Overview
- U.S. Central Command said it struck ten targets inside Iran in retaliation for what it called repeated Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, a campaign the command linked to the recent hit on the merchant vessel Ever Lovely.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to U.S. strikes on Iranian weapons storage and coastal radar sites.
- The Ever Lovely reported being struck by an unknown object near Omani waters, U.S. officials told Reuters they believe Iranian drones were used, and Tehran says the ship had used an unauthorized route.
- A memorandum signed on June 18 remains in force for a 60‑day window but is contested because Iran asserts the deal gives it the right to control and demand coordination of transits, leaving rules for safe passage unclear.
- The exchanges have raised immediate risks for crew safety, higher insurance and rerouting costs for carriers, and the possibility that further incidents could widen military retaliation or lead Tehran to condition or charge for future passage.