U.S. Expands Airstrikes as Conflict Over Strait of Hormuz Intensifies
The United States military launched a seventh consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran on Friday, expanding its campaign to target bridges, electrical infrastructure, and surveillance capabilities. The ongoing offensive marks a significant escalation in the battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global energy supplies.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the latest wave of strikes began Friday at 7 p.m. GMT, stating the operations are designed to degrade Iranian military capabilities. The strikes have targeted key transit points, including road and rail bridges in the southern Hormozgan province, which serve as vital supply lines to Bandar Abbas, Iran’s primary port.
Strategic Infrastructure Under Attack
The U.S. military campaign has increasingly focused on dismantling the infrastructure the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) uses to monitor and threaten commercial shipping. In the city of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman, U.S. airstrikes collapsed a large surveillance tower. CENTCOM stated the tower was part of a maritime network used by the IRGC to track and target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition to port facilities, the U.S. targeted electrical infrastructure and the Iranshahr airport. The strikes on the power grid have placed significant strain on the country, with Iran’s energy ministry urging citizens in southern provinces to reduce electricity and air conditioning usage as temperatures remain extreme.
For more on this story, see Live Updates: Iran says 14 killed in U.S. strikes as war ramps back up ahead of Khamenei’s burial – CBS News.
Regional Retaliation and Humanitarian Impact
The intensifying conflict has triggered retaliatory strikes from Iran against U.S.-allied nations in the region. In Kuwait, a power and water desalination plant was hit, resulting in a fire and damage to several power generation units. In Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, air defenses intercepted incoming missiles; falling debris wounded a child, according to Qatari authorities. Humanitarian concerns are mounting as the death toll rises. Human rights experts have warned that targeting civilian infrastructure not utilized for military purposes could constitute a war crime.
This follows our earlier report, Iran live updates: Trump says war with Iran not restarting.
The Stalled Strait of Hormuz
The current fighting centers on the Strait of Hormuz, which handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply prior to the war. Following the collapse of an interim ceasefire deal signed last month, Iran declared the entire waterway closed. In response, the U.S. reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports and ships.
Shipping traffic through the strait has plummeted. According to international shipping tracker Kpler, daily transit dropped to eight ships on Thursday, down from 15 the previous day. As traffic has stalled, the price of Brent crude oil rose above $86 a barrel on Friday, nearing its highest level in a month.
Read also: Iran Attacks Gulf States Amid U.S. Strikes as Tehran Maintains Diplomatic Ties.
Status of the Conflict
The escalation follows President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate the ceasefire and expand the aerial campaign to force Iran to reopen the strait. While President Trump stated on Thursday that the U.S. was winning big in Iran,
the IRGC has threatened a devastating price
for any country hosting U.S. bases should the attacks on infrastructure continue. As the blockade continues, the U.S. Navy has actively redirected commercial vessels and boarded ships in the Gulf of Oman to enforce restrictions, further deepening the standoff.
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