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The denial followed a 24-hour kinetic exchange that both capitals have now described in official channels. On August 30 the command said U.S. forces struck two IRGC launchers on Iran’s Larak Island after Guard forces were observed preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait. CENTCOM said the raid was both limited and precise.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, the command spokesman, said U.S. forces struck two launchers and remained prepared to protect commercial traffic. He also said U.S. forces were monitoring the area closely and remained prepared to protect the free flow of commerce through the waterway.

Iran Claims Civilians And Fighters Killed, Responded By Firing Ballistic Missiles At Air Bases In Jordan

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On the same date, Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, concluded a 10-day trip to the Middle East that included a visit to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Arabian Sea.

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Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao stated on August 14 that USS Abraham Lincoln will return home soon as part of a planned rotation. The second Gerald R. Ford-class carrier has now completed the acceptance phase that follows builder’s sea trials.

The CENTCOM commander’s itinerary included meetings in six partner nations and direct contact with the strike group that has sustained combat flight operations and blockade enforcement.

The planned rotation of Abraham Lincoln sets the formal end state for a deployment that began in November 2025.

CENTCOM Commander Middle East Trip

Adm. Brad Cooper completed a 10-day trip to the Middle East on August 15. He met senior civilian and military leaders in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and spent time with deployed U.S. service members.

More than 50,000 American service members are operating across the Middle East supporting various missions.

Ashore, Cooper recognized exceptional performers, reenlisted troops, and oversaw the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve leadership transition on August 11 in Jordan, where Maj. Gen. Kevin Lambert transferred authority to Rear Adm. Liam Hulin.

At sea, Cooper visited USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) for the second time in 2026. He previously visited in February with U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

On this trip he addressed the entire Lincoln team, thanked the crew for dedication and courage, met junior service members, and awarded individuals.

He stated the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is “a strong team of high-achieving Americans standing tall with immense, justified pride in everything they accomplished” and that “History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era.”

Blockade enforcement continued in parallel. As of August 14 CENTCOM reported 62 commercial vessels redirected, 3 disabled, and 2 boarded. Preceding daily updates listed 55 redirected as of August 11 and 59 as of August 12.

Assessment: The commander’s schedule links political-military engagement with six partners to direct contact with the principal carrier force on station.

The visit coincides with the official confirmation of a planned rotation for Abraham Lincoln, underscoring command attention to both mission continuity and crew welfare at the end of an extended deployment.

CVN 79 Acceptance Trials

HII Newport News Shipbuilding announced successful completion of acceptance sea trials for John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).

The carrier returned to the shipyard after further testing and evaluation of important ship systems and components at sea. Builder’s sea trials had been completed earlier in the year between January 28 and February 4.

Derek Murphy, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs, stated: “It is an honor to take Kennedy to sea to demonstrate the quality work and commitment by our shipbuilders. This critical set of sea trials is a testament to the entire nuclear shipbuilding enterprise and the work of thousands across our country to prepare CVN 79 to join the fleet.”

The trials assembled Newport News Shipbuilding personnel, John F. Kennedy sailors, and Navy personnel. With acceptance trials complete, the next step is preliminary acceptance enabling the Navy to begin underway test and evaluation of the ship’s unique systems.

CVN 79 is the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Portfolio Acquisition Executive Maritime and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao both noted the milestone on August 15-16.

The carrier departed Newport News Shipbuilding on August 12 to begin the acceptance sea trials. No public Board of Inspection and Survey summary of discrepancies or technical findings has been released by the Navy as of August 16.

Assessment: Successful acceptance trials remove a major pre-delivery gate. If preliminary acceptance follows without significant open discrepancies, the ship moves into Navy-led testing on the path to March 2027 delivery. If major system issues surface during the next phase, schedule pressure increases on the Ford-class pipeline.

CVN 79 Fact Sheet

The future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is the second ship of the Gerald R. Ford class. Official Navy acquisition reporting and shipbuilder statements provide the following verified status as of the completion of acceptance sea trials.

• Percent complete: 97 percent as of April 2026 (U.S. Navy Selected Acquisition Report).

• Current cost baseline: Raised in December 2025 from $12.936 billion to $13.529 billion.

• Builder’s sea trials: Conducted 28 January – 4 February 2026. Successfully exercised propulsion, navigation, combat systems (including the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar), medical spaces, galley, and other habitability areas.

