US and Iran Exchange Strikes for Seventh Night, Strait of Hormuz Traffic Drops Sharply
The United States and Iran continued military exchanges for a seventh consecutive night on Friday, with US strikes targeting infrastructure in southern Iran and Iranian forces attacking US allies in the Gulf region. Officials reported civilian casualties and a significant drop in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit chokepoint.
US Central Command confirmed a fresh wave of strikes on Friday night, extending a campaign that has now hit bridges, airports, power facilities, and a train station in southern Iran. Iranian officials stated that at least eight people were killed overnight. Among the dead, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, were three people killed in a strike on a bridge in Bandar Khamir. The strikes have also damaged an oil tanker docked at Kharg Island, according to Bushehr's deputy governor.
In retaliation, Iran’s military said it struck US assets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar. Qatari authorities reported that a child was injured by falling missile debris after air defenses intercepted incoming fire. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian forces attacked a Thai-flagged vessel attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Bushehr using a new advanced air system.
The IRGC also stated that two oil tankers caught fire after attempting to pass through a mined route in the Strait of Hormuz, describing the waterway as “now highly unsafe and completely closed.” According to MarineTraffic data, only six vessels transited the strait in the past 24 hours, a sharp drop for a passage that once carried roughly 20% of the world’s oil.
A senior Iranian military adviser warned that the US could face a “full-scale offensive” if strikes continue through the weekend. Tehran also threatened key ports in Gulf states, linking retaliation to the US destruction of a surveillance tower near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.
The United Nations and several countries have called for de-escalation. The situation remains volatile, with both sides showing no immediate signs of backing down. The Indian Express is monitoring developments and will provide updates as they become available.
