US claims it struck Iran's coastal facility disrupting Strait of Hormuz shipping

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz -- a critical artery for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas -- has slowed significantly since the conflict began three weeks ago.

• US strike curbed Iran’s capacity to disrupt Hormuz shipping
• Iran’s missile strike on UK-US Diego Garcia base failed
• Shipping slowdown in Hormuz has raised global energy prices

Did our AI summary help?

The United States said it has reduced Iran’s capacity to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after carrying out a strike on a key coastal installation, as tensions continue to escalate across the region.

The US military targeted an underground site along Iran’s coastline earlier this week, dropping multiple 5,000-pound bombs, according to Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command. The installation was being used to store military assets such as anti-ship cruise missiles and mobile launch systems.

“Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz is degraded as a result and we will not stop pursuing these targets,” Cooper said in a video posted on X. He added that additional sites were also hit, including intelligence facilities and missile radar relays used to track vessel movements.

Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/8yTLrVy4jk

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 21, 2026

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz -- a critical artery for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas -- has slowed significantly since the conflict began three weeks ago. The disruption has pushed energy prices higher and triggered efforts by the US administration to stabilise fuel costs.

Separately, the UN’s nuclear watchdog said it is examining reports from Iran that its Natanz nuclear facility was targeted amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi reiterated a “call for military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident,” the agency said.

In another development, Iran attempted to strike the joint UK-US military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean but was “unsuccessful,” a UK official told AFP. The attempted attack involved two ballistic missiles, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The base lies about 4,000 kilometres from Iran, raising concerns about the potential reach of Tehran’s missile capabilities. The UK source noted the strike attempt occurred before Britain announced it would permit the US to use certain bases for operations targeting Iranian threats to shipping routes in the Hormuz corridor.