• Acceptance sea trials: Completed on August 15. The ship returned to Newport News Shipbuilding after testing and evaluation of key systems and components at sea.

• Advanced Weapons Elevators: Seven of eleven elevators completed. These seven provide access to all weapons magazines and support continued crew training and certification while the remaining four are finished.

• Key systems still receiving upgrades: Component upgrades to the Advanced Arresting Gear and to the jet blast deflector emergency lowering systems.

• Radar configuration: Equipped with the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (AN/SPY-6(V)3), which was exercised during builder’s trials.

• Next formal step: Preliminary acceptance by the Navy, after which the Navy begins its own underway test and evaluation of the ship’s unique systems.

• Projected delivery: March 2027 (fiscal year 2027).

• Public discrepancy list: No Board of Inspection and Survey summary of findings from the acceptance trials has been released by the Navy as of August 16.

Assessment: The combination of 97 percent completion, successful builder’s and acceptance trials, and seven operational weapons elevators places CVN 79 on the path to preliminary acceptance.

Remaining work on the Advanced Arresting Gear, the final four elevators, and jet blast deflector systems continues to drive the March 2027 delivery target. Release of the INSURV findings will provide the next measurable indicator of schedule risk.

USS Abraham Lincoln Deployment and Planned Return

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The unit will employ one-way attack drones consisting of unmanned systems operating from above, on, and below the sea. Military support staff from the United States and regional partners will operate the systems.

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Falcon Strike follows Task Force Scorpion Strike, established by CENTCOM nine months earlier as the U.S. military’s first dedicated one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East.

Scorpion Strike recorded the first launch of an aerial attack drone from a U.S. Navy warship in December 2025. The squadron employed one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and used unmanned attack vessels in strikes on Iranian port facilities in July.

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In Oval Office remarks, Trump noted vessels are allowed or denied according to U.S. decision, that traffic is open for non-Iranian destinations, and that Iran is “broke” with inflation exceeding 300 percent. He added that occasional Iranian mine drops are found and removed.

Trump addressed Iranian representatives’ request for compensation for damage from the five-month conflict on the same day, and instructed U.S. negotiators to demand compensation from Iran for individuals killed or wounded in past conflicts, including the USS Cole, and for Iranian protestors he numbered at 52,000 in the recent period plus hundreds of thousands over 50 years.

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A follow-up statement extended the demand to damages and deaths in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza.

CENTCOM has issued no public release confirming a full-strait mine sweep as of 10 August. Iranian officials continued to link any reopening of the strait to U.S. acceptance of conditions that include compensation, lifting of the blockade, and related measures.

Iran Says It Controls The Strait And It Won’t Re-open Until US Ceases “Illegal Actions”, Compensates For Damages

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei reported on 10 August that reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains contingent on the United States ceasing what he termed illegal actions, lifting the siege, and compensating for damages.

Baghaei noted that talks with Oman on a shipping-route map were progressing, though technical issues on a joint statement remained unresolved, and that maritime services would normally involve payment.

Iranian officials have repeatedly claimed Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz. Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said in early July that the strait is under Iranian control, not that of CENTCOM.

Iranian leaders, including advisers to the Supreme Leader and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked bodies, have described the waterway as subject to Iranian administration, requiring vessels to use Iranian-designated routes, and have rejected parallel or non-Iranian corridors.

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, established by Iran, has issued statements requiring permits for passage and stating Iranian management of traffic and services.

On Inflation Data Claims

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The agreement, signed on August 7 at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.

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Fidan, speaking at Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk, said the pact does not name any common threat and that no country is a target so long as it does not attack a member, adding that Iran is not a target of the agreement.

A committee of ministers similar to NATO’s, along with a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, will be formed, with operational details set at the first committee meeting. Fidan added that Egypt may join once certain technical matters are resolved, consistent with President Erdoğan’s vision of expansion beyond the three signatories.

The joint statement issued by the three governments after the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence described the agreement as one that strengthens collective deterrence against any act of aggression and enhances all aspects of defense cooperation among the three states.

It noted the agreement builds on longstanding historical ties, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests, and prior defense cooperation.

Turkish officials have said the arrangement complements existing alliances, including Türkiye’s NATO membership, and does not replace them.

Saudi statements have similarly described the pact as focused on building sustainable capabilities rather than establishing a military axis or sectarian bloc.

