According to Reuters and BBC News, the United States launched a new wave of airstrikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night on Friday, as the two nations engaged in a fierce battle for control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command confirmed that the recent attacks were specifically intended to further degrade Iranian military capabilities, while simultaneously enforcing a strict naval blockade by boarding commercial vessels in the region. Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that the American military targeted critical civilian infrastructure, including several vital bridges, a train station, and a regional airport. The BBC has successfully verified the destruction of at least one major bridge located to the west of Bandar Abbas in the Hormozgan province.
Iran`s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that they retaliated swiftly by striking US maritime surveillance radar positions in Oman, alongside key military targets in Kuwait and Bahrain. The elite military unit also claimed responsibility for a surprise drone and missile attack on a US special operations command center at al-Tanf in Syria near the Jordanian border. Iranian officials stated that this specific command center raid was direct retaliation for the killing of their soldiers two days ago. While neither the United States military nor Syrian authorities have formally commented on the al-Tanf claim, Jordan`s military confirmed it successfully intercepted and shot down three incoming Iranian missiles over its territory.
In a separate escalation within Iraqi Kurdistan, local forces blamed Iran for a deadly early morning attack in the city of Sulaymaniyah that killed eight people and left several others wounded. Kurdish news agency Rudaw and Agence France-Presse both verified the high casualty count from the sudden bombardment. Additionally, Kurdish defensive forces reported shooting down eight hostile drones operating over the regional capital of Erbil, though no casualties were recorded there. The strategic Strait of Hormuz remains completely closed to international shipping after Tehran blocked the narrow channel in direct response to previous joint US-Israeli military strikes.
Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, expressed grave concerns regarding global energy supplies, warning that the international community should be worried if shipping flows do not stabilize soon. Amidst the growing instability, the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan issued a joint appeal on Friday, urging both Washington and Tehran to immediately cease hostilities and resume diplomatic negotiations. Despite the diplomatic pressure, Iran`s health ministry confirmed that at least 38 people have been killed and more than 400 others injured since full-scale fighting resumed with the United States. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that President Donald Trump remains open to high-level diplomacy, though he will continue to hold Iran accountable for targeting commercial vessels. What remains unclear is whether either side can find common ground, as Iran`s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that Tehran will not honor any international agreement that fails to guarantee its national security and maritime sovereignty.
