US Central Command confirmed American forces conducted defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz after a coordinated attack on three US Navy destroyers. The strikes targeted missile launch sites, command-and-control locations, and intelligence nodes across southern Iran.
No US assets were hit. The USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason intercepted incoming missiles, drones, and small boats before US forces retaliated. CENTCOM emphasized the strikes were purely defensive.
About a fifth of global petroleum passes through the Strait of Hormuz daily. US military assessments say Iran's capacity to strike ships there has been "significantly diminished."
The engagement fits a broader pattern of escalated military activity in 2026, including Operation Epic Fury and a US naval blockade that has redirected over 100 commercial vessels.