US strikes on Iran continue as interim truce collapses over Hormuz dispute

Verified key facts

• Al Jazeera reported US forces struck Iran for a 13th consecutive night, with CENTCOM listing military command centres and maritime capabilities among targets.
• Iran's deputy governor in Khuzestan, Valiollah Hayati, said at least four people were killed, according to Al Jazeera.
• President Donald Trump said he was considering a strike 'bigger than ever before,' Al Jazeera reported.
• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of 'an eye for an eye' retaliation, according to Al Jazeera.

What is happening

United States forces have continued a sustained bombing campaign against Iran, Al Jazeera reported, with strikes running for a 13th consecutive night as of July 23. The US Central Command said it had targeted Iranian military command centres, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities.

Al Jazeera reported that at least four people were killed in Khuzestan province, citing Iranian deputy governor Valiollah Hayati. Explosions were reported in several other provinces. These casualty accounts come from Iranian officials and could not be independently verified.

The campaign follows the breakdown of an interim understanding reached earlier in 2026. According to CNN and the House of Commons Library, the two sides agreed a ceasefire in April. They then signed a memorandum in mid-June intended to end the conflict within 60 days. That process has since collapsed.

How the truce broke down

The House of Commons Library described a 14-point memorandum signed on June 17. It set out talks on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, on Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, and on sanctions relief. Reporting cited in the coverage said the conflict resumed in July after Iran struck commercial vessels that bypassed a preapproved route.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a central sticking point. Coverage of the memorandum noted that its language asked Iran to use 'best efforts' for safe passage of commercial vessels for 60 days, without charge. Iran has interpreted that wording as leaving room for future service fees and continued influence over the waterway.

What Washington says

President Donald Trump said he was considering a strike that would be 'bigger than ever before,' Al Jazeera reported. He has said Washington's exit from the conflict could come either diplomatically or militarily. At a NATO summit, Trump declared the ceasefire 'over' and used disparaging language about Iranian leaders, according to search summaries.

US officials have framed the strikes as a response to Iranian actions against shipping and to stalled negotiations. Vice President JD Vance had earlier said talks in Doha were going well. He confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz was among the issues discussed, according to Al Jazeera's reporting on those meetings. Washington has said it prefers a negotiated outcome but will keep military pressure in place.

What Tehran says

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned that Tehran would retaliate against future attacks, including on infrastructure, with 'an eye for an eye,' Al Jazeera reported. He has described the US strikes as a failure and said Iran would continue to resist. Iran has rejected a temporary deal that does not resolve the Hormuz question, according to search summaries.

Al Jazeera reported that Iran launched drone attacks on US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, and that Tehran said it planned consultations with China and Russia. Iranian officials have also disputed the extent of international access to bombed nuclear sites, an issue that remains unresolved.

During earlier Doha talks, Iranian negotiators said inspectors had access to only two sites, the Bushehr power plant and the Tehran reactor, according to Al Jazeera. Those talks, led on the Iranian side by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, also touched on about $6bn in frozen Iranian funds, the report said.

What is disputed

The two governments disagree over who ended the truce and over the meaning of the Hormuz provisions. Washington points to Iranian strikes on shipping. Tehran points to what it calls US aggression during a negotiating window. Casualty figures on both sides come from the parties themselves and cannot be independently confirmed.

• The US says its strikes respond to Iranian actions and stalled talks.
• Iran says it will retaliate for attacks and rejects a temporary deal.
• The scope of Iran's rights over the Strait of Hormuz remains contested.
• Access to bombed nuclear sites is disputed between Iran and inspectors.

Regional and market impact

The confrontation has rippled across the Gulf. Al Jazeera reported that Brent crude surged past $100 a barrel, the first time in months. Yemen's Houthis attacked Saudi tankers and declared a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping, opening a further front. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the situation was, in his words, teetering on the edge.

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route for a large share of global oil, has been repeatedly disrupted. The wider tension has drawn in Gulf states and raised concern among energy markets and neighbouring governments about the risk of a broader regional conflict.

What next

Mediators, including Qatar, Iraq and Pakistan, have sought to revive talks. Al Jazeera reported that Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal conveyed through Iraqi channels, seeking a settlement of the Hormuz issue first. Both sides say they remain open to diplomacy, but on terms the other has so far refused.

For now, the strikes continue and positions have hardened. Analysts cited in the coverage say a durable settlement would require agreement on the waterway, on Iran's nuclear programme and on sanctions. Whether the parties return to the table or the fighting widens remains uncertain.

Sources

• Al Jazeera
• Al Jazeera (Doha talks)
• House of Commons Library
• CNN