United States in July 2026: the most important developments in security
In July 2026, US security news was dominated by a renewed war with Iran. A ceasefire held in the first days of the month, but on July 7 the US struck Iran after three commercial ships were hit in the Strait of Hormuz, and on July 8 President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over. The two sides then exchanged attacks night after night: US strikes reached five Iranian provinces, at least 13 cities, and later bridges, an airport and a railway station, while Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired drones and missiles at US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. On July 12 the Guard declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, and the US reinstated a naval blockade.
The war's costs grew. Iranian attacks in Jordan killed two US service members on July 18, and at least one more American was killed in the following days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on July 22 that the war had cost $37.5 billion, and the Pentagon later reported more than 600 casualties. The fighting spread: Houthi forces fired at Saudi oil facilities, and on July 29 the US and Saudi Arabia struck Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, according to CENTCOM. After 13 nights of strikes, the US paused its attacks around July 25, and on July 27 Trump ordered a halt to give talks space. Trump announced further strikes on July 28, and after an Iranian attack the US struck Iran again on July 30.
Immigration enforcement drew attention at home. ICE agents fatally shot several people during vehicle stops, including a Mexican man in Houston and a motorist in Maine whom officials said was not the intended target. ICE briefly paused most traffic stops, but Trump said they should continue.
The US also approved Tomahawk missile sales to Germany, sealed a $75 billion Patriot missile deal, and decided to end its military presence in Iraq by September 30. A federal court sentenced drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada to life in prison on July 20.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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