Executive Summary
The Middle East has entered a phase of direct, high-intensity conflict as U.S. forces conducted a third wave of strikes against Iranian military targets in response to attacks on commercial shipping. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. bases and allied Gulf states, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. The Strait of Hormuz has seen a near-total freeze in shipping traffic after Iran declared it closed and struck the container ship M/V GFS Galaxy. Meanwhile, Israel continues operations in Lebanon and Gaza, and internal Iranian announcements indicate Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will hold a commemoration ceremony for his late father in Tehran this week.
Key Events
- U.S. strikes third wave of Iranian targets: CENTCOM completed a third round of strikes against Iran, hitting 140 military targets overnight, bringing the total to over 300 targets destroyed in three nights of operations aimed at degrading Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping. → link
- Iran attacks Gulf States and U.S. bases: Iran expanded its retaliation, launching attacks against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as well as sites in Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan. → link
- Commercial shipping hit and abandoned: The crew of the M/V GFS Galaxy abandoned ship after an Iranian drone/missile struck the engine room in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the fourth attack on commercial shipping in the waterway since July 6. → link
- Strait of Hormuz traffic freezes: Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed. While CENTCOM asserts a southern transit corridor through Omani waters remains available, shipping traffic has nearly frozen, with only six vessels observed transiting in the last 24 hours. → link
- Kuwait targeted directly: Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense confirmed Iranian attacks on three northern border posts and an offshore Kuwait Oil Company drilling platform, placing their armed forces on high readiness. → link
- Israel applies "Rafah model" to Lebanon: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Southern Lebanon has been treated like Gaza, utilizing the "Rafah model" to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure. → link
Analysis
The collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire marks a severe escalation in regional hostilities. The pattern of tit-for-tat strikes—Iranian harassment of shipping followed by massive U.S. air campaigns—has now spiraled into direct Iranian attacks on Gulf states and U.S. military installations. The near-halt of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz underscores the failure of the southern Omani corridor to fully mitigate commercial risk. With Iranian missile and drone capabilities not fully degraded and Tehran expanding its target set to include U.S. allies, the conflict risks drawing in broader regional actors. Internal Iranian dynamics, such as the upcoming ceremony led by the reclusive Mojtaba Khamenei, suggest a regime consolidating power amid wartime pressures. Watch for potential closure of the Omani transit lane, further Iranian missile barrages on U.S. bases, and Israeli actions in Lebanon and Gaza.
Tweet Feed
US-Iran Escalation & Strikes
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T04:06
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it has completed a third round of strikes this week against Iranian military targets in response to another attack on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM, approximately 140 military targets were struck during the latest operation, including missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition depots, communications networks, and coastal surveillance systems. Across three nights of operations, the U.S. says it has now struck more than 300 Iranian military targets aimed at degrading Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping. CENTCOM also stated that, since early May, U.S. forces have helped facilitate the safe transit of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying approximately 400 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz. → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T03:56
US forces carried out widespread strikes on coastal Iranian sites overnight, hitting 140 targets. https://t.co/UIPqjD77P5 → tweet link
@TreyYingst · 2026-07-11T23:56
TONIGHT: Another round of U.S. strikes against Iran after the Iranians targeted a container vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. → tweet link
@WarMonitors · 2026-07-12T00:08
Pete Hegseth: “Iran made a very poor choice and now they will pay” https://t.co/FxlTc0H8a8 → tweet link
@WarMonitors · 2026-07-11T23:49
⚡️US Strikes on Bandar Abbas as IRGC announces the full closure of the straight of Hormuz https://t.co/9INyhlLn11 → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T01:18
Following an Iranian attack that severely damaged a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, US forces carried out widespread strikes on coastal targets in Iran tonight. https://t.co/1wqrhmh2aB → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T16:27
According to Axios’ Barak Ravid, citing a senior official, the U.S. military conducted a wave of strikes in the last hour against Iranian missile and air defense systems as well small boats at a couple of locations around the Strait of Hormuz. https://t.co/swdeXF5PY6 → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T16:32
Smoke rises from a number of sites targeted by the U.S. military in the last hour on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. https://t.co/4BGDudVuKd → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:19
The Governor of Qeshm says 10 to 11 projectiles has struck the island, all targeting military sites. No casualties reported - IRNA → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:06
Based on local reports, several explosions have been heard from the coastal areas of Qeshm and Bandar Abbas, appearing to originate from the Strait of Hormuz. Smoke has also been seen rising over Qeshm, though the exact location is unclear https://t.co/q3v7wNqf0U → tweet link
