The United States launched a third round of military strikes against Iran on 12 July after forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged commercial container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the operation began at 7:15 p.m. Eastern Time (4:45 am IST Sunday), ordered by President Donald Trump in his capacity as commander in chief.

The Triggering Incident

The IRGC attack on the M/V GFS Galaxy left the vessel stranded in the strategic waterway, with an onboard fire causing significant engine room damage that rendered the ship unable to continue its voyage. One civilian crew member remains missing following the assault; the nationality of the missing crew member was not disclosed by CENTCOM.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil trade passes, has been a flashpoint for repeated confrontations between Iran and Western naval forces in recent years. This latest incident marks a sharp escalation in what has become a pattern of IRGC targeting of commercial shipping in the waterway.

What CENTCOM Said

In an official statement, CENTCOM said its forces were acting to degrade Iran's capacity to threaten civilian sailors and commercial vessels. 'Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed,' the command stated.

CENTCOM added: 'In response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the strait.' The command did not immediately identify the specific locations struck, the targets hit, or the weapons systems deployed in the operation.

The Memorandum of Understanding

The US military linked the fresh strikes to what it described as Iran's failure to comply with a Memorandum of Understanding — an arrangement under which Tehran had reportedly committed to restraining attacks on commercial shipping. According to CENTCOM, Iran had already been held accountable for earlier attacks on vessels and given additional opportunities to demonstrate compliance before this third round of strikes was ordered.

The existence of such a memorandum suggests back-channel diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran even as military operations continue — a contradiction that raises questions about the framework's enforceability and Tehran's willingness to honour its terms.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This is the third round of US strikes against Iran within a single week, representing an unprecedented tempo of direct US military action against Iranian targets in recent memory. The escalation comes amid already-heightened tensions in the Middle East, with regional shipping routes under sustained pressure.

Analysts will be watching whether Iran retaliates further, whether the Memorandum of Understanding is formally abandoned, and how global oil markets respond to the intensifying conflict around one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. The fate of the missing crew member and the stranded M/V GFS Galaxy also remain unresolved.