Trump Orders Massive Airstrikes as Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran have engaged in a severe military escalation centered on the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Following an attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Cyprus-flagged container ship GFS Galaxy, which left one Indian crew member missing, President Donald Trump authorized multiple waves of precision strikes. U.S. Central Command executed a campaign targeting over 300 Iranian military sites, including air defenses, radar stations, and naval facilities in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island. For the first time, the U.S. deployed combat sea drones to strike Iranian submarine and ship maintenance facilities.

In response, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed until further notice and launched a wide-scale barrage of missiles and drones against U.S. military assets in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Oman. These retaliatory strikes targeted the Al-Udeid Air Base, the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, and logistical centers in the Port of Duqm. In Qatar, falling debris from interception operations injured three people, including a child.

The conflict follows the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February, with his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing vengeance. The violence has effectively collapsed a June 17 memorandum of understanding intended to end the war. While Donald Trump asserted the strait remains open and claimed the U.S. is "taking over" the waterway, the IRGC maintains a blockade. The instability has driven Brent crude oil prices toward $80 per barrel and sparked global market volatility. Despite the hostilities, mediators from Qatar, Oman, and Pakistan continue to pursue a diplomatic solution.