@lookner · 2026-07-12T05:17
Iranian official says a military zone in Kohndab was targeted in the US strikes. Khondab is not a coastal city -- it's approximately 250 miles inland from the Persian Gulf. https://t.co/cM94YZ9hGs → tweet link
@lookner · 2026-07-12T04:51
Iranian official says during the US's strikes earlier, the city of Visian was struck twice by enemy airstrikes. Visian is western Iran, roughly 200 miles inland from the Persian Gulf. https://t.co/YIt1iiPo0u → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T01:27
RT @Conflict_Radar: US airstrikes reported in Bushehr, Iran https://t.co/C3vESfY02e → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:55
RT @MoloWarMonitor: During the latest wave of U.S. airstrikes against southern Iran, the Bushehr NPP was also targeted, visible damage can… → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:53
One communications sector manager has been killed and two others injured in an enemy attack on Farvar Island in Bandar Lengeh, Hormozgan Province, Iran’s Mehr News Agency reports. → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:51
Video from Qeshm Island, Iran, following U.S. attacks on the area https://t.co/LozmvC7OAo → tweet link
@jimsciutto · 2026-07-12T03:33
Iranian missile and drone capability decidedly not eliminated by weeks of U.S. strikes. → tweet link
@DefenceGeek · 2026-07-12T10:47
Iran hasn't kept to the MoU at any point... literally all the ceasefire did was give both sides time to rearm and assess their positions... → tweet link
Iranian Retaliation & Gulf State Attacks
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T02:39
Iran has launched attacks on Bahrain, the UAE, and Qatar, in an escalation from previous responses to US strikes. Explosions have been reported over Doha and Abu Dhabi. https://t.co/oZOWbEbBdj → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T04:36
Iranian forces carried out a second ballistic missile attack targeting Al Udeid airbase in Qatar this morning. Multiple explosions were reported as coalition SAM systems fought the raid. https://t.co/bd2MCtdAhg → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:38
Al Udeid targeted by Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBMs). → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:24
More Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBMs), Qatar → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T04:43
Bahrain has come under attack from Iran again this morning, with air raid sirens going off at the moment. https://t.co/9NGKlVKv3q → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T04:55
Iranian drone/missile intercepted over Bahrain a few moments ago this morning. https://t.co/zQF7Z8SBLm → tweet link
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T03:17
Smoke can be seen rising over the (mostly abandoned) US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain after this morning's Iranian missile attack. https://t.co/Qux9Xi3pvo → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T02:42
Sirens are now sounding in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates for a likely incoming Iranian attack. https://t.co/2N23sNfKKf → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:16
Explosions, Bahrain → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:15
RT @Alhadath_Brk: إيران تجدد هجماتها على البحرين وقطر والإمارات والكويت #الحدث_عاجل → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:34
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf: "The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking." → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:27
RT @AJEnglish: BREAKING: The IRGC claims it has carried out a “heavy and surprise” attack on logistics support centres and refuelling platf… → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T00:47
RT @MohamadAhwaze: وسائل إعلام إيرانية مقربة من الحرس الثوري نشرت هذه الصورة وتقول، الصواريخ أطلقت من دولة خليجية وهي متجهة لضرب أهدافها في… → tweet link
Strait of Hormuz & Maritime Security
@Osinttechnical · 2026-07-12T02:06
The crew of the cargo vessel M/V GFS Galaxy have reportedly abandoned ship after it was hit in the engine room by an Iranian drone/missile in the Strait of Hormuz tonight. One crew member is missing, and the ship is on fire. https://t.co/D1nYZQpuQR → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T01:51
Following the Iranian strike on the M/V GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre has said that the crew has now abandoned the ship due to the significant damage the vessel sustained. The crew has embarked onto a lifeboat, per the report. → tweet link
@lookner · 2026-07-12T05:16
Off Oman: container ship hit and afire, crew abandons ship (rescued). → tweet link
@fpleitgenCNN · 2026-07-12T05:01
RT @CNN: Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz is closed after firing a warning shot at a vessel attempting to cross the waterway. Follo… → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T12:25
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced once again that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping, despite Iran's recent claims that the waterway is closed. According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces have helped facilitate the safe transit of more than 800 commercial vessels carrying over 400 million barrels of crude oil since early May. More than 140 merchant ships have transited the Strait over the past week alone. → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T10:19
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) has issued a new advisory stating that the U.S. established southern transit corridor through Omani waters remains open and available to all commercial traffic, despite Iran's declaration yesterday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed. The advisory reinforces that the southern route remains available for use even as regional tensions persist, following recent attacks on commercial shipping and subsequent U.S. strikes against Iranian military targets. → tweet link
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T03:15
