The United States struck Iranian defense sites overnight, and Tehran retaliated with attacks on neighboring Gulf countries, as President Donald Trump signaled he is considering a major military operation in the Persian Gulf.
The flare-up, now in its second week, centers on control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told Axios that any new action could dwarf the previous “Operation Epic Fury” campaign, which ran from late February to mid-June before a now-fragile ceasefire took hold.
The renewed hostilities began after the U.S. accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of firing on commercial vessels attempting to transit the strait in recent days, breaking the June truce.
U.S. Marines load an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) onto a KC-130J Super Hercules during a training exercise in the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/brx2MF5CID
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 24, 2026
“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said, adding that he knows there would be consequences to such an attack and that a final determination has not been made.
Questioned about Israel, the President said it “would join in two minutes” if asked, but added that “we don’t need anybody.”
Washington believes Tehran is “not ready” to make a deal, despite a diplomatic push by mediators from Pakistan, Qatar and other Middle Eastern countries. Tehran has reportedly rejected a 15-point U.S. cease-fire proposal.
“They haven’t received enough pain yet,” Trump said.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇮🇷 Brent Crude Oil surges 5% to $100 after President Trump threatens “massive attack” on Iran. pic.twitter.com/9obJ4fVkmF
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) July 23, 2026
U.S. Central Command said its forces completed the 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran late Friday U.S. Eastern time.
“CENTCOM targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.”
The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with U.S. military support, the Central Command said in a statement. More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East.
Kuwait, a U.S. ally, said Friday it intercepted hostile drone attacks.
“The General Staff of the Army notes that any explosion sounds, if heard, are the result of air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks,” the Kuwaiti military said in a statement. “Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.”
Iran says it has right to respond to aggression
Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye.
Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response.
Those who contribute to such aggression, whatever the kind of support, will also be considered as legitimate targets.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) July 22, 2026
Iran, meanwhile, said it reserves the right to retaliate against any acts of aggression.
Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Kyrgyzstan, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country “has shown it is not an initiator of any war.”
Araghchi said regional security depended on not using double standards. He said Tehran sees the origin of any act of aggression against Iran as a legitimate target.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with international law, reserves its right to take all necessary measures within the framework of legitimate defense and will consider the source of any aggression against the Iranian nation as a legitimate target for defensive actions by its Armed Forces,” he said.
Separately, Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen targeted Saudi oil vessels in the Red Sea, heightening global concerns over disruption to oil supplies. The attacks underscore the widening regional front in the U.S.-Iran confrontation, with energy markets watching closely for any further escalation.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
