Tensions in the Middle East have surged again, as Iran launched a large-scale, surprise missile attack on Kuwait on Sunday afternoon, July 12, 2026. According to initial reports, three ballistic missiles struck U.S. Army ground-to-ground ATACMS missile systems stationed in the country.
Early images circulating online show massive plumes of smoke rising into the sky above the impact site. At the same time, unconfirmed reports and social media posts indicate loud explosions were heard near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation — a move that would severely disrupt global energy markets, as nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through this narrow waterway under normal conditions. However, U.S. officials maintain the strait remains open, casting doubt on Tehran’s claim and further complicating diplomatic prospects.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump told CNN in a phone interview that American forces had struck Iran “very hard” the previous night, and that a bilateral agreement had been nearing completion before the latest hostilities erupted. ‘We hit them very hard last night. We had a deal with them yesterday. They were backing down on everything — and then, two hours later, they attacked a ship with an unmanned vehicle,’ Trump said.
This is the second round of clashes between the two nations in less than a week. It comes just weeks after Iran and the U.S. signed a preliminary agreement on June 17 aimed at ending hostilities in the region — a conflict that began with an Israeli-U.S. strike on Iran on February 28. That agreement centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, whose closure earlier in the war triggered sharp spikes in global oil prices.
The strategic weight of the strait was underscored by Mohsen Rezaei, military advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, who told the Iranian news agency ISNA that the passage is ‘more important than dozens of nuclear bombs’ — even as Iran continues to deny pursuing nuclear weapons.
Later on Sunday, Mizan Online — the official news agency of Iran’s judiciary — reported that ‘transit through the Strait of Hormuz is not possible at this time,’ citing unspecified security concerns. The statement adds to growing uncertainty over whether the waterway remains navigable — and whether diplomacy can still prevail.