U.S. forces have completed a new round of strikes against the Iranian regime, targeting military command centers, missile-and-drone launch sites, maritime assets and air-defense systems, U.S. Central Command said on Tuesday.
The strikes, carried out at 9 p.m. ET on Monday (4 a.m. Tuesday in Israel), were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 21, 2026
The command added that commercial traffic through the strategic waterway continues, noting that since early May U.S. forces have helped facilitate the transit of about 900 vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil.
“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the statement concluded.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a new round of strikes against Iran earlier Monday, marking the 10th consecutive night of U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic, according to CENTCOM.
“At 4 p.m. ET, U.S. forces began a new round of strikes against Iran at the commander in chief’s direction,” CENTCOM stated. “The strikes are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The latest operations came after a deadly weekend for U.S. forces, including the deaths of two American service members in an Iranian attack. Trump vowed earlier on Monday that Iran would face significant retaliation for any American military deaths.
“Every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over,” Trump stated.
The U.S. government early on Tuesday issued a “worldwide caution” alert, warning that the security situation remains “complex” and that Iran and its terror proxies may target American interests overseas.
“Due to heightened tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” according to the statement.
“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions,” it continued. “Please monitor embassy and consular security alerts, local authorities, and the news for breaking developments. Americans outside the Middle East should reconsider travel to and through the region.”
The statement noted that U.S. diplomatic facilities, including those outside the Middle East, have been targeted.
“Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world,” it added.
In a separate development underscoring Western concerns about Iran’s long-term nuclear ambitions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges into tunnels deep inside Pickaxe Mountain near the Natanz nuclear complex last fall, a relocation Israeli and U.S. officials say could allow Tehran to reconstitute its nuclear program despite heavy American and Israeli strikes on three main nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June 2025.
