Trump Directs 12 Nights of Strikes Against Iranian Targets

Military hostilities between the United States and Iran escalated on July 23, 2026, following the collapse of a June ceasefire memorandum. Under the direction of Donald Trump, the United States military conducted 12 consecutive nights of strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure in the southern provinces of Khuzestan, Hormozgan, and Bushehr. U.S. forces struck missile and drone storage, air defense assets, and the Shalamcheh border crossing, where reports indicate two deaths and 11 injuries. The Iranian Ministry of Health reported a cumulative toll of 53 killed and 592 wounded from attacks between June 27 and July 31.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Army launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against U.S. military facilities in Jordan and Kuwait. Iranian forces claimed to have destroyed MQ-9 drones and Patriot missile systems at bases including Camp Arifjan and King Faisal. The IRGC stated these actions were retaliation for U.S. strikes, specifically citing deaths at the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab.

The conflict expanded to maritime corridors as Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz completely closed. Simultaneously, Iranian-backed Houthi militants imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, striking two oil tankers in the Red Sea. President Trump responded to the shipping disruptions by threatening to destroy power plants or bridges in Tehran.