Day 137 | Trump says US to launch more strikes on Iran as naval blockade resumes

Backed by more than 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft, American forces officially resumed the naval blockade against all vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports at four p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday.

U.S. forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 p.m. ET.

There are currently more than 20 U.S. Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain… pic.twitter.com/ATRJHlLQNo

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 14, 2026

• Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted ballistic and cruise missiles, along with dozens of drones.
• Debris from the interceptions caused material damage to civilian and critical infrastructure.
• An Iranian strike on a Kuwaiti naval vessel injured four service members.
• Kuwait's military said it remains on maximum alert to protect national security.

Kuwaiti air-defense forces intercepted a large barrage of incoming Iranian weapons, including one ballistic missile, five cruise missiles, and 33 hostile drones, the Ministry of Defense announced late Tuesday.

The defense ministry issued Statement 72 amid a major escalation of hostilities across the Persian Gulf.

According to Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, all detected aerial threats were successfully engaged and neutralized by military defense systems.

بيان رقم (72)

صرح المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الدفاع، العقيد الركن سعود عبدالعزيز العطوان،

بأن القوات المسلحة رصدت، منذ مساء اليوم وحتى الآن، عدد (1) صاروخ باليستي، وعدد (5) صاروخ جوال، وعدد (33) طائرة مسيرة معادية، وقد تم اعتراضها والتعامل معها.

وأسفر العدوان الإيراني الآثم عن… pic.twitter.com/apW68Huxtd

— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) July 14, 2026

Shrapnel damages civilian sites

While air defenses successfully intercepted the bulk of the assault, the incoming Iranian aggression targeted several vital and civilian installations.

Falling shrapnel from the destroyed projectiles scattered across various locations, resulting in widespread material damage to local infrastructure.

Emergency response teams are currently assessing the impact sites, though no civilian casualties have been reported by authorities.

Naval vessel hit, four injured
The military confirmed that the hostile operation also targeted a naval vessel belonging to the Kuwaiti Naval Force.

The strike injured four members of the armed forces, who were immediately evacuated to receive necessary medical care.

Military officials confirmed the injured sailors are currently in stable condition.

United States Central Command forces began launching a new wave of offensive strikes against Iran at three p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday to degrade military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The pre-emptive military operations come as American forces finalize preparations to officially resume a comprehensive naval blockade covering all Iranian ports and coastal areas, which is scheduled to take effect at four p.m. Eastern Time.

Local residents reported hearing several loud explosions across the city of Ahvaz in southwestern Iran, though the exact locations and origin of the blasts remain currently unknown, according to Iran's Fars news agency.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its aerospace and naval forces have launched targeted strikes using missiles and destruction drones against major military facilities hosting American troops in the Persian Gulf.

In a formal military statement, the IRGC claimed direct hits on the Sheikh Issa Air Base in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, asserting that the operations specifically targeted key military infrastructure, fuel depots, and active air defense assets.

• Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased slightly ahead of the US blockade deadline.
• Trump's deadline for the blockade is set for 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Shipping volumes remain well below pre-war levels.

Commercial vessel traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz experienced a minor uptick in the last 24 hours, according to MarineTraffic data obtained by CNN, as maritime operators rushed to navigate the vital waterway before the onset of a looming American naval blockade.

The localized increase in movement comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time deadline, at which point the US military is scheduled to begin enforcing a strict naval blockade on the chokepoint.

Rush before blockade

According to shipping telemetry tracked by MarineTraffic, at least 22 commercial vessels safely transited the Strait of Hormuz during the 24-hour window preceding the deadline.

The division of ships entering and exiting the Persian Gulf during this critical window included:

Incoming traffic: A total of 14 ships entered the Gulf, comprised of 11 cargo vessels and three oil tankers.

Outgoing traffic: An additional eight ships departed the region, consisting of four cargo vessels and four tankers.

While the figures represent a slight rise in immediate activity as captains race against the clock, the volume remains significantly depressed compared to normal historical levels.

