Strike disrupts Tehran-Mashhad rail service, railway says

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to a near standstill on Thursday, Bloomberg reported.

Movements that could be observed were largely along an Iran-approved route closer to the northern side of the waterway, the report said, citing ship-tracking data.

The US-supported Omani corridor was quiet, according to the report.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that NATO allies that provided territory, bases or infrastructure for US-Israeli strikes on Iran shared responsibility for the war and its consequences.

Esmaeil Baghaei said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s remarks showed Europe was not impartial in the US-Israeli strikes.

He also accused Rutte of trying to justify NATO’s role through praise for Washington.

Rutte said on Wednesday that new US attacks on Iran were “absolutely necessary” after Washington accused Tehran of violating the ceasefire, adding that the US had to “forcefully react” when Iran attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said NATO allies had supported the earlier US operation in Iran by providing European airports and infrastructure, comments Tehran cited as evidence that Europe shared responsibility for the war.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday that US forces carried out another round of strikes against Iran, targeting about 90 military sites along the country’s coastline in an effort to reduce Tehran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, CENTCOM said the strikes hit air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities and military logistics infrastructure. It said the latest operation followed strikes the previous night and came after Iran attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the command.

"CENTCOM forces hit approximately 80 Iranian military targets July 7, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats, to impose heavy costs for Iran violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz," it added.

The White House is preparing for a possible multi-day or even multi-week exchange of fire with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, with the duration and intensity of the escalation depending on Tehran’s next moves, Axios reported, citing US officials.

A US official said that parts of Iran’s leadership were unhappy with recent developments and “started shooting,” prompting Washington to respond with a stronger military response. The official said the US was willing to wait for a deal but would not accept an agreement that did not meet its demands, the report added.

The report said the current escalation could last from “a day or two” to “a week or a month,” depending on whether Iran continues attacks on commercial ships in the strategic waterway. It added that a campaign that began with efforts to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear program has evolved into an open-ended confrontation over one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday its naval and aerospace forces carried out a joint missile and drone operation targeting US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, adding that "key infrastructure and facilities at the bases were hit."

The statement said the strikes targeted Arifjan and Ali Al Salem bases in Kuwait, as well as Juffair and Sheikh Isa bases in Bahrain. The IRGC warned that further US attacks would lead to additional responses against American bases in the region.