U.S. and Iranian attacks continue as tensions mount on a key waterway in the Red Sea

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. and Iranian attacks continue as tensions mount on a key waterway in the Red Sea July 22, 20266:46 AM ET By Jane Arraf Commuters walk past a wall mural along the street in Tehran on July 21, 2026. Atta Kenare/ via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Atta Kenare/ via Getty Images The U. military launched more airstrikes on Iran early Wednesday as Iran hit back against U.

military targets in the Gulf and Jordan. Middle East conflict Amid U. -Iran war, Houthis declare a blockade of another key strait: Bab el-Mandeb The attacks overshadowed diplomatic efforts in Pakistan, one of the conflict's mediators, where Iranian Interior Minister Eskander Momeni visited for talks potentially aimed at reviving a collapsed ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

The Details

Central Command said it targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure in its 11th consecutive night of attacks. It said the attacks were aimed at degrading Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping channel. Sponsor Message Iranian state media reported explosions in seven Iranian provinces and said attacks included a strike on an electrical installation close to a nuclear power plant in Bushehr province.

Oil prices rose again Wednesday in the opening of Asian markets, topping more than $92 per barrel for benchmark crude after Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The British military maritime operations center said a tanker was attacked Tuesday in the disputed area. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel in Iranian and Omani territorial waters but open under international law to freedom of navigation.

It has been effectively closed by Iran since the start of the war. Middle East conflict Why is it so hard for the U. Contributing to market nervousness over global oil and gas supplies, Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, declared that Bab el-Mandab, a Red Sea waterway crucial to Saudi Arabia's exports, would be off limits to that country.

What Experts Say

The group also warned international shipping companies to avoid this waterway. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, and to the Suez canal and the Mediterranean Sea. The Houthis' Ansar Allah (Partisans of God) military and political movement controls the north and center of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.

An internationally recognized Yemeni government, supported by Saudi Arabia, controls the south. Sponsor Message The Shia Muslim Houthis are backed by Iran and a key part of Iran's "axis of resistance," which has joined in attacks on U. The Houthi-run news agency said six ships in the Red Sea turned course on Tuesday after it issued the warning.

Commercial shipping trackers said several tankers loaded with Saudi oil backed out of the waterway to avoid attack.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.