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively unchanged despite the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the region. Over the past 24 hours, just six merchant vessels were observed, visible via https://t.co/Y4QTdcQsH7, completing the transit via the Iranian (northern) traffic separation scheme, while none utilized the U.S.-supported southern corridor through Omani waters. The static traffic picture follows Iran's attack on the Cyprus-flagged M/V GFS Galaxy, subsequent U.S. self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets, and reports of air raid sirens sounding across multiple Gulf states as regional tensions continue to escalate. → tweet link
@mercoglianos · 2026-07-12T14:28
Strait of Hormuz conflict escalates as latest Iran strike leaves boxship on fire. ⚓️Iran hits UAE-owned container ship GFS Galaxy in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the vessel on fire and prompting the crew to abandon ship, marking the fourth attack on commercial shipping in the waterway since July 6 ⚓️US responds with a third wave of strikes on Iranian military targets, while Tehran again declares the Strait of Hormuz closed, although merchant vessels continue to transit via the southern route ⚓️Maritime security has been raised to ‘Severe’, with naval authorities advising ships to ignore Iranian radio warnings and coordinate transits with coalition forces where possible → tweet link
@mercoglianos · 2026-07-12T16:04
From the Caribbean to the Black Sea to Hormuz: The Global Conflict No One is Seeing. ⚓Hormuz Crisis: The breakdown of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire after three commercial tankers were struck by Iranian UAVs and projectiles. ⚓The "Fainting Goat" Effect: How the fear of predators in the shipping lanes causes global trade to lock up and freeze in place. → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T13:36
President Trump says Hormuz Strait is open to commercial traffic despite Iran 'closure' → tweet link
Kuwait Targeted
@sentdefender · 2026-07-12T16:42
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense reports that three northern land checkpoints on the border with Iraq and an offshore drilling platform affiliated with the Kuwait Oil Company were attacked earlier today by Iran, resulted in material damage and injuries to one worker on the platform, with a state of high readiness being placed on the Armed Forces of Kuwait. → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:44
A drone has struck a Kuwait Oil Company offshore drilling platform in Kuwaiti territorial waters, injuring one worker and causing material damage - Kuwaiti Army says → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:44
Three land border posts in northern Kuwait have been attacked, causing material damage, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense confirms → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T16:45
Kuwait’s Army Chief of Staff confirms the armed forces remain on full readiness and are taking all necessary measures to preserve the country’s security and territorial integrity. → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T17:36
Six U.S. soldiers who survived the Iranian drone strike in Kuwait accuse Army leaders of ignoring repeated warnings about the base’s vulnerability and positioning troops without adequate drone defenses - WaPo → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T17:10
RT @LayBay_ish: Iran has targeted a former UN Base Camp in Kuwait, claiming US had placed HIMARS MLRS at that location in Abdali, Kuwait → tweet link
@vcdgf555 · 2026-07-12T04:14
Sirens, Kuwait → tweet link
Israel, Gaza & Lebanon
@HananyaNaftali · 2026-07-12T08:05
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Southern Lebanon has become like Gaza, noting that the IDF applied the "Rafah model," destroying Hezbollah infrastructure. Photo by Noam Revkin Fenton/FLASH90 https://t.co/dHdw4F3oC6 → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T13:35
Local media in Gaza report heavy airstrikes a short while ago. https://t.co/pFIQLWXPJ6 → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T17:16
Axios reports that in his final hours, Sen. Lindsey Graham... urged a Senate vote on new Russia sanctions. Trump told Graham he was preparing fresh strikes on Iran after another attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Graham later fell ill, but joked: “I can’t die now,” saying he still needed to pass Russia sanctions, “get Iran sorted out” and achieve Israeli-Saudi normalization. → tweet link
@HananyaNaftali · 2026-07-12T15:00
President Javier Milei supports a proposal to rename "Palestine Street" in Buenos Aires to "Bibas Family Street" in memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. The proposal has not yet been approved, I hope it gets approved soon! 🧡🇦🇷🇮🇱 https://t.co/Zx3rGwrQXb → tweet link
Iran Internal & Diplomatic
@lookner · 2026-07-12T05:50
Announcement in Iran that the Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since he succeeded his father, will hold a commemoration ceremony for his father in Tehran this Tuesday. Unclear if he'll be there in person. (The dates in the post are according to the Persian calendar.) → tweet link
@makrzyz · 2026-07-12T14:15
O! Pojawiły się informacje, że 14.07 w teherańskiej Mosalli odbędzie się ceremonia żałobna ku pamięci zabitego rahbara. Wg. zapowiedzi ceremonię ma poprowadzić (nie)obecny rahbar Modżtaba Chamenei. No, zobaczymy czy go zobaczymy :) → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T18:23
The intelligence that uncovered Iranian preparations to assassinate President Trump during his visit to Turkey came from a Western intelligence service, not Israel, according to Israel's Channel 12. The warning reportedly prompted a change in the presidential aircraft. → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T17:38
Iran planned to eliminate Trump during his visit to Turkey. Foreign intelligence uncovered the plot and warned U.S. officials, leading to Trump’s plane being swapped for his return flight to Washington - Channel 12 → tweet link
@FaytuksNetwork · 2026-07-12T14:34
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry urges all parties to exercise restraint, take steps to de-escalate, and fulfill their commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding. → tweet link