US Strikes Iran for a Fourth Day; IRGC Retaliates Against American Bases in Bahrain and Kuwait

US forces struck targets inside Iran for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, hitting coastal areas including Bushehr and Bandar Abbas; Washington said the operation aimed to degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping. US Central Command said the naval blockade of Iran's ports was reinstated at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, with more than 20 warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating in the region.

In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) said it targeted US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones. The escalation, the largest since a June ceasefire, has rattled energy markets and heightened concern over disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.