The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil, is now quiet due to a growing conflict between the United States and Iran. A recent peace agreement has failed, leading to intense fighting. Global oil prices have risen above $86 per barrel.
For seven nights, American forces bombed Iranian military sites, including naval bases and radar equipment. The attacks have recently focused on infrastructure, with US planes destroying transportation routes near Bandar Abbas, a key port city. Video footage shows a destroyed surveillance facility.
Iran has retaliated with drones and missiles against US allies in the Middle East, such as Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan. In Kuwait, Iranian strikes damaged a water treatment plant, affecting the country's drinking water supply and forcing power conservation. Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace, and flights were delayed.
Neighboring countries are also affected. Iraqi defenses intercepted drones over Irbil, and Jordan stopped Iranian projectiles. The conflict stems from a disagreement over who controls the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to regulate shipping and charge fees, but the US and its allies insist it must remain open to all.
The US has also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and ended an exemption that allowed Iran to sell oil for US dollars. The fighting has caused casualties, with Iranian officials reporting up to 50 deaths and over 400 injuries from recent bombings. US military figures show 14 American troops killed and 427 wounded since the war began.
The conflict escalated after a bombing in February 2026 killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His funeral led to calls for revenge, contributing to the peace process collapse.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iranian civilian infrastructure, a move condemned by international experts and the UN as a violation of humanitarian law. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned that if airstrikes continue, they will switch to offensive actions, increasing the risk of a wider war in the Middle East.