Prior to the outbreak of regional hostilities, an average of roughly 110 commercial vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz daily.

Ongoing military tensions and the threat of active enforcement by the U.S. Navy have kept crossing rates severely subdued for several weeks.

The impending blockade follows President Trump's declaration of a zero-tolerance policy regarding Iranian cargo and port operations, a move designed to completely restrict Iran's maritime trade while keeping the channel open for non-Iranian traffic.

The United States military has launched fresh multiple airstrikes targeting assets inside Iran, executing a powerful retaliatory operation authorized by the US President Trump to degrade Tehran's capability to hit international shipping and allied military installations across the region, a senior US official confirmed to ABC News .

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior has activated emergency alarm sirens across the country, issuing an urgent directive for all citizens and residents to remain completely calm and immediately proceed to the nearest designated safe location.

The siren has been sounded .. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) July 14, 2026

In an official emergency broadcast designated Statement No. 71, Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, announced that the Kuwaiti Armed Forces are actively dealing with and intercepting ongoing hostile attacks targeting the country.

Military leadership issued an urgent directive commanding both citizens and residents to immediately report any fallen debris by dialing 112, while strictly prohibiting the touching, photographing, or social media sharing of any missile or drone fragments to preserve national security and public safety.

This marks the second time in less than an hour that Kuwaiti air defense systems have been forced to engage hostile incoming threats over the capital and surrounding areas.

The rapid succession of attacks has placed military units on maximum alert as interception operations continue across the nation's airspace.

US President Donald Trump said he abandoned plans to impose a fee on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz after receiving offers from countries to invest billions of dollars in the United States.

Trump said he was contacted by “strong partners” who suggested increasing investments in the US as an alternative to the proposed toll.

“We’d love to invest in the United States with billions and billions of dollars, and we would like to invest tremendously in the United States as opposed to charging a fee,” Trump quoted the countries as saying.

Trump said he supported the idea, adding that “I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait.”

He said the proposed charge was intended as “reimbursement” for efforts to protect shipping through the strategic waterway.

US President Donald Trump said Iran had been a major burden on Iraq, accusing Tehran of acting as a regional bully.

Speaking while hosting Iraq’s new prime minister, Trump said Iran would no longer pose the same challenge because it had been “very much destabilised.”

“And really, their military power is just a tiny fraction of what it was just four months ago,” Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US war on Iran, launched as a joint US-‘Israeli’ operation at the end of February, has significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities.

American projectiles have exploded near a power station on Kish Island in southern Iran, forcing the local electric company to warn that multiple production units may need to be taken offline, while simultaneous US strikes on the island's port have reportedly damaged several marine vessels, according to Iran's Tasnim News Agency.

The General Staff of the Kuwaiti Army announced that its air defense systems are currently confronting hostile aerial targets inside Kuwaiti airspace, clarifying that any loud explosions heard across the area are the direct result of mid-air interceptions and urging all citizens to strictly adhere to official safety and security instructions.

Residents have heard the sound of multiple large explosions on the strategic Qeshm Island, located in the Persian Gulf along the vital Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened military activity in southern Iran, accortding to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency.

• Trump announced a comprehensive U.S. naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime trade.
• The Strait of Hormuz will remain open to non-Iranian commercial shipping.
• The administration replaced a proposed transit fee with Gulf investment agreements.
• Trump warned Iran of severe consequences and reiterated it will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States is implementing a comprehensive naval blockade strictly targeting all maritime traffic bound to or from Iranian ports, as well as any vessels carrying Iranian cargo.

In a sweeping statement published on Truth Social, Trump declared that the Strait of Hormuz will remain fully open to all international commercial shipping except for Iran, warning the Islamic Republic's leadership that their current trajectory is leading the nation down a path of "total destruction."

Enforcing blockade, securing oil flow

Trump credited the aggressive deployment of American military might for maintaining global energy corridors, issuing a specific salute to his top defense officials: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, and Commander of United States Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper.

