The Middle East has once again become a boiling point, as fresh U.S. airstrikes hit targets inside Iran — marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions. The Islamic Republic reported at least one fatality and four injured following the overnight strikes, while U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed early Monday morning (July 13, 2026) that it had completed a new wave of attacks targeting dozens of sites across Iran.
U.S. Justifies Strikes Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions
This marks the second consecutive night of large-scale U.S. military action against Iranian infrastructure. Washington stated the operations aim to ‘degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial vessels freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz’ — waters the U.S. says Iran does not control. In response, Tehran announced it would once again close the strategic waterway as a retaliatory measure.
According to CENTCOM, struck targets included air defense systems, coastal radar installations, missile capabilities, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) infrastructure, and small naval vessels. The strikes began at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, July 12 — midnight local time in Greece — and were authorized by the U.S. Commander-in-Chief, widely understood to refer to former President Donald Trump, per CENTCOM’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Casualties Reported in Masjed Soleiman
At least one person was killed and four others wounded during early-morning U.S. airstrikes on the southwestern Iranian city of Masjed Soleiman, according to a local official cited by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. Valiollah Heydari, Deputy Governor for Security Affairs in Khuzestan Province, told IRNA the attack targeted an agricultural irrigation pumping station, calling the victim a ‘martyr’.
Tehran’s Regional Retaliation
In retaliation for the U.S. strikes, Iran launched coordinated attacks across the region. Hours after the American operations, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced missile and drone strikes against U.S. military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
IRNA, citing the IRGC, reported strikes on Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan; a U.S. command-and-control center for drones in Bahrain; and the Al Ali Al Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber air bases in Kuwait — both long-standing hubs for U.S. military operations in the Gulf.
The Iranian government condemned the U.S. actions as a severe blow to diplomatic efforts made over recent months, stating the American strikes have ‘nullified’ ongoing diplomatic initiatives.