---
title: "Resumption of Hostilities: US Strikes Iran Amid Closure of the Strait of Hormuz"
description: "🚨 The US has resumed strikes on Iran due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have surged by 11%, and Tehran has called on the Houthis to close the Red Sea. 🛢️🔥"
date: 2026-07-16T19:52:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/resumption-of-hostilities-us-strikes-iran-amid-closure-of-the-strait-of-hormuz
tags: [usa, iran, strait-of-hormuz, jd-vance, trump]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Resumption of Hostilities: US Strikes Iran Amid Closure of the Strait of Hormuz

![US military personnel in camouflage gear with backpacks and equipment prepare for deployment against a backdrop of containers, illustrating the escalation of conflict and US strikes on Iran.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/s-za-blokirovaniya-ormuzskogo-proliva-s-za-nanesli-udary-po-iranu/s-za-blokirovaniya-ormuzskogo-proliva-s-za-nanesli-udary-po-iranu-1.webp)

The situation in the Persian Gulf has sharply escalated. The US has resumed active military operations against Iran in response to the blockade of the critically important Strait of Hormuz. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the US Central Command and Bloomberg, a new wave of attacks began on July 16.

### New Escalation

US strikes were launched on the fifth day after shipping volumes in the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply. According to military sources, the attacks began at 14:00 Eastern Time. The official objective of the operation, announced by Central Command, is "further weakening of Iran's military potential".

In response to the preliminary US strikes, Iran took countermeasures: shelling of US bases in Kuwait and Jordan was recorded. The Kuwaiti armed forces confirmed explosions, noting that they were the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile targets.

### Tehran's Position and Threat to Allies

Tehran is demonstrating resolve and has no intention of retreating in the face of threats. The spokesperson for the Iranian army stated: "As long as the US does not accept the Iranian legal system, this strait will remain closed". This statement came against the backdrop of warnings from US President Donald Trump about possible airstrikes on Iranian power plants and bridges.

The threat of conflict spreading extends beyond the region. Iran has asked its allies — the Houthis in Yemen — to be ready to close another strategic oil route in the Red Sea. Reuters reports that this step could be implemented if the US strikes Iran's energy infrastructure.

### Economic Consequences and Logistics

The situation regarding cargo transit remains tense. Commercial traffic through the strait is now extremely rare. Transit shipments are mainly limited to vessels linked to Iran, which use the northern route approved by Tehran. Meanwhile, Bloomberg notes that some oil cargoes are crossing the strait while concealing their location.

Against the backdrop of the escalation that began last week, the US resumed the blockade of Iranian ports and revoked the waiver of sanctions on oil. The blockade was first introduced in April but was lifted after the signing of a temporary peace agreement.

Economic indicators are reacting to the conflict instantly:

- The Iranian rial has depreciated by 20% over the last month compared to the period of the temporary agreement.

- Brent crude oil prices have risen by 11% and reached a level of around $85 per barrel.

### Washington's Position

Despite active military operations, the US administration is trying to define the boundaries of the conflict. US Vice President JD Vance rejected the assumption that negotiations with Iran are futile. He assured that the US does not plan to deploy ground troops to change the regime.

"We are not going to send 150,000 ground troops to achieve regime change if the people on the ground do not want to achieve this result themselves," Vance stated.

The latest wave of US attacks, carried out from July 15 to 16, targeted military facilities in the south of the Islamic Republic. Although the intensity of the bombings currently lags behind the height of the war in March and early April, the conflict has clearly entered a new phase.