Iran, US trade fire as new strikes hit Qeshm and Kuwait
Why it matters: The clash centers on the Strait of Hormuz after a commercial ship was set ablaze, threatening oil flows and wider war talks.
Iran and the United States exchanged fire for a third time in a week on July 12 as new attacks struck Iran’s Qeshm and Farur islands and damaged Kuwaiti border posts and an offshore drilling platform. The confrontation followed an Iranian attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz that forced its crew to abandon the vessel after it caught fire. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the strait would be closed until further notice, while US Central Command said traffic was still flowing and US forces were positioned to protect navigation. Iranian media also reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask and Khuzestan, with one soldier reported killed in Jask. Kuwait said one person was injured in the drone strike on the platform.