Operation Epic Fury

Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy exposes the limits of destruction - opinion

Airpower temporarily shattered Iran’s arsenal, but the Hormuz Strait proved a harsher truth: the real fight is over the narrow corridor where even a weaker force can bend global power to its will

STRAIT OF HORMUZ, OMAN/IRAN -- JUNE 16, 2026: 01 -- Maps4media-processed Sentinel-2 satellite imagery shows a broad overview of the Strait of Hormuz, including the Musandam Peninsula, nearby islands, coastal shallows, and the narrow maritime corridor linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
A drone view shows vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 15, 2026.

Strait of Hormuz traffic plunges as Iran, US blockades restrict energy shipments

IDF soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, published July 15, 2026.

Iran warns non-compliant ships away from Hormuz, reportedly offers reward for killing Trump's son

An Iranian flag flutters in the wind as ships remain anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on May 16. Negotiations between the US and Iran over opening this critical waterway have largely stalled.

Iran made billions of dollars, bypassed sanctions amid US blockade, top official Rezaee claims


Could Iran invade Kuwait? New threats raise fears of wider Middle East war

“The central danger is miscalculation. The conflict could become region-wide with very little warning,” founder of Q Advisory John Keith King said.

CCTV footage shows fire and smoke rising following a strike on Kuwait International Airport, in Kuwait City, Kuwait June 3, 2026, in this screengrab from a video.

Trump says US prepared for intensified strikes on Iran as Tehran continues attacks on Gulf states

Iranian financial evasion network sanctioned by US Treasury • Saudis strike Yemen's Hodeidah port • US military disables tanker trying to breach blockade of Iranian ports

U.S. Sailors signal an F/A-18E Super Hornet on the deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) as the aircraft carrier transits the Arabian Sea.

Trump says he is close to launching 'massive attack' on Iran, 'bigger than ever before'

"I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it," the US president told Axios.

US President Donald Trump speaks at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, US, July 15, 2026.

Iran regime change 'back on the menu' for Trump as diplomatic pressure falters - report

Notably, any attempt to topple the regime would carry substantial risks, as Iran has survived decades of sanctions, internal protests, covert operations, and external pressures.

Iranian parliament members chant in support of the IRGC while wearing military uniforms in Tehran, Iran, February 1, 2026.

Israeli cities open bomb shelters from Eilat to Karmiel, prepare for possible escalation with Iran

“A situation assessment found that the risk of missile fire from Iran over the weekend has increased and is no longer negligible,” said Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen.

 People take shelter in an underground train station in Ramat Gan, during ongoing missile attacks from Iran, February 28, 2026.

Rubio: Trump will take a 'head for an eye' if Iran doesn't stop firing at US interests in Mideast

Regarding US President Donald Trump’s position on how to deal with Iran, Rubio stated that Trump will take “a head for an eye,” and make Iran "pay a heavy price."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila on July 23, 2026.

'Everything was in ruins': Iran's FM Araghchi describes surviving Israel's opening strikes

Iran's foreign minister says he survived Israel's opening strikes after narrowly escaping a compound where senior officials had gathered, while acknowledging serious security vulnerabilities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart following a meeting in Baghdad on June 28, 2026; illustrative

Trump threatens to hit Iranian bridges, power plants, any time shots fired in Strait of Hormuz

"The US will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those located next to, or in, the capital city of Tehran," Trump said.

US President Donald Trump gestures as he participates in a bilateral meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, July 14, 2026.

Trump warns of stronger strikes against Iran as regime continues attacks across Middle East

Oil tankers turn around, avoid Red Sea following warnings by Yemen's Houthis • Israel, Lebanon delegations to meet in Rome on August 4 for new negotiations round

Boats float near the coast of Bab el-Mandeb, Yemen, April 2, 2026.

Pentagon confirms some 100 soldiers wounded since US-Iran fighting renewed, majority back on duty

Parnell stated that updates regarding wounded and killed soldiers would be posted to the Pentagon’s online database, which currently shows 14 dead and 427 injured since the beginning of the war.

A US Air Force F-16 fighter jet refuels during a patrol over the Middle East, pictured in an image shared by US Central Command on July 12, 2026.