Wednesday saw a new escalation in the confrontation between the United States and Iran: Washington launched another round of strikes on Iranian military targets and reinforced a naval blockade of the country’s ports, while Tehran responded with attacks on U.S. allies in the Gulf and warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until the United States ends its aggression.”
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that U.S. forces struck dozens of military targets in Iran during a seven-hour operation, using fighter jets, drones and ships to deliver precision munitions against missile and drone storage and launch sites, naval assets and coastal defense systems. CENTCOM said the goal was to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten maritime commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Among the strikes, the port city of Bushehr — the site of Iran’s only civilian nuclear plant — was hit in three locations, and a strike on a barracks near Iranshahr in southeastern Iran reportedly killed seven soldiers, according to Iranian military sources.
Iran, for its part, attacked bases and U.S. targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could be extended to other regional oil and gas export routes. Meanwhile, Bahrain said it had intercepted a new Iranian air attack, an Indian sailor missing after the attack on the GFS Galaxy off Oman was confirmed dead, and Iran’s judiciary executed a protester convicted for participation in the January demonstrations.
Below is minute-by-minute coverage:
U.S. says it has redirected two vessels since restarting the blockade
As previously reported, the United States resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports at 16:00 Washington time (20:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
CENTCOM posted on the social platform X that, since then, it has redirected two commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade.
Since restarting the naval blockade against Iranian ports 17 hours ago, U.S. forces have redirected 2 commercial vessels attempting to run the blockade. The U.S. military remains vigilant and prepared to ensure full compliance. pic.twitter.com/E00JAlmBua
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 15, 2026
Iran’s foreign minister attended the former emir of Qatar’s funeral in Doha
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi traveled to Doha to attend the funeral of former Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported.
The minister’s visit to Qatar comes after repeated Iranian strikes on what Tehran described as U.S. targets in the country — the most recent occurring on the Sunday when the former emir’s death was announced.
Qatar has acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran during the conflict.
Indian seafarers account for the highest number of deaths in the Gulf maritime crisis
At least thirteen Indian nationals have been killed and three remain missing in attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf since the conflict began in February, government sources cited by EFE reported — the highest number among identified nationalities. The most recent case, confirmed by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday, reported one sailor dead and ten injured after an attack on the tankers MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa in the Strait of Hormuz, which the UAE attributed to Iranian cruise missiles.
The two ships together carried 30 Indian seafarers out of a total crew of 46. While crew members of Filipino, Thai and Indonesian nationality have also been among the victims, no other nationality has reached the number of Indian casualties. India is also the world’s second-largest supplier of certified seafarers, with roughly 300,000 active workers, according to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.
This string of casualties — including three Indian crew killed in a U.S. strike on the tanker MT Settebello in June and a sailor missing after the attack on the GFS Galaxy — prompted the Indian government to activate a special operation to locate and assist every Indian seafarer transiting the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
/america/mundo/2026/07/15/el-regimen-de-iran-elevo-a-12-anos-la-condena-a-del-britanico-craig-foreman-acusado-de-espionaje/
A drone struck Iraq’s Grand Faw port during the prime minister’s U.S. visit
An unknown-origin drone hit the Grand Faw port on Wednesday without causing casualties or material damage, Iraqi officials said, at a time when Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was in the United States negotiating an economic and investment partnership with Washington.
The General Company for Iraqi Ports said the device crashed in an open area of the port’s container yard in the country’s far south and did not affect workers, equipment or facilities, so operations continued normally. Iraqi security authorities launched an investigation to determine the circumstances, but the statement did not specify whether the drone was launched from within Iraq — where Iran-aligned militias operate — or from Iran amid reciprocal strikes in the Persian Gulf.
This was the first incident of its kind at Grand Faw since the conflict began in late February. The deepwater port, with a draft exceeding 19 meters, is central to Iraq’s strategy to diversify its economy and become a regional logistics hub. The strike coincided with Al Zaidi’s first visit to Washington, where he seeks support to stabilize Iraq, disarm Shiite militias and attract U.S. investment.
U.S. completed a new wave of strikes on Iran from Greater Tunb island
The U.S. military reported on Wednesday that it completed another wave of strikes against Iranian targets that “further degraded Iran’s capability to strike commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.”
