US Strikes 3 Iranian Missile Areas After Jordan Attack as Tehran Tightens Strait Coercion
Updated
Updated · Daily Kos · Jul 21
US Strikes 3 Iranian Missile Areas After Jordan Attack as Tehran Tightens Strait Coercion
3 articles · Updated · Daily Kos · Jul 21
Summary
US forces hit missile-related sites in Urmia, Tabriz and the Khojir military complex near Tehran on July 19, widening the campaign to Tehran Province for the first time in this phase of the war.
The strikes followed an Iranian missile attack on Jordan that killed 2 US service members and left a third missing, while Tehran also kept pressuring shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has attacked at least 2 vessels in the strait since the last reporting cutoff and is forcing some ships through Iranian territorial waters, adding to disruption as oil again topped $90 a barrel.
The Houthis separately ordered Saudi-bound vessels to turn back on July 20, signaling a potential wider Red Sea shipping crisis that could raise costs and extend pressure on regional trade.
The escalation comes as Washington seeks more than $60 billion for the war and sends additional warplanes to the Middle East, even as some senior Iranian officials worry a longer conflict will deepen economic strain.
Beyond soaring oil prices, could the dual blockade of vital sea lanes trigger a global humanitarian crisis?
With US missile stockpiles critically low, can its military strategy outlast Iran's resilient 'shadow economy'?
As Iran's IRGC now effectively runs the country, are diplomatic off-ramps to end the escalating conflict impossible?
US-Iran War Escalates: 17 US Troops Killed, 50 Iranian Civilians Dead, and Global Energy Crisis Looms Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Overview
In July 2026, the United States and Iran entered a new phase of military escalation, beginning with renewed hostilities and the death of US service members, including Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton in Iraq. This triggered waves of US strikes, while Iran responded with missile and drone attacks that damaged US bases in Jordan, Bahrain, and Qatar, as well as sites in Kuwait. The full extent of US injuries remains unclear, and Iran reported dozens killed and hundreds injured from US attacks. The conflict has rapidly intensified, with both sides suffering casualties and significant damage to military installations.