Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes in Persian Gulf; Two Tankers Stopped

Tensions escalated in the Persian Gulf as Iran responded with retaliatory actions, reportedly targeting various locations in southern Iran, including the island of Qeshm and the cities of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar, Konarak, and Isfahan. These strikes are attributed to U.S. forces targeting critical military infrastructure.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed a new wave of attacks following statements by Donald Trump indicating consequences for Iran over the deaths of three U.S. soldiers. CENTCOM stated that the strikes, which occurred early Tuesday, July 21, 2026, targeted "military command centers" and "naval capabilities" of the Islamic Republic. The command also reported hitting missile launch sites and drones, as well as Iranian air defense systems, to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

In parallel, Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced they had stopped two oil tanker vessels navigating the "southern route" in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the official IRNA news agency. One of the vessels reportedly had Greek interests. The Guards stated that the two tankers, which allegedly failed to comply with Iranian orders, were stopped after attacks caused major explosions. Simultaneously, Iranian armed forces announced a missile attack against U.S. HIMARS launchers at the Arifjan military base in Kuwait. Iran claimed to have hit two air defense systems and a radar facility at U.S. positions in Bahrain, along with anti-missile defense radar and satellite communication systems in Kuwait. The Iranian corps statement warned that "the enemy must prepare for waves of drones and missile attacks that are even more decisive and powerful."