CENTCOM said on X that it “delivered precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb island during a 90-minute strike wave.”
/america/mundo/2026/07/15/iran-volvio-a-atacar-objetivos-militares-de-estados-unidos-en-kuwait-y-barein-pero-casi-todos-sus-misiles-fueron-interceptados/
European stocks fall as oil prices rise
European markets fell on Wednesday amid higher oil prices and investor concern over the Middle East conflict. At midday, the FTSE 100 was down 0.2%, the CAC 40 down 0.2% and the DAX down 0.8%, while Brent rose 1.1% to $85.63 per barrel after new U.S. strikes on Iran and the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports.
In Asia, technology stocks led a strong rebound: Seoul rose 6.2% after intraday gains of up to 7%, helped by an 8.8% jump in SK hynix, while softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data eased interest-rate fears. Tokyo, Hong Kong and other markets also advanced, though Shanghai fell 0.3% after China reported weaker-than-expected economic growth.
Positive earnings from major U.S. banks and a U.S. tariff policy shift on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz supported Asian optimism, although IBM plunged over 25% after disappointing results.
U.S. military says it resumed daytime strikes on Iran as part of escalation
The U.S. military said it began a new wave of strikes against Iran at 10:00 GMT on Wednesday.
“The strikes aim to further weaken the military capabilities that Iranian forces have used to attack merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.
At 6 a.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran. The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 15, 2026
Full details available at the original link.
Iran executed a man arrested during January protests
Iranian authorities executed a man on Wednesday who was accused of setting fire to government and police facilities during January protests in Isfahan province, Mizan News — affiliated with the judiciary — reported.
The report identified the executed man as Mohammad Amini Dehaghani, saying the Supreme Court upheld the sentence. Authorities allege that on January 9 he threw petrol bombs at the governor’s office in Dehaghan and at the central police station, and incited others to attack officers.
Official sources cited surveillance footage and the accused’s confession, and said Amini Dehaghani attempted to use a rifle taken from police during the protests.
Oil rises again amid the Middle East military escalation
U.S. benchmark crude (WTI) rose $0.86 to $80.20 per barrel, while Brent advanced $1.15 to $85.88 per barrel.
On Tuesday, oil closed up 2% and reached a one-month high as strikes heightened supply concerns in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Brent and WTI have moved higher in line with the escalation of attacks, but the extent of the rise will likely moderate as the market watches for any change in posture from the U.S. and Iran,” said June Goh, senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities, in comments to Reuters.
/america/mundo/2026/07/15/iran-amenazo-con-cerrar-los-corredores-de-exportacion-que-benefician-a-eeuu-y-sus-aliados-tras-el-bloqueo-de-washington-en-ormuz/
U.S. strikes killed seven soldiers in southeastern Iran, Iranian army says
The Iranian army said it would respond to the strike on the Bambour barracks in Iranshahr, calling it “a cowardly aggression” and promising a decisive response “at the appropriate time,” Tasnim agency reported.
According to the military statement, 13 U.S. missiles struck facilities at the Bambour barracks, killing seven members of the 388th Brigade and wounding others. The army said passive defenses limited the number of casualties.
The statement accused the U.S. strikes of aiming to inflict the maximum number of casualties by targeting lodging, guard posts and accommodation areas at the base.
Death of an Indian sailor missing after attack off Oman confirmed
An Indian national who had been missing following the attack on the merchant vessel GFS Galaxy off Oman has died, his father-in-law confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday. Of the 11 Indian crew aboard, 10 were rescued, India’s Ministry of External Affairs reported on Sunday.
Former Iranian foreign minister urged a ground assault on a U.S. base and taking hostages
Former Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki proposed a ground attack on a U.S. military base in the Middle East with the aim of capturing hostages and bringing them to Iran.
“My proposal is to launch a ground attack on one of the U.S. bases in the region, capture 100 Americans and take them to Iran,” Mottaki, now a member of parliament, said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jordan’s foreign minister discussed Iranian attacks on ships
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he met with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to address regional security issues, including “ongoing Iranian attacks on vessels and countries in the region.”
