Trump Resumes War with Iran Amid Regional Missile Strikes

President Donald Trump returned to active conflict with Iran on July 21, 2026, reinstating economic sanctions and naval blockades after a mid-June memorandum of understanding collapsed. The escalation follows a stalemate beginning in March when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has since requested 60 days of additional warmaking authority from Congress and ordered 10 consecutive nights of airstrikes against Iranian military command centers and missile sites.

Iran responded with a series of missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, including Camp Arifjan and the Patriot air defense system. The Iranian military also struck Kuwaiti power and desalination plants and Amazon's data infrastructure in Bahrain. In Jordan, Iranian attacks killed two U.S. soldiers, while further casualties were reported in Iraq. Simultaneously, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps targeted commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, stalling shipping and driving Brent crude oil prices toward $90 a barrel. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen added to the instability by declaring a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.

Despite the hostilities, diplomatic efforts are underway in Islamabad, Pakistan. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir to attempt to revive the failed interim deal. Regional mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Oman have proposed a 10-day ceasefire. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the U.S. remains open to genuine negotiations, the Trump administration has described some ceasefire terms as absurd, demanding guaranteed freedom of navigation first.