"Oil is flowing like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military," Trump wrote, praising American forces as the most powerful military anywhere in the world. He asserted that the strict blockade is a direct response to the "lying, violent, malicious leadership" of Iran.

The US President added that the clampdown signals an end to regional aggression and domestic crackdowns by Tehran, writing, "The days of Iran killing hundreds of thousands of people, including 52,000 protestors, are OVER and, most importantly, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!"

Scrapping 20% fee for Gulf investment

The announcement marks a dramatic structural pivot in how the Trump administration intends to finance its high-stakes naval operations in the Persian Gulf.

Following what he characterized as "highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership," Trump revealed he has decided to completely drop his contentious plan to levy a 20% maritime reimbursement fee on regional cargo.

In its place, the White House has negotiated an alternate framework: massive, direct trade and capital investment deals flowing from various Gulf States straight into the United States domestic economy.

According to Trump, these agreements will expand upon what is already the largest influx of foreign dollar investment into American history.

The administration expects the incoming capital to fund domestic infrastructure at historic levels, fueling the construction of factories, processing plants, and heavy industrial equipment.

Trump concluded that the economic pivot would ultimately "create additional millions of High Paying AMERICAN Jobs," framing the military and economic maneuvers as a sweeping double-victory for his domestic and foreign policy agendas.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran against launching attacks on ‘Israel’, saying any response would be stronger than previous rounds of fighting.

“The days are over when someone hurts us and we don’t strike back twice as hard,” Netanyahu said during a conference in Dimona in the southern Negev Desert.

Dimona is located near ‘Israel’s’ nuclear reactor, which remains under a policy of official secrecy. ‘Israel’ is widely believed to possess the region’s only nuclear arsenal, although it neither confirms nor denies having nuclear weapons.

Fifty-five Iranian fishermen have been released from custody in the United Arab Emirates, Iran’s embassy in the country said.

The embassy said the fishermen were detained by the UAE coast guard in recent months due to “special conditions” in the region during the war.

Iran has carried out strikes against neighbouring countries, including the UAE, in retaliation for US strikes as Tehran sought to increase pressure on Washington.

The embassy added that it was working to arrange the fishermen’s return to Iran.

Oman has called on all parties involved in tensions around the Strait of Hormuz to respect international law and protect freedom of navigation.

In a statement, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said Muscat “continues its transparent and neutral cooperation with all parties to restore freedom of navigation in the strait fully in line with international law.”

“The Sultanate of Oman reaffirms its full commitment to its obligations as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and calls on all parties to respect international law and act in accordance with it,” the ministry said.

The ministry also condemned Houthi rocket threats targeting Saudi Arabia and expressed support for measures taken by Riyadh to protect its sovereignty, security, and stability.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry earlier issued a similar statement condemning a ballistic missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s southern region.

Iran has hacked mobile networks across the Middle East to track the locations of US personnel and contractors during the war, the Financial Times reported, citing telecommunications data and people familiar with the matter.

The report, based on data from the Mobile Surveillance Monitor research project, said US lawmakers had raised concerns over vulnerabilities linked to roaming systems and smartphone advertising technology.

A person familiar with the matter told the newspaper that Gulf officials suspected Iran or its allies of exploiting roaming agreements with local telecom providers to locate US personnel.

A US official also said actors linked to Iran had used commercially available advertising databases to track phones in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

“Iran absolutely has capabilities to get real-time, immediate and continuous location information,” Gary Miller, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, told the Financial Times after reviewing the data.

Miller added that it would be surprising if Iran were not using mobile network access or SS7 signaling systems in the region to track US users.

The United States froze its removal of refueling tankers from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, amid the ongoing escalation with Iran.

According to the “Israel Airports Authority,” the decision threatens flight cancellations for tens of thousands of passengers.

As many as 50,000 flight tickets could be at risk of cancellation, said the authority, cited by Hebrew media.

In early July, the US military removed some of its planes as hopes for an overarching deal with Iran seemed high.

The US parked around 75 refueling and cargo planes as part of its buildup for the war started in late February.