UN Security Council votes to continue monitoring Houthi attacks in the Red Sea
The U.N. Security Council approved a resolution extending U.N. monitoring of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea for six months.
The measure passed with 13 votes in favor and abstentions from China and Russia, and requires the U.N. secretary-general to submit monthly reports to the Council on the situation.
The Houthi rebel group began attacking ships in the Red Sea in late 2023, saying it targeted vessels linked to Israel in response to the Gaza conflict.
/america/mundo/2026/07/15/el-regimen-de-iran-lanzo-nuevos-ataques-contra-bases-militares-de-estados-unidos-en-jordania-bahrein-y-kuwait/
Iran-linked vessels left the Strait of Hormuz before the U.S. blockade
Ship-traffic data showed an increase on Tuesday in the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, most linked to Iranian trade, ahead of the U.S. blockade set to take effect on Wednesday. Kpler’s records indicate that nine of the eleven ships that crossed that day used the Iranian route.
Among vessels entering the strait were three empty tankers — one Aframax and two larger vessels. On departures, data showed a VLCC carrying 2 million barrels of crude, a medium tanker carrying refined products, and two ships transporting liquefied petroleum gas.
Commercial flow also included a methanol tanker and an iron ore bulk carrier leaving the Gulf on Tuesday.
Jordanian army says it shot down three missiles launched by Iran
Jordan’s armed forces said their air-defense systems intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles that entered Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory. A military statement said Royal Engineers teams secured missile debris at multiple locations, followed safety protocols and secured the affected areas to protect people and property.
The Jordanian military emphasized it rejects any violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty or use of its airspace to threaten its security and said it remains at high aerial readiness.
/estados-unidos/2026/07/14/estados-unidos-lanzo-la-cuarta-ola-de-ataques-contra-iran-y-prepara-el-bloqueo-naval-sobre-sus-puertos-y-costas/
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck Gulf states after CENTCOM’s operation
Iran’s military announced new drone strikes on U.S. military facilities in the Middle East in the early hours of Wednesday amid the latest escalation with Washington. Tasnim agency, linked to the IRGC, said Al Azraq airbase in Jordan — which hosted F-18 aircraft, housing and U.S. equipment depots — was attacked by drones.
The IRGC called the operation “Lightning” and said “the era of getting slapped in the face is over,” warning that any actions against Iranian land, waters or skies would be met with proportional response.
The IRGC also reported coordinated navy and aerospace attacks on a U.S. warehouse at Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain and on U.S. drones at Ali al Salem base in Kuwait. The statement said the IRGC’s navy and aerospace forces destroyed several weapons and spare-parts depots at Sheikh Isa and damaged or destroyed drone launch ramps and multiple MQ-9 drones at Ali al Salem.
Iran: the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until “U.S. ills end”
The IRGC announced that the strategic waterway will remain closed until U.S. actions cease, according to a Tuesday statement. The military accused the U.S. of striking Iranian bases “under the pretext of targeting violator ships” to mask its own failures.
The IRGC added that “no vessel dared to violate [the Iranian blockade] or accompany the United States,” and therefore “there were naturally no impacts” during Iran’s operation.
White House: “Divisions in Iran show success of Trump’s policy”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said internal divisions among Iran’s leaders reflect the success of President Donald Trump’s policy toward Tehran, in an interview with Fox News.
Miller claimed Iran’s leadership faces “huge fissures” after decades of unity and said the U.S. is urging Iran to commit to a peace program and abandon nuclear ambitions.
Pezeshkian vows to defend “every inch” of Iran amid renewed escalation with the U.S.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would defend “every inch” of its territory amid rising tensions with the United States, after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that much of Iran’s military capability had been eliminated. “We will defend every inch of our homeland with our actions,” Pezeshkian told state television.
His remarks came amid intensifying hostilities after U.S. strikes in southern Iran following Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
“His rhetoric continues, but the question is: have they achieved their objectives on the battlefield?” Pezeshkian asked, referring to Trump’s statements and U.S. military actions.
/estados-unidos/2026/07/15/estados-unidos-amplio-las-sanciones-contra-el-sector-petrolero-de-iran-y-apunto-a-una-red-vinculada-al-regimen/