Updated July 12, 2026 at 8:21 AM MDT
The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire for the third weekend in a row, days after President Trump declared that the ceasefire between the two countries was "over."
The latest back-and-forth strikes began after Iran fired at a ship attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. then retaliated, striking multiple sites in Iran.
In a statement reported by state media, Iran's navy said it fired warning shots that hit the container vessel after "several ships attempted to travel along an unapproved route" through the waterway, which is a vital global trade route. The U.S. Central Command said the Iranian shots led to one civilian crew member going missing, and the vessel abandoning its journey thanks to an "onboard fire and significant engine room damage."
Hours later, in a post on X, Central Command said it completed a third round of strikes overnight – hitting 140 targets – to hold "Iranian forces accountable for its attack on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz."
"During three nights of strikes this week, CENTCOM has struck more than 300 targets at the direction of the Commander in Chief to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the strait," it added. "Commercial vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continue."
On Saturday night, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media, "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
On Sunday, Iran said it responded with fire toward Jordan and other Gulf states. The United Arab Emirates and Qatari officials later reported intercepting incoming missile attacks.
Competing claims
This latest round of strikes started Wednesday. Hours after three merchant ships were hit in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military launched new strikes against Iran.
The U.S. has urged ships to use a southern route through the strait that hugs the coast of Oman. Iran has said this violates the memorandum of understanding signed last month between Iran and the United States.
In turn, the U.S. has also accused Iran of breaching the memorandum, saying in a statement: "Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed."
The confusion over the memorandum comes alongside competing claims over whether the Strait of Hormuz is open. Following the exchange of strikes, Iran said it was closing off the strait completely and not allowing any vessels to transit. However, the U.S. Central Command said on Sunday that the strait was open.
Mediators still push for peace
On Saturday, Iran had wrapped up talks with Oman on how to manage the strait. A day later, the sultanate's news agency reported Iranian drones had struck some sites in Oman.
In response to the latest hostilities, regional mediators in Pakistan and Oman have urged diplomacy. Posting on social media on Sunday, Pakistan's deputy foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said he had told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that "dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving disputes."
But top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER" and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later said it had again fired on a ship trying to get through the Strait.
The Iranian strikes follow a defiant message from Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who delivered an address after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in February.
"We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers," the new Ayatollah was quoted as saying.
U.S. congressman reports threats in the West Bank
Meanwhile, with tensions high in the region, California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna raised concerns when he said he was threatened by Israeli settlers during a recent visit to the Occupied West Bank.
Khanna said Israeli soldiers aided the attackers and blocked him from leaving. Posting on social media after returning to the U.S., Khanna condemned what he saw on a visit to the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinians and their villages by Israeli settlers.
Khanna, who says he's considering a 2028 presidential run, described feeling helpless for 90 minutes when Israeli soldiers arrived and didn't assist him.
In a statement, Israel's military told NPR that soldiers did not block the congressman's exit.
According to the United Nations, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the past two years due to Israeli military action and settler violence.
NPR's Carrie Kahn and Emily Feng in Tel Aviv, Nuha Musleh in Ramallah, Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Istanbul, and Robbie Griffiths in London contributed to this report.
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