US Central Command strikes Iran for a fifth straight day; coastal defense and missile sites on Greater Tunb Island hit

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 that in a 90 minute wave beginning in the early morning US Eastern time it struck coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island. CENTCOM said the operation marked the fifth consecutive day of US strikes against Iran and was aimed at degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes followed Iranian operations on Tuesday against US allies and installations in the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. The Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of the world's oil, so escalation there feeds global oil prices and, indirectly, Iran's currency and gold markets.