The United States launched a new wave of strikes on Iran into Monday morning, following an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing over the weekend. Tehran retaliated with further strikes on countries across the region.

The fresh US strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump said the American military had “hit them hard,” and claimed that Iran had agreed to a diplomatic deal before it attacked a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. With rhetoric and tensions sky high, an Iranian foreign ministry statement suggested in the wake of the latest strikes that the time for diplomacy was now over.

Despite the escalation in violence, Israel still remained on the sidelines of the fighting as of early Monday morning, without joining the US strikes in Iran nor so far becoming a target for Tehran’s retaliatory bombing. Israel had no part in negotiating the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, which sought to reopen the strait and launch talks as part of a deal that now appears shakier than ever.

In a statement amid a third round of strikes late Sunday night and into Monday in Iran, following separate Iranian strikes on ships in Hormuz, the US military said it was seeking “to degrade” Iran’s “ability to attack commercial ships freely transiting” the strait.

Later announcing that the latest wave of strikes had ended, CENTCOM said it had used fighter jets, ships, aerial drones and naval drones to hit Iran’s air defense systems, radar sites, missile and drone equipment and small boats.

“The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor for global trade,” US Central Command said. “Iran does not control it.” It added: “US forces are postured and prepared to ensure that freedom of navigation remains available to commercial shipping despite Iran’s continued unwarranted aggression, harassment, threats and arbitrary declarations.”

A U.S. Air Force F-35A stealth fighter jet is refueled over the Middle East. U.S. forces are constantly present and ready when called upon. pic.twitter.com/HI4iyrbQAa — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 12, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-35A stealth fighter jet is refueled over the Middle East. U.S. forces are constantly present and ready when called upon. pic.twitter.com/HI4iyrbQAa

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 12,........

© The Times of Israel