Official Remarks Place the Agreement Against Regional Military Activity

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The action targets currency exchange houses and shell companies that helped Iran access oil revenue and evade sanctions, and was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13902, which targets persons operating in Iran’s financial and petroleum sectors, and advances National Security Presidential Memorandum 2.

This is OFAC’s eighth action in 2026 targeting Iran’s shadow banking apparatus. Treasury designated the following:

• Titan Exchange (also operating as Titan Land Petrochemicals Trading L.L.C and Titan Energy Petroleum Products Trading Co. L.L.C)

• Alps International L.L.C-FZ

• Saeed Ghasempour of Shahr Bank

• Shima Sharifi and Peivand Mohammad of FSAQ

• Amir Hendi

• Oviedo Overseas Company Limited

• Cailafang Pte. Ltd.

• Blue Dash General Trading Company Limited

• Gleaming HK Trading Limited

• Aydeniz General Trading L.L.C

• Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani

Titan Exchange held tens of millions of dollars on behalf of Shahr Bank as of early 2026. Alps International enabled hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions in multiple currencies in 2026.

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Baghaei noted mediators may convey messages from the American side regarding regional developments, but no negotiations are under way.

Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said Iran had halted its retaliatory operations after the United States stopped its attacks. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump is giving talks “some space” and “a little bit of room.”

Akraminia said Iran’s strategy had been retaliatory and that operations were halted once U.S. strikes stopped. Iran continued to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz and reported ongoing bilateral discussions with Oman on navigation management.

On July 27, Esmail Baghaei addressed a weekly press briefing in Tehran and said claims Iran had requested negotiations with the United States are fabrications circulated by the other side. He added that Iran’s priority remains defending its sovereignty.

Iranian state-affiliated media reported Baghaei’s additional comments that the United States had “betrayed diplomacy” by violating a prior 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Baghaei further noted that the only ongoing talks are with Oman and are focused on creating the necessary arrangements regarding the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran will not allow the United States to determine the time of war and peace and will defend itself for as long as necessary.

The United States conducted no airstrikes on Iran for a second straight night after operations that began in early July. Iranian forces likewise conducted no attacks on U.S. bases or regional partners after July 24.

The final night of strikes by the United States, marked as the 13th consecutive night completed on July 23 at 9 p.m. ET, targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities.

Baghaei said Iran and Oman held discussions on July 24 and 25 on mechanisms for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while respecting the sovereign rights of both coastal states. He said the waterway remains closed under Iran’s management authority.

Iranian state media reported that six vessels attempting unauthorized transit were turned back on July 27. On July 26 Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that several rounds of negotiations were held in Tehran on Friday and Saturday between deputy foreign ministers of the two countries.

The two sides exchanged views on shared principles and operational mechanisms for ensuring the safe passage of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz while respecting the sovereign rights of the two littoral states.

The talks were constructive and had yielded progress. The Omani delegation left Tehran on Saturday afternoon, but technical and political consultations between the two sides are continuing.

No changes have occurred in the status of maritime traffic through the Strait. Baghaei clarified that these bilateral talks had no relation to the United States.

White House: President Trump Prefers A Diplomatic Solution But Continues To Retain All Options If Iran’s Hormuz Activities Persist

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Baghaei described the discussions as useful, noted that the Omani delegation departed Tehran on Saturday evening, and said technical and political consultations continue. He emphasized that no change has occurred in the current maritime traffic situation in the strait.

The announcement came while the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in full effect. As of the most recent U.S. Central Command update on July 25, forces had redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to transit to or from Iranian ports or coastal areas, disabled 2 that did not comply, and boarded 2 to verify compliance.

• On July 25, CENTCOM forces completed a verification boarding of the Comoros-flagged tanker M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea; the vessel continued its journey.

• On July 24, forces disabled the Mozambique-flagged tanker M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the crew attempted to violate the blockade multiple times and ignored repeated warnings; the ship is no longer transiting to Iran.

Progressive tallies released by CENTCOM recorded 7 redirected and 1 disabled as of July 20, 8 redirected and 1 disabled as of July 21, 9 redirected and 1 disabled as of July 22, 12 redirected and 1 disabled as of July 23, and the July 25 figures of 12 redirected, 2 disabled, and 2 boarded.

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The office called on all media outlets to exercise precision, rely on official sources, and refrain from circulating unverified information or information attributed to anonymous sources.

