After a brief lull in the war with Iran, the conflict has flared up once again after the United States and Iran traded blows with each other on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.
Interestingly, two gas tankers located in the Egyptian port of Damietta were damaged in a drone attack, marking the first attack near the Suez Canal.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 is parked on the flight line at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 3, 2026. Andrews served as a staging location for military aircraft supporting the Freedom 250 celebration while the 89th Airlift Wing provided airfield support for participating organizations. (U.S. Air Force photo by AJ Bleyer)
This attack, along with Iran’s warning to European countries hosting the U.S. military, has raised concerns that the war could escalate and bring other nations into the mix, further expanding the regional war into a much larger conflict.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts have continued to stall despite repeated efforts from Pakistan and Qatar to negotiate a settlement.
More Tit-for-Tat Strikes
Last night, the conflict between Iran and the U.S. reignited after a brief pause as the two sides launched attacks against each other on Tuesday night.
According to U.S. CENTCOM, American forces hit dozens of military targets across Iran, including military command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defense sites, and maritime capabilities.
Iranian sources reported that three people had been killed in an airstrike on Qeshm Island. U.S. and Saudi Arabian forces also carried out airstrikes against Iranian proxies throughout Iraq, which drew some pushback from the Iraqi government, which claimed that its territory had not been used to launch attacks against Saudi Arabia.
An F-35B Lightening II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., stopped at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska en route to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Jan. 12, 2017. The VMFA-121 was the first operational F-35B squadron in the Marine Corps, with its relocation to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Iwakuni. The F-35B was developed to replace the Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B Harrier and EA- 6B Prowler. The Short Take-off Vertical Landing (STOVL) sensor technology, and electronic warfare systems bring all of the access and lethality capabilities of a fifth-generation fighter, a modern bomber, and an adverse-weather, all-threat environment air support platform. U.S Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Campbell Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK, UNITED STATES 01.12.2017
A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, performs a strafing run during Haboob Havoc, April 24, 2024, over Barry M. Goldwater Range, Arizona. Haboob Havoc is a total force exercise that provides a way for pilots from various bases to demonstrate their skills across a diverse range of aircraft, including F-35 Lightning IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, while also testing their abilities in different mission sets such as dogfighting and gun runs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mason Hargrove)
Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration Team pilot and commander performs aerial maneuvers during the Wings Over Houston Airshow Oct. 18, 2019, in Houston, Texas. The show featured performances from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Tora, Tora, Tora, and Oracle. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexander Cook)
Iran also carried out several retaliatory strikes last night against U.S. military bases in Jordan and Kuwait.
According to Iranian sources, drones and ballistic missiles targeted the Muwaffaq Salti and Azraq air bases and managed to hit three F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters.
CENTCOM denied these claims and stated that all Iranian munitions had been intercepted. However, satellite footage shared on X of the air base appears to show one or more impacts.
Unfortunately, the footage is too low quality to assess the true scale of the damage or whether the base and any of its aircraft had been hit in the first place, so take all claims with a healthy grain of salt.
Iran has claimed to have hit F-35 fighters in the past, and so far there has not been any credible evidence to support them.
Egypt Comes Under Attack
In addition to the attacks against Jordon, Iran may have also attacked an American-flagged LNG tanker in the port of Damietta, Egypt.
The attack was likely carried out by Iran or one of its proxy groups, but as of writing this, no one has claimed responsibility.
According to initial reports, one vessel, the Energos Winter, was struck by an unknown projectile, which caused a fire that spread to another vessel, the Gaslog Salem.
The port of Damietta is located only 34 miles away from the Suez Canal, which has thus far been spared from Iranian attacks.
It is unknown whether this is the start of a campaign to target American tankers near the Suez Canal, or if this is simply a one-off attack.
The Suez Canal is a highly important waterway for global maritime traffic.
It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, and is responsible for the transit of over five million barrels of oil per day.
If Iran, or one of its proxy groups, starts attacking ships in or around the Suez Canal, it could threaten to add yet another shock to the global energy market, which is still recovering from the closure of the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb.
The passage through the Red Sea, even via the longer Mediterranean route, could be put at risk, which threatens up to five million barrels per day of oil supply that can currently bypass the Strait of Hormuz,” said Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at advisory company MST Marquee.
A Regional War Growing Wider
The attack against an American tanker in Egypt has many experts concerned about the possibility of escalation. Egypt’s involvement in the Iran war has been minimal, if not non-existent.
However, the longer this conflict drags on, the higher the likelihood that other nations will get caught in the crossfire. Similarly, Iran has begun threatening European countries, encouraging them to stop hosting U.S. military assets on their territory.
According to reports, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has contacted Cyprus and Bulgaria, warning them that hosting the U.S. military will be considered an act of aggression against Iran.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly called his counterparts in both countries and issued a strong warning.
Despite renewed violence and the risk of further escalation, the oil market has been slowly recovering from its earlier spikes.
Brent crude is currently sitting at $84 per barrel after reaching as low as $78 on Tuesday.
Prices fell considerably compared to last week thanks to a temporary pause in the fighting, which restored some confidence in the market.
LNG prices spiked following the attack on the port of Damietta, although prices are unlikely to spiral out of control unless attacks near the Suez Canal persist.
Considering that no country has yet taken responsibility for the attack, there is a hopeful possibility that it was a one-time attack from Iran, meant to be a symbolic message rather than the beginning of a full-scale campaign.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
