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NPR News: 07-15-2026 12AM EDT

Explore episode Jul 15, 2026

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Introduction & Iran Military Strikes

At 0:19 · chapter starts 0:00

The bulletin opens with the US military announcing it has completed another round of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. NPR's Quill Lawrence provides context: a ceasefire had paused hostilities in April, but the US and Iran immediately clashed over how a June memorandum of understanding governed shipping through the Strait — a critical chokepoint for global oil. This week, President Trump escalated by ordering a resumption of the maritime blockade on Iranian ports and stepping up missile attacks. Iran has responded by striking US regional allies and targeting tankers it claims are violating its sovereignty over the waterway. From April through June, the blockade had turned back 140 vessels and fired on nine that refused to comply, underscoring the stakes of this renewed confrontation.

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