U.S. Launches New Wave of Strikes on Iran Amid Escalating Tensions

The U.S. military reported launching a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night, targeting key infrastructure and military assets in the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command (Centcom) stated the operations aimed to “further degrade Iranian military capabilities,” including boarding a vessel as part of its ongoing blockade of the strategic waterway.

Iranian state media confirmed U.S. missiles struck near the island of Qeshm, as well as in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr, home to a nuclear power plant. The reports also mentioned attacks on two bridges in Hormozgan province, with the BBC verifying an assault on one bridge west of Bandar Abbas.

This escalation follows President Donald Trump’s prior threat to target Iran’s bridges and power plants if the country refused to re-engage in diplomatic talks.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk condemned such actions, noting that deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and populations violate the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which prohibit harm to essential civilian sites.

Centcom also disclosed that U.S. forces boarded an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as part of the renewed port blockade initiated on Tuesday night, redirecting three commercial ships attempting to bypass the restrictions.

Between April 13 and June 18, U.S. forces disabled nine vessels and intercepted over 140 under the previous blockade of Iranian ports.

As tensions persist, the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments—remains closed due to Iranian countermeasures following prior U.S.-Israeli strikes.

On Thursday, Iran claimed to have targeted U.S. military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, while the U.S. reported sustaining a six-hour period of strikes across multiple locations in the strait.

Trump warned Iran to “behave” or face further military consequences if it does not return to negotiations.

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated the country has “no reason” to comply with agreements that do not serve its interests, emphasizing that national security relies on preserving what he called “Iranian arrangements” in the Strait of Hormuz.

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