran’s slain supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, arrives in the Iraqi city of Najaf for a funeral procession.

‘This is a very precarious moment’

    Harlan Ullman, the chairman of the Killowen Group and a retired American naval officer, has described the ongoing US-Iran escalation as “very serious” warning it could widen into a regional war.

    “This is a very precarious moment and anything could happen including an escalation,” he told Al Jazeera.

    “We’ll wait and see what happens in the next few days, but this is very, very serious. Yet it’s in the interest of both sides to keep the lid more or less on because a major regional war is in nobody’s interest.”

    Ullman, who blamed Iran for the ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, said the assaults reflected a deliberate strategic calculation by Tehran. He noted the attacks coincided with the multi-day funeral for the slain Iranian supreme leader as well as the NATO summit in Turkiye.

    “My view is that Iran is taunting the United States,” Ullman said, arguing that Tehran likely believes Washington will find itself limited in how it can respond, because any counterattacks could risk hitting funeral processions across the country – something that will be seen as a war crime internationally.

    “Iran is doing this for premeditated reasons, I believe, and that is to advance its position in negotiations by putting further pressure on the United States,” he said, adding that the tensions will likely drive up global oil prices, which in turn “is going to exert further pressure” on US President Trump.

IRGC says it downed US MQ-9 drone over Bushehr

    IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohbi says the force’s air defence systems shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Khormuj in Iran’s Bushehr province, according to Tasnim News.

    Mohbi said the drone was hit and brought down following what he described as aerial aggression by the US military.

Kuwait says responding to ‘hostile missile and drone attacks’

    The Kuwaiti army has announced that it is responding to “hostile missile and drone attacks” and has urged the public to adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions.

    The military confirmed in a statement that any explosions heard across the country were the result of successful interceptions.

Air raid sirens blare across Kuwait

    The state-run KUNA news agency says air raid sirens have been activated across the country.

    We will bring you more as soon as we get it.

Flights resume at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport

    The IRIB state broadcaster says flight operations at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport has returned to their normal schedule from 5am local time (01:30GMT).

What we know about the US attacks on Iran

    US CENTCOM says the military operations began on Tuesday in response to Iranian fire targeting three civilian-crewed commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has neither confirmed nor denied carrying out those attacks.

• CENTCOM says its forces hit more than 80 targets, including air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and anti-ship missile capabilities. More than 60 IRGC small boats were also targeted, it said

    Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across strategic locations in southern Iran, including the port city of Sirik, Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, and Kharg Island.

    Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster said “most of the attacks” targeted civilian areas, and that shrapnel from a projectile at the Sirik commercial pier wounded several people.

    Iran’s Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters strongly condemned the strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” and warns that Iran’s military will deliver a “crushing response.”

    It also said it will not allow any outside interference in the Strait of Hormuz, declaring that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers is the route designated by Iran.

Air raid sirens activated in Bahrain

    The Ministry of Interior has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”

    We will bring you more updates as information emerges.

Ghalibaf says ‘the era of bullying and extortion is over’

    More from the Iranian top negotiator.

    “The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere,” he wrote on X. “We don’t fold.”

Ghalibaf accuses US of ‘major violations’

    Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has listed several “major violations” of the MoU by the US in a post on X.

    He said these are: “Violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait”, “persistent threats of further strikes”, “reinstating oil sanctions”, “attacks on southern Iran” and “continued Zionist aggression” on Lebanon.

Iran vows to respond as US strikes on Sirik leaves casulaties

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    We have a statement that just came in from the joint military headquarters of Khatam al-Anbiya in response to these attacks.

    The military came out to say that this is a sign of lack of commitment by the US to the MoU. They came out to say that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a crushing response to the aggression and terrorist act of the US and will not allow them to interfere in the affairs of the Strait of Hormuz.

    And also, they reiterated that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz is the route determined by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    This statement came after we received reports about several strikes happening in different locations, at least three locations in the southern areas of Iran, including six sounds of explosions in Qeshm Island, which is the largest island in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

    Also in the Sirik port which oversees the strait, we’ve got reports of between seven to nine strikes taking place, leaving several people injured and who were taken to hospital in Minab. Also, in Bandar Abbas, we’ve got at least 10 explosions, with several wharfs targeted and also a telecommunication tower that was said to be attacked.

Iran warns of ‘decisive actions’ to safeguard national security

    We can now bring you more from the Iranian reaction to the latest developments.

    Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in a post on X, denounced the US’s decision to revoke the waiver on Iranian oil exports and condemned the recent US attacks on the country.

