WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 — The United States and Iran traded military strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday, shattering a monthlong lull and threatening a return to full-scale conflict with global economic fallout.
U.S. Central Command said American strikes across southern Iran on Tuesday targeted air defense sites, radar systems, and maritime assets, following what it described as “attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members.” President Donald Trump said on social media that the U.S. action was retaliation for Iran’s “failed attempt at adding sea mines” to the strait and for missile fire at a U.S. base in Jordan.
Iran, in turn, said it launched missiles and drones at American forces in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and northern Iraq on Wednesday. Officials in those three Gulf countries said their militaries intercepted multiple incoming projectiles, with Jordan’s armed forces reporting they shot down 10 ballistic missiles early Wednesday.
The Iranian military also claimed strikes on U.S. forces at Emirati air bases in the UAE, but no independent or state media in the Emirates confirmed that. ## Civilian toll and dueling blockades Iranian state media reported that one U.S. strike on Tuesday hit a wedding in the southern district of Sirik, killing at least four people, including two children.
CENTCOM spokesperson U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said the command was “looking into” the claim while reiterating that the “U.S. military never targets civilians.” The IRGC said several of its fighters were also killed in the barrage. The flare-up could mark a new phase of economic warfare, with both sides effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carried 20% of global energy supplies before the war began. On Wednesday, the IRGC said two oil tankers exploded after hitting a mine in the strait.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that an Iranian attack had killed two seafarers aboard a Saudi oil tanker on Monday, and urged an end to escalations, respect for international maritime safety, and protection of global energy supplies. ## Energy markets react The renewed fighting has already spiked prices. Wholesale diesel in New York harbor jumped nearly 7% to $4.71 a gallon, and Brent crude oil rose above $95 a barrel on Wednesday.
Brown University’s Iran War Energy Cost Tracker estimates the average American household has spent an additional $735.82 on diesel and gasoline since the war began on February 28, 2026. The strikes came a week after the U.S. Treasury announced new sanctions against Iran, which the Trump administration described as “unprecedented.” Experts saw that move as a pivot from direct military action toward quiet diplomacy, but on Sunday the president ordered the military to carry out strikes near the strait — the first officially acknowledged U.S. actions since July.
The coming days will show whether this exchange remains contained or pulls the wider Gulf region back into a broader war.
