Overview
- U.S. Central Command said American aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar after the Singapore‑flagged M/V Ever Lovely was hit by a drone on June 25.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and state officials said they retaliated by striking U.S.‑linked targets and launching drones that Bahrain reported struck its territory on June 27.
- Maritime authorities reported a tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, raised threat levels and expanded a route near Oman to allow two‑way traffic through the southern channel.
- The incidents are the first direct exchange of strikes since the June memorandum of understanding and deepen disputes over who controls routes, fees and verification in the strait.
- The clash is raising costs and risks for shippers and insurers, could disrupt oil and gas flows, and is heightening urgency for technical talks and mediators to prevent a wider escalation.