US Strikes Iran for 10th Consecutive Night; Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate
The United States military conducted its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran late Monday, according to US Central Command. The strikes aim to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy shipments. The operations follow the death of an American service member and Iranian attacks on US allies Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain.
US Central Command stated that the latest strikes are designed to degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the strait. The conflict has inched closer to all-out war, though diplomatic efforts continue. Iran's interior minister travelled to Pakistan, a key mediator, for talks.
An interim deal signed last month to end hostilities has collapsed. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure, affecting millions. Meanwhile, Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have threatened to prevent Saudi Arabia from shipping in the Red Sea, raising new concerns for global energy markets.
Oil prices have risen, with Brent crude above $88 a barrel and US gasoline averaging $4 a gallon, adding pressure on American consumers ahead of midterm elections. The US military identified two soldiers killed in Jordan, with a third missing. Another death occurred in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.
US President Donald Trump warned on social media that every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay many times over. He planned to attend a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base for the return of service members' remains.
US Central Command said the ninth straight night of airstrikes targeted Iranian command centres, air defence sites, coastal surveillance, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks. Last week, strikes hit bridges and a tower at an Iranian port.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that US strikes killed at least one person near Tabriz, a city believed to host underground missile bases. Strikes also reportedly hit Bandar Imam Khomeini, Sirik, Jask, Konarak, and Chahbahar.
The British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a second ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Another vessel caught fire after being hit near Oman's coastline, with the crew abandoning the ship.
Kuwait's air defences fired at an incoming barrage, while Jordan's armed forces shot down three Iranian missiles without damage or casualties. Bahrain condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting its air traffic systems.