    He said the actions constitute “blatant violations” of Article 1, 2 and 10 of the Islamabad MoU between Tehran and Washington.

    The US has repeatedly violated the MoU, “due to the actions of the Zionist regime in Lebanon and threatening statements against Iran”, he said, referring to Israel’s attacks in Lebanon.

    “Iran, while issuing a serious warning regarding the consequences of America’s breach of the agreement, will take decisive actions to safeguard its national interests and security,” he added.

Iran’s military pledges ‘crushing response’ to US attacks

    The Khatam-al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has strongly condemned the US strikes in southern Iran, labelling them a “blatant act of aggression” that took place during the funeral procession of the former supreme leader’s body in Iraq.

    In a statement, the military warned that Iran’s military will deliver a “crushing response” to the US actions.

    The military said Iran will not allow any outside interference in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

    “It is reiterated that the only safe passage for commercial ships and oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz is the route designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the military added.

US says its forces ‘remain prepared to hold Iran accountable’

    We have more from the CENTCOM statement.

    It identified the three vessels that came under attack on Tuesday as “Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity”.

    It described the attacks as “unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces” and said they are “a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation”.

    It added: “CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed.”

US says 80 targets hit in latest round of attacks against Iran

    US Central Command says its forces have completed the latest round of strikes against Iran after hitting more than “80 targets with precision munitions”.

    It said US forces struck Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, as well as antiship missile capabilities.

    More than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the Strait of Hormuz were also hit “to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor”.

    CENTCOM again said the strikes were in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

    Iran, however, has neither denied nor confirmed carrying out those attacks.

US-Iran skirmishes likely without a ‘comprehensive political settlement’

    Sina Azodi, director of the Middle East Studies programme at George Washington University, says the MoU is a ceasefire, not a peace deal, and skirmishes between the US and Iran are likely until a final settlement is agreed upon.

    “This MoU is not a comprehensive political settlement. Rather, it is really a cessation of hostilities between Iran and the United States on all fronts,” he told Al Jazeera.

    “So, as long as we don’t have that peace agreement, skirmishes like this, miscalculations – even accidental fires – have the potential to reignite the conflict between Iran, the US, and quite frankly, the entire region.”

    The MoU has genuine spoilers working against it, Azodi noted, including in Tehran, where some protesters have called for the death of the top negotiators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, some Republicans have also criticised US President Trump over the MoU, he said.

    “Look, I criticised President Trump for many reasons, but I think this memorandum of understanding was a good decision. It was a wise decision to end the war that stops the killing and brings stability to oil markets,” Azodi added.

US sanctions on Iranian oil exports to snap back on July 17

By Mike Hanna

Reporting from Wahington, DC, US

    US officials… say that the attacks on the three ships break the understanding that the US and Iran had, hence Washington is going to reimpose those sanctions on the export of Iranian oil.

    The waiver of the sanctions was introduced with the signing of the MoU, but US officials have continuously said that it was dependent on the behaviour of Iran, and that sanctions would be rolled back as negotiations proceeded and as Iran showed its good faith in committing to the terms of the MoU.

    The US says Iran is not doing so, and hence, it has now reintroduced those sanctions on the export of Iranian oil. This will come into full effect on July 17, according to US officials.

Iran says renewed US sanctions violate MoU

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    Iran sees [the return of oil sanctions] as a violation of the MoU, and that’s something that we heard from the deputy foreign minister of the country, who called it a violation of clause 10 of the agreement.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement condemning this course of action and criticised the US for its untrustworthiness and inconsistency in its positions pertaining to Tehran.

    The ministry criticised the US for the continued breach of the agreement, not only when it comes to this recent decision, but also the attacks by the Israelis on Lebanese territories. This is another important aspect of the MoU that Iranians have been putting emphasis on, calling for the halting of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

    The statement also puts emphasis on the necessity of Iran’s continued control and authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and last but not least, they are also talking about the repercussions of this decision by the US, saying that Iran is going to take firm actions to safeguard their national and security interests in this complicated situation.

Crude prices surge after US strikes Iran

    Oil prices have jumped, and bond futures have slid after the US launched strikes against Iran and reinstated trade sanctions in response to tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.

    US crude futures climbed 2.7 percent to $72.40 per barrel, while 10-year Treasury futures fell by seven ticks as market participants factored in the potential for increased inflation and higher interest rates.

Most US strikes in Iran hit civilian areas, IRIB reports

    The state broadcaster reports that “most of the attacks” by the US in southern Iran have “targeted civilian areas”.