politics
U.S. Strikes Target Iranian Sites as Tehran Hits Shipping and U.S.-Linked Bases
U.S. Central Command struck Iranian coastal defenses to enforce a naval blockade. Iran responded with attacks on U.S.-linked sites and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil shipments through the strait averaged 20 million barrels daily in 2024.
Jul 17, 5:00 AM·1m read1 source
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U.S. Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian coastal defense and missile sites to reimpose a naval blockade on Iranian ports, Fox News reported. -linked targets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, plus cruise-missile attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that killed and wounded mariners.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration said oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz averaged roughly 20 million barrels a day in 2024. Reuters reported that Iran is signaling it could use Houthi allies in Yemen to threaten the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
President Donald Trump floated a 20% fee on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and withdrew the proposal the following day. 's International Maritime Organization stated there is no legal basis for mandatory tolls on an international strait under transit-passage rules. Trump convened a Situation Room meeting to consider an offensive wider than the current strikes near Hormuz.
He stated publicly that strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges could follow if Tehran does not return to the table.