The claims at issue held that Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi had delivered a U.S. cease-fire proposal to Iranian officials during his official visit to Tehran. No named official on either the Iraqi or U.S. side has publicly affirmed that such a proposal was prepared or conveyed.

Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi returned to Baghdad on July 24 after concluding an official visit to Tehran on July 23. The visit included meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and head of the judiciary Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i.

Four agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed covering international road transport of goods, a railway link from Kermanshah-Khosravi-Khanaqin to Baghdad, twinning between the Baghdad Municipality and Tehran Municipality, and government administration and human resources training.

U.S. Presidential Envoy Amplifies Iraqi Statement, CENTCOM Reports Carrying Out Strikes On Iranian Military Targets

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The development follows discussions between Israel and Lebanon in Rome the prior week. The United States stated it will continue working closely with both parties to implement the Framework.

Trilateral Framework Provisions and Pilot Zone Structure

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U.S. assets targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks to further diminish Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

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CENTCOM stated that its forces “remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready” under direction from the Commander in Chief.

On the same day, U.S. military personnel recovered unidentified remains at the site of the July 17 Iranian attack in Jordan following a thorough search.

An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing, with identities withheld out of respect for the families during notification.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to the press at Joint Base Andrews on July 19, stated that the only reason the U.S. is conducting strikes is against assets of Iran that are being used to attack global commercial shipping.

He said the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and that the United States is involved not just in protecting those ships but in targeting the places from which they launch these missiles and drones.

Rubio added that as long as Iran insists on controlling an international waterway, the United States is going to have to respond.

Maritime Warnings, Iranian Claims and Strike Activity

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that it carried out a wave of retaliatory strikes on U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

The command stated that its forces began the July 15 wave at 10:00 a.m. UTC (1:00 p.m. local Gulf time) and completed it at 11:30 a.m. UTC (2:30 p.m. local Gulf time), a 90-minute action against coastal defense systems and cruise-missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island, a small Iranian-held island near the mouth of the strait.

CENTCOM tied the strikes to degrading Iranian capabilities used against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The morning wave came a day after the July 14 strikes and the restart of the blockade of Iranian ports, when the command carried out an additional strike round at 7:00 p.m. UTC (10:00 p.m. local Gulf time), resumed a naval blockade of Iranian ports at 8:00 p.m. UTC (11:00 p.m. local Gulf time), and completed a seven-hour strike over dozens of targets.

About 17 hours after the blockade restarted, CENTCOM reported redirecting two commercial vessels that attempted to run it, the first count of vessels turned away since the blockade resumed.

The strikes and blockade have run alongside a series of attacks on shipping that each side attributes to the other.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Ministry attributed a July 14 cruise-missile strike on two UAE-flagged tankers to Iran, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has framed its own operations as retaliation for the U.S. campaign.

July 15 Morning Strike Wave

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On July 14, CENTCOM began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran. The command stated that these strikes will continue imposing costs on Iranian forces and reduce their capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The previous wave of strikes on July 12 targeted Iranian military air-defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, and small boats, and included the first combat employment of one-way attack sea drones by U.S. forces against a submarine and ship maintenance facility at Bandar Abbas Naval Base. CENTCOM stated that the strikes “degraded Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial shipping.”

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The M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship with IMO number 9401271, was attacked by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces approximately nine nautical miles east of Oman on July 11.

One civilian crew member remains missing, and the vessel suffered onboard fire and significant engine-room damage that prevented it from continuing its journey. The vessel had its Automatic Identification System switched off at the time of the incident.

Third Consecutive Night Of Strikes On Iran Targeting Air Defense Systems, Coastal Radar Sites, Missile and Drone Capabilities

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One civilian crew member is missing and the vessel sustained significant engine-room damage and an onboard fire that prevented it from continuing its journey.

Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all traffic until further notice and until the end of U.S. operations in the region.

Iranian state media, citing the IRGC Navy, stated that it fired a warning shot at a vessel that had deactivated its tracking system and strayed from approved routes. The vessel stopped after the warning.

The IRGC Navy warned that no vessel would be permitted to cross and that any misstep by adversaries would meet a severe response.

M/V GFS Galaxy Attack And U.S. Response

CENTCOM stated that the attack on M/V GFS Galaxy occurred while the vessel was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. One civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel was unable to continue its journey after the attack.

