Iran and US exchange military strikes in Strait of Hormuz

Iran has warned the United States that any future attack on Iranian targets will get a "faster, heavier and more painful" response. The warning came on September 6, 2026, after both sides exchanged military strikes in the Strait of Hormuz over the previous weekend. Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships. The US then destroyed three Iranian vessels, one of them near Kharg Island. Iran followed by hitting three tankers and three ships connected to the US. The two countries reached a ceasefire in June, but it has now broken down. US sanctions have badly damaged Iran's economy. The Strait of Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world's oil supply, so the fighting threatens energy markets globally.