US strikes Iran in second wave, targets Strait of Hormuz defences
Synopsis
The US military launched a second wave of strikes against Iran in a single day, targeting coastal defences and missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz — while Iran's IRGC claimed it hit US bases in Bahrain and Jordan in retaliation. With the confrontation escalating across multiple theatres in under 48 hours, the risk of a broader regional conflict is sharply elevated.
Key Takeaways
US Central Command confirmed a second wave of strikes against Iran at 3 p.m.
ET on Wednesday , targeting capabilities threatening the Strait of Hormuz .
A first wave earlier the same day struck coastal defence systems and cruise missile sites on Greater Tunb Island over 90 minutes .
Iran's IRGC claimed retaliatory strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan , including the al-Azraq base .
The IRGC claimed destruction of shelters housing F-15, F-16, and F-35 jets and MQ-9 drones at al-Azraq, according to IRNA .
The US had conducted an initial round of strikes on Tuesday , hitting dozens of targets over seven hours after resuming a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The US military launched a second wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday local time (early Thursday IST), US Central Command confirmed, targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation marks a rapid intensification of direct military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Second Wave Strikes
US Central Command announced that at 3 p.m. ET (1900 GMT), American forces launched operations for a second wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday. The command stated that the strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier the same day, a first wave of strikes had begun at 6 a.m. ET (1000 GMT). During that 90-minute operation, US forces launched precision munitions against coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island.
Iran's Retaliatory Strikes
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said it conducted retaliatory strikes against US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan, targeting military infrastructure, aircraft shelters, key command centres, and strategic drones, according to local media reports.
The IRGC stated its Aerospace Force struck the US military base at al-Azraq in Jordan, claiming the attack destroyed shelters housing F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets and several MQ-9 strategic drones, according to Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The IRGC alleged that a significant portion of US strikes against Iran were launched from American bases in Jordan.
IRGC Naval Action in Bahrain
In a separate statement, the IRGC said its navy attacked the US Fifth Fleet's facilities in Bahrain, targeting the NSI management centre, military warehouses, the command and control centre, and fuel storage facilities. The IRGC said these strikes were in response to the US deploying naval forces in the Indian Ocean and blocking maritime routes under the pretext of controlling the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRNA.
How the Confrontation Escalated
On Tuesday, the United States conducted an initial series of strikes against Iran after resuming a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the strait. The US military confirmed it hit dozens of military targets — including missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defence systems — near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas, in strikes lasting seven hours.
The IRGC also urged the people of Jordan to end the presence of US forces in their country and prevent its territory from being used as a launchpad for attacks, calling on Jordanians to 'destroy American institutions and expel the occupying US army from Jordan.' The geopolitical fallout is widening rapidly, with regional allies now drawn into the conflict's orbit.
Point of View
And its militarisation directly threatens global energy supply chains, including India's. What mainstream coverage underplays is the Jordan dimension: Amman's implicit role as a staging ground puts a key US Arab ally in Tehran's crosshairs, with unpredictable consequences for regional stability. The pace of escalation — from naval blockade to multi-theatre strikes in under 48 hours — leaves little room for diplomatic de-escalation without a third-party interlocutor stepping in.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the US strike in Iran on Wednesday?
US Central Command confirmed two waves of strikes against Iran on Wednesday local time. The first wave, lasting 90 minutes, targeted coastal defence systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island. The second wave, launched at 3 p.m. ET, targeted Iranian military capabilities threatening vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
How did Iran respond to the US strikes?
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed retaliatory strikes against US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan. It said its Aerospace Force struck the al-Azraq base in Jordan, destroying shelters with F-15, F-16, and F-35 jets and MQ-9 drones, while its navy attacked the US Fifth Fleet's facilities in Bahrain, according to Iran's IRNA.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz central to this conflict?
The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil shipping lane, through which a significant share of global crude exports transit. The US stated its strikes were aimed at Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting the strait, following the resumption of a US naval blockade of Iranian ports there.
When did the current round of US-Iran military confrontation begin?
The current escalation began on Tuesday, when the United States conducted an initial series of strikes against Iran after resuming a naval blockade of its ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it hit dozens of targets over seven hours, including missile and drone sites and coastal defence systems.
Which US bases did Iran claim to have attacked?
The IRGC claimed strikes on the US military base at al-Azraq in Jordan and the US Fifth Fleet's facilities in Bahrain. It said the Bahrain strikes targeted the NSI management centre, military warehouses, the command and control centre, and fuel storage facilities, according to IRNA.