CENTCOM stated the strikes responded to the attack on the vessel and formed part of ongoing efforts to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial ships in the strait. The strikes followed earlier attacks by the United States on July 7 and July 8.

The Iranian warning shot and closure declaration occurred on or around the same date. Iranian state media reported the IRGC Navy action against a vessel that had killed its tracking and deviated from designated routes.

No vessel name, flag, or further identifying details for the vessel referenced in the Iranian statement have been released in open sources. No casualties or damage from the warning shot itself have been reported.

These events follow attacks on three commercial tankers on July 6-7 that the United States attributed to Iran and that prompted prior U.S. retaliatory strikes.

U.S. Position

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CENTCOM reported more than 20 U.S. Navy warships patrolling waters across the Middle East on the same day. The three commercial vessels struck included the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Rekayyat, a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker owned and managed by Nakilat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged Wedyan owned by Bahri, and the Liberia-flagged Cyprus Prosperity.

All three were hit close to Oman while traveling on an Omani-proposed coastal transit route that Iran has opposed. The Al Rekayyat was struck by a drone off Limah on the Musandam Peninsula, causing a fire in the engine room that was extinguished with no crew casualties reported; the vessel continued its passage. The Wedyan left a visible crude oil spillage trail in satellite imagery.

U.S. Strikes in Response to Shipping Attacks

On July 7, U.S. Central Command forces began launching strikes against Iran. CENTCOM stated the action responded to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and described the Iranian actions as a violation of the ceasefire.

The strikes targeted more than 80 sites, including Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait.

Locations included Qeshm island, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Bandar Mahshahr. Iranian state media reported explosions in those areas and stated that one IRGC Navy member was killed during a confrontation with a US drone in Bandar Mahshahr.

The attacks on the vessels occurred after the United States revoked a temporary license authorizing Iranian oil sales that had been part of the interim agreement framework.

Iranian Retaliatory Strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait

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The strikes came as U.S. and Iranian negotiators continued talks under the framework the two governments signed June 17 to end Operation Epic Fury and reopen the strait to commercial traffic.

A Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas tanker caught fire after being struck near Limah, Oman. A Saudi crude oil tanker was hit exiting the strait near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, and a third tanker sustained minor damage near the Musandam Peninsula.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) and the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) each reported “no casualties or environmental impact” from the three incidents.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the attacks and held Iran responsible.

The U.S. Treasury Department revoked the license authorizing Iran to sell oil on international markets, and CENTCOM reported its forces struck Iranian targets that evening. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a formal statement calling the U.S. actions violations of the memorandum ending the war.

Early on July 8, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the American strikes, and Kuwait’s military said its air defenses were confronting the missile and drone attack, the first Iranian fire on U.S. positions in the Gulf since the late-June stand-down.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry told the Gulf states hosting U.S. forces they would be complicit in any aggression against Iran and said its forces would “target the source and origin of the aggression,” while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated Washington had violated the memorandum and Tehran raised the prospect of halting the talks held since June 17.

The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which the two governments signed June 17, followed more than three months of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran that began February 28 and an April ceasefire that repeatedly came under strain.

A new round of fighting had also broke out June 26-29, when Iran struck two ships in the Hormuz corridor, U.S. forces struck ten Iranian targets, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired missiles at U.S. positions in Kuwait and Bahrain before the stand-down took hold.

Fire Aboard Qatari LNG Tanker as Three Vessels Struck in One Day

The Joint Maritime Information Center’s Update 068, covering the period through July 7, listed three attacks that day, each involving a tanker struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the strait.

The first, logged as UKMTO Warning 080-26, struck a tanker on its port-side engine room roughly eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, igniting a fire as the vessel traveled southbound out of the strait.

UKMTO and JMIC withheld the vessel’s name. The location, vessel type, and timing are consistent with Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, which said its LNG tanker Al Rekayyat was struck near the strait the same day, though neither UKMTO nor JMIC has published a name linking the two directly.

A second incident, UKMTO Warning 081-26, struck a very large crude carrier on its port side roughly 16 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, as the vessel exited the strait; JMIC’s summary states the vessel proceeded to its next port of call with no crew injuries reported.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the tanker struck that day as its crude oil carrier Wedyan, and reporting citing UKMTO places the Wedyan strike at the same Khor Fakkan location JMIC lists for Warning 081-26.

The third incident, UKMTO Warning 082-26, struck a tanker approximately six nautical miles east of the Musandam Peninsula, Oman, at 1:05 p.m. UTC.

