Fresh U.S. strikes on Iran jolt Hormuz and markets

On June 10, 2026, the U.S. military said it began another round of strikes against multiple targets in Iran, marking a second consecutive day of attacks. U.S. Central Command described the operation as a response to what it called Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression and said the strikes began after midnight in Tehran. The targets included air defense systems, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites positioned around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil flows.

The latest wave of strikes followed earlier attacks that Iran said damaged civilian infrastructure. Iranian officials reported that U.S. strikes had hit two water reservoirs in the southern city of Sirik, temporarily cutting off drinking water to thousands of residents, with local figures indicating about 20,000 people were affected. Iranian authorities condemned those reservoir strikes as a deliberate targeting of vital services.

In the wake of the U.S. operations, Iran escalated its own military actions regionally and in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces launched missile and drone attacks aimed at U.S. bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, all of which host American troops. At the same time, Iran’s top joint military command announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed and warned that any vessel attempting to pass through would be shot at.

Reports from the area indicated that Iranian forces fired on vessels seeking to transit the strait after the closure announcement. Iranian media also described explosions in several southern locations following the U.S. strikes, including the strategic port city of Bandar Abbas and the nearby islands of Qeshm and Hengam. Sirik, situated on Iran’s southern coast, was likewise reported hit by what local outlets termed enemy projectiles.

The reported explosions highlighted the concentration of military and infrastructure targets along Iran’s southern coastline. Bandar Abbas, a major port on the Strait of Hormuz, was cited as experiencing blasts near its airport and airbase areas. The islands of Qeshm and Hengam, which lie close to key shipping lanes, were also reported to have suffered projectile impacts during the strikes.

In Sirik, beyond the damage to air defense and related sites, the earlier hits on water reservoirs had direct humanitarian effects. Iranian officials said the strikes on these facilities interrupted potable water supplies, leaving thousands without access until services could be restored. Iranian authorities characterized the incident as a serious blow to the local population’s basic needs.

The confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz reverberated across global financial markets. On June 10, 2026, Brent crude futures (UKOIL) rose to about $93–94 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (USOIL) settled near $90.03, reflecting concern over potential disruption to oil shipments through the region. At the same time, major U.S. stock indexes ended the session more than 1% lower, and the semiconductor index fell around 3.6%, signaling broader investor unease.

Amid the military and market developments, President Donald Trump highlighted ongoing U.S. efforts to maintain energy flows through the strait. He said U.S. forces had been carrying out a secret mission since the previous month to move oil shipments past Iranian forces. Trump claimed that millions of barrels were being moved nightly and that more than 100 million barrels of oil had evaded what he described as Iran’s chokehold on the waterway.