The military confrontation between the United States and Iran escalated sharply on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, as both countries exchanged heavy fire over control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. While U.S. President Donald Trump backtracked on his initial threat to impose hefty transit fees on ships using the strait, he warned of expanded airstrikes targeting Iran’s power plants and bridges next week if Tehran fails to agree to a peace deal. Overnight U.S. strikes reportedly killed seven Iranian military personnel in the country’s southeast and left over 260 people wounded, with Iranian government officials reporting that more than 30 people have been killed in American airstrikes over recent days.
In retaliation, Iran launched a series of aerial barrages targeting U.S. military installations and allied nations in the Gulf. Both Kuwait and Bahrain confirmed they successfully intercepted hostile Iranian drones and missiles during the early hours of Wednesday. Amid the regional spillover, a tragic development was confirmed off the coast of Oman, where the body of a 30-year-old Indian sailor and marine engineer, Heramb Karmarkar, was recovered by the Omani coast guard after his vessel, the GFS Galaxy, was attacked on Sunday.