UKMTO’s own warning attributes the strike to an unknown uncrewed aerial vehicle; JMIC’s Update 068 table describes the same warning number as a strike from an unknown projectile.

Neither UKMTO nor JMIC named the vessel; U.S. Central Command’s July 7 press release identified the third vessel struck that day as the Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity, alongside the Marshall Islands-flagged Al Rekayyat and the Saudi Arabia-flagged Wedyan.

Assessment: UKMTO’s warning for the Musandam-area strike attributes the weapon to a UAV, while JMIC’s own table entry for the same warning number describes an unknown projectile; the discrepancy between the two documents from the same reporting chain remains open as of July 8.

The distinction matters for attribution, since a UAV and a surface- or air-launched projectile point to different launch platforms and, potentially, different points of origin.

CENTCOM’s press release named the vessel as the Cyprus Prosperity but did not identify the weapon, so a corrected UKMTO or JMIC advisory is the most likely source to settle which system was used.

Qatar Summons Iran’s Deputy Ambassador, Reserves Right to Respond

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Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei issued immediate public responses criticizing the event and linking it to broader U.S. regional policy.

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Explosions were reported in Bahrain and Kuwait that day, with air sirens activated across Bahrain and Kuwait’s army stating it intercepted what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks.

Central Command (CENTCOM) stated it conducted strikes on Iranian military targets including surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and mine-layer capabilities near the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation responded to continued Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.

IRGC Navy Command Statement on Strait of Hormuz and Regional Bases

The IRGC Navy Command statement said, “The blind firing of America at Sirik does not solve the mystery of our dominance over the strait, but our firing at the violators reminds the rest of the vessels of the clear path of passage. The American bases in the region are in a different situation. They will experience hell in these days.”

Assessment: The statement asserts Iranian dominance over the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. strikes near Sirik and separates the account of American bases for distinct treatment.

Reported Explosions and Air Defense Activity in Bahrain and Kuwait

Press TV, the Iranian state broadcaster, said explosions were heard in Bahrain and Kuwait on June 28, with air sirens sounding across Bahrain. Similar reports came from other regional media.

Bahrain’s authorities activated warning sirens citing potential targeting of U.S. military bases. Kuwait’s army stated it intercepted what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks, with blasts from defenses heard nationwide.

No official casualty or damage figures from Kuwaiti or Bahraini government sources were identified.

Regional media described the events as part of Iranian retaliatory actions following U.S. strikes on Iranian targets near Sirik and Qeshm.

CENTCOM statements from the same period described recent U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets in response to an attack on a commercial vessel in the strait.

IRGC Claim of Joint Missile and Drone Operation

The IRGC reported that it conducted a joint missile and drone operation with its Navy and Aerospace Force. The claim specified targeting eight important U.S. military facilities and infrastructures at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the Fifth Naval Fleet in Port Salman, Bahrain.

The operation was described as a decisive response to recent U.S. aggression, with a warning that any further enemy aggression, even against minor targets, would receive a crushing response.

CENTCOM statements from early June described prior Iranian missile launches toward Kuwait and Bahrain that were intercepted or fell short, with U.S. and partner forces defeating multiple ballistic missiles and drones.

No new CENTCOM statement specifically addressing the June 28 claims was identified in our intel sweep.

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• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the drone attacks by Iran that targeted Bahrain. It also called the attacks “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and a threat to its security and stability.”

• Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on June 27 strongly condemning the Iranian drone attacks on Bahrain as “a blatant violation of its sovereignty and international law.” The Kuwaiti ministry noted that continuation of the attacks undermines ongoing regional de-escalation efforts.

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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated it had targeted US-linked positions in Bahrain in response to US strikes on Iranian missile, drone, and radar facilities and warned that if repeated, its response will be broader.

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The official CENTCOM release detailed the strikes as a response to the ship attack and noted that the action violated the existing ceasefire. The IRGC said that it targeted U.S. positions within the region in response.

Iranian state media, including Nour News and Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), said at least three explosions heard near the coastal city of Sirik in Hormozgan Province on June 26, consistent with the targeted locations.

The attack on the vessel occurred on a new United Nations-backed route along the Omani coast.

Iran had issued warnings that vessels not obeying its designated routes would be “dealt with,” according to Iranian state media.

Attack on M/V Ever Lovely

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