Iran Calls the Strait of Hormuz an 'Unbreakable Red Line,' Claims Retaliatory Strikes on US Bases in the Persian Gulf

Iran's military on Thursday, July 16, 2026 called the Strait of Hormuz an "unbreakable red line" and warned it would target "all infrastructure throughout the region" if the United States struck Iranian infrastructure. According to Al Jazeera, Iran said it had carried out retaliatory missile and drone attacks on facilities used by the US military in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan in response to the naval blockade; the Revolutionary Guard claimed it hit a base at Al-Azraq in Jordan. Most of the projectiles were intercepted and there was no independent confirmation of damage to any American facilities.

At the same time, US Central Command continued its strikes on Iranian positions. According to Iran's Health Ministry, at least 35 people have been killed and more than 300 injured since the fighting resumed.

The escalation has kept the geopolitical risk premium elevated in the oil market, holding Brent crude near $85 a barrel, a factor that bears directly on Iran's oil revenue and its currency market.