May 2026 United States strikes on Iran
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| May 2026 United States strikes on Iran | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2026 Iran war and US blockade of Iran | |
  | |
| Type | Airstrikes, self-defense (per US) |
| Location | |
| Date | 7 May 2026 |
| Executed by |  United States United Arab Emirates (per Iran) |
On 7 May 2026, the United States conducted several airstrikes on Iran amid the 2026 Iran war ceasefire, attacking several military sites in southern Iran and Tehran. The strikes took place in response to the Iranian targeting of U.S. warships amid Operation Project Freedom and the US naval blockade on Iran.
Background
[edit]On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Iran, assassinating Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and triggering the 2026 Iran war. In response, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. consequently imposed a naval blockade on Iran from 13 April 2026, preventing ships transiting from Iranian ports from leaving the strait, which the US Department of Defense estimated cost Iran $4.8 billion lost in oil revenue by 1 May.[1] On 4 May, the U.S. proceeded with the second stage of the war—Operation Project Freedom—which aims to save 23,000 civilians from 87 countries stranded in the Persian Gulf.[2]
On 7 May, Iranian forces launched several missiles, drones, and small-boat attacks on three U.S. warships as they were transiting the strait, namely the USS Truxtun (DDG-103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115), and USS Mason (DDG-87).[3][4]
Attacks
[edit]In response to the Iranian attacks on its warships, the U.S. said that it struck Iranian military sites in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island. Iran accused U.S. of violating the truce by targeting the Iranian oil tanker and another vessel. It also said the U.S. air strikes hit civilian areas in Qeshm Island, and coastal areas in its vicinity in Bandar Khamir and Sirik. Large explosions were reported in western Tehran.[5] The Iranian military said it targeted U.S. military vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of the Chabahar Port as a response to these incidents.[6][7] The United Arab Emirates claimed that its air defense systems shot down two Iranian ballistic missiles and three drones, moderately injuring three people.[8] On the same day, US said that it carried out strikes on empty oil tankers allegedly attempting to reach Iran.[9]
According to Tasmin News Agency, the United Arab Emirates may have been involved in the strikes on Iran.[10]
Reactions
[edit]U.S. President Donald Trump described the strikes as a "love tap" and insisted that the ceasefire is still in effect.[11] CENTCOM reported that it "eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces, including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes," and "does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces."[12]
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said that "the criminal and aggressor America and its supporting countries should know that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as powerfully as in the past, will give a crushing response to any aggression without the slightest hesitation," and claimed that its response caused "significant damage" to U.S. warships.[13]
Saudi Arabia expressed its disapproval of Operation Project Freedom and denied the U.S. the use of its bases and airspace.[14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Scoop: U.S. blockade has cost Iran $4.8 billion, Pentagon says". Axios. 1 May 2026.
- ^ "Project Freedom paused and Operation Epic Fury 'over': Trump's 48 hours of Iran chaos". The Independent. 2026-05-06. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
- ^ Cooper, Helene; Washington, Eric SchmittReporting from (2026-05-07). "U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets; Iran Says It Returned Fire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Stockwell, Zachary Cohen, Billy (2026-05-07). "US military strikes sites in Iran as countries exchange fire | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fassihi, Farnaz; Baskar, Pranav; Cooper, Helene; Green, Erica L. (2026-05-07). "U.S. and Iran Exchange Fire Amid a Declared Truce". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ "US military strikes sites in Iran as countries exchange fire | CNN Politics". CNN. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ^ "US, Iran clash in Hormuz as war escalates: What happened, why it matters". Al Jazeera. 7 May 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ^ "UAE says air defences intercepted two missiles, three drones from Iran". Al Jazeera. May 8, 2026.
- ^ "US forces strike two empty Iranian oil tankers, Central Command says". Devdiscourse. Reuters. May 8, 2026.
- ^ "CENTCOM carries out strikes on Iranian military facilities | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2026-05-07. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Eichner, Itamar; Ari, Lior Ben (2026-05-07). "Trump: ceasefire still in effect after mutual 'love tap' strikes". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Cooper, Helene; Washington, Eric SchmittReporting from (2026-05-07). "U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets; Iran Says It Returned Fire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Staff, Al Jazeera. "Iran says it attacked US Navy ships after they targeted Iranian tanker". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick (2026-05-07). "Trump shelved 'Project Freedom' after Saudis refused use of bases and airspace". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-05-08.