US-Iran War Update: Missile Barrage Like 'The Sky Is Falling'

The conflict between Iran and the United States has reignited after both sides launched attacks throughout Thursday (16/7/2026), marking the largest escalation since last month’s ceasefire began to unravel. According to a Reuters report, the US military announced it had carried out a sixth consecutive strike against Iran with the aim of ‘further degrading Iran’s military capabilities.’ A day earlier, Washington had launched two major waves of air strikes for the first time since the truce, mostly targeting the southern coastal region of Iran. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at several US military bases in the Middle East, including an airbase in Jordan which Tehran claims was used in an attack on a children’s cancer hospital in Iran. Meanwhile, Trump stated on Wednesday that a US citizen detained in Iran had been released as a ‘goodwill gesture’ from Tehran. However, the claim was immediately denied by Iranian authorities. Iran’s judiciary asserted that no American citizen had been released or exchanged from Iranian prisons, according to state media reports. On Thursday night, US strikes hit Qeshm Island and areas around Bandar Abbas, the site of Iran’s largest port and a key base for the Navy and Revolutionary Guard located on the Strait of Hormuz. The Mehr news agency reported that several points in Bandar Abbas were also targeted. Iranian media further reported attacks on three bridges, a railway station in Bandar Khamir, and Iranshahr Airport in southeastern Iran, though Reuters noted it could not independently verify these reports. The latest escalation has disrupted shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global oil and gas trade. Iran has tightened its blockade of the area, while the US has renewed its blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran has also reportedly signalled it could ask the Houthi group in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if Washington continues to attack Iranian infrastructure. Responding to the situation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed that President Trump would not stand idly by in the face of threats to international shipping lanes. ‘The president is not going to sit back and allow this active terrorism to take place on the strait without ensuring Iran faces the consequences,’ she said, while adding that Trump ‘is always open to diplomacy at the same time.’ Meanwhile, Iranian military spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia asserted that US air strikes would not be able to cripple Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that Iran retains the capability to target the strategic shipping route from various points within its territory. Middle East Institute analyst Alex Vatanka assessed that both countries are now ‘back to square one’ and will face a choice between de-escalating the conflict or taking it to a higher level.