US Disabled Tanker in Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran Strikes

US Central Command announced on July 15, 2026, that US aircraft fired missiles into the smokestack of an oil tanker attempting to breach a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. This action occurred as US forces conducted strikes on Iran for the fourth consecutive day. The strikes have targeted Iran's southern port city of Bushehr, which houses the nation's sole civilian nuclear plant, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA and local officials. Mohammad Mozaffari, the governor of Bushehr, stated that three locations within the city were attacked, resulting in the deaths of over 30 civilians in the southern regions of the country. Mozaffari expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and pledged government support, emphasizing the strategic importance of southern Iran.