Overview
- U.S. forces, by order of President Donald Trump, carried out precision strikes on Iranian coastal air defenses, radars, missile and drone sites and maritime infrastructure late Monday and into Tuesday, and CENTCOM said it used maritime 'kamikaze' unmanned surface vessels in combat for the first time.
- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missile and drone attacks in response that struck U.S. bases and regional targets and hit commercial tankers in or near the Strait of Hormuz, with the UAE reporting one seafarer killed and several crew wounded.
- President Trump announced the reestablishment of a naval blockade of Iranian ports to control access to the strait and later withdrew his plan to impose a 20% transit fee, saying Gulf states would instead provide trade and investment to cover costs.
- The exchange has sharply reduced tanker transits through the strait, driven oil prices higher and forced shippers and insurers to reroute or reassess risk, raising the prospect of broader supply and cost pressures for global energy markets.
- Diplomatic channels and the June 17 provisional protocol are under severe strain, mediators are urging de‑escalation, and the next risks to watch are further attacks on merchant shipping, strikes on regional bases, and whether Gulf states will agree to the U.S. compensation proposal.