US Strikes Hit Bandar Abbas, Hormuz Islands on 13th Night; 2 Injured

US Central Command launched a 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran late 23 July, with impacts reported in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and on islands in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media and IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News. Iran said at least two people were injured in the Bandar Abbas strike.

What we know

CENTCOM said it had “begun a fresh wave” of strikes against Iran for the 13th consecutive night, with explosions heard across the country, Middle East Eye reported. The Department of Defense confirmed the operation in a war.gov press release.

Iranian state media, cited by Middle East Eye, said at least two people were injured in a US attack on the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest naval base. Further strikes were reported across multiple locations.

Explosions were also heard on islands in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to Jerusalem Post, citing IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, which claimed the blasts were caused by two US missiles. The Times of Israel confirmed the 13th-night operation and reported that Trump said the US will use frozen Iranian assets to pay for damage to ships and cargo in the region.

What we don’t know

The specific targets in Bandar Abbas, the identity of the Hormuz islands hit, and any damage to Iranian naval assets have not been disclosed by CENTCOM. Whether the Hormuz-island strikes represent a deliberate escalation toward Iranian coastal defense infrastructure — as opposed to isolated interdiction targets — remains unconfirmed. This is a developing story.

Context

Tonight’s strikes come after CENTCOM’s 12th-night operation on 23 July, which introduced a B-1 heavy bomber flown from the UK and hit the Shalamcheh border crossing. Bandar Abbas — the headquarters of Iran’s regular navy and a critical Strait of Hormuz command node — represents a materially different target profile from the border-region and inland sites struck earlier in the campaign.

The Hormuz-island strikes land as President Trump threatened this week to target Iranian infrastructure if Tehran moved to close the strait, and as Brent crude pushed toward $100 on Houthi tanker attacks in the Red Sea, opening a second maritime front.

What to watch

1. Whether CENTCOM confirms the Bandar Abbas naval-base targeting and identifies which Hormuz islands were struck.
2. Iran’s response — particularly any move against commercial shipping transiting the strait — and whether the Bandar Abbas hit prompts a naval-force sortie.
3. Brent crude and gold at the London and New York opens; a confirmed hit on Bandar Abbas naval infrastructure would price a materially higher closure premium.