Overnight, the United States carried out a ninth consecutive round of strikes on Iran
By Sammy Tisser,
Overnight, the United States carried out a ninth consecutive round of strikes on Iran, with US Central Command saying the operation targeted Iranian command centers, air defense systems, coastal surveillance sites, missile and drone launch positions, maritime capabilities and communications infrastructure used to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported the strikes hit several locations in Bushehr, home to the country's only civilian nuclear power plant, while another strike near Tabriz reportedly killed at least one person and wounded several others. CENTCOM also said US forces have redirected six commercial vessels and disabled another since reimposing the US naval blockade on Iran.
President Donald Trump said the latest strikes were carried out in honor of the American servicemembers killed in recent days, saying the US "hit them very hard again tonight" and that those troops had been fighting so "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."
Elsewhere overnight, Bahrain activated air raid sirens and urged residents to seek shelter, while Kuwait said its air defenses intercepted hostile Iranian drones, adding that explosions heard across the country were the result of interception operations. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it struck US military targets in Syria, Jordan and Kuwait, including aircraft at Aqaba Airport and facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base. Those claims have not been independently verified.
The confrontation also intensified overnight in the Strait of Hormuz. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a commercial vessel was struck by an unknown projectile northwest of Oman's Kumzar, caught fire and was abandoned by its crew, who were later rescued. Separately, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed two oil tankers exploded and were immobilized while transiting the strategic waterway.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Iran of trying to use the Strait of Hormuz as "leverage against the world" and called on other countries to do more to help protect global shipping, while reiterating that Washington remains open to a diplomatic solution.
Topics: Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Missile Defense & Alerts
Reported by Sammy Tisser for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.