The United States intensified its airstrike campaign against Iran on Friday, targeting bridges and collapsing a tower at a key port. These actions were part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to pressure Iran into easing its control over the Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks against U.S.-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict. The ceasefire, agreed upon last month, has ended, leading to continuous exchanges of attacks between the U.S. and Iran in their struggle for control of the strait. Iranian authorities reported that U.S. strikes resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries, with new casualties from Friday’s strikes.
Since the start of the conflict on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel initiated the war on Iran, Tehran closed the strait to shipping traffic. This action caused oil prices to surge, giving Iran significant leverage in negotiations. In a primetime address, President Trump asserted that the war was proceeding favorably.
“We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very shortly,” Trump said.
Bridges and a Port Tower Targeted in Iran
The U.S. airstrikes on Friday focused on bridges in Iran’s Hormozgan province, reportedly killing at least seven people, according to Iranian state television. The strikes aimed to isolate Bandar Abbas, the country’s main port, by cutting off road access to the central region and Tehran. While alternative routes remain open, the U.S. may expand its strikes, potentially disrupting military logistics and essential goods distribution for Iran’s population.
The U.S. Central Command reported targeting dozens of sites in the latest airstrikes, which continued for six consecutive nights, concluding at dawn Friday. The attacks also led to the collapse of a tower at Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a crucial trade route for Afghanistan. Iranian state media reported a third round of strikes on the facility but did not immediately confirm the tower’s collapse.
Chabahar port, operated with Indian collaboration, has repeatedly been the focus of American strikes. While Iran described the tower as managing commercial traffic, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard operates at ports across the nation.
Iran Responds with Missile Strikes on Qatar
On Friday, Iran launched missile attacks on Qatar, urging residents to seek shelter as air defenses intercepted the missiles. Qatar’s Interior Ministry reported injuries to a child from falling debris. Alongside Pakistan, Qatar has sought to mediate an end to the Iran war, but negotiations have stalled due to Iran’s tight control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also targeted Bahrain and Kuwait, while Jordan’s military intercepted incoming missiles. Explosions were reported in Iraq’s Kurdish region as air defenses responded.
Tensions Over the Strait of Hormuz
President Trump recently reiterated his threats to target Iranian infrastructure to weaken their grip on the strait, through which about 20% of global oil and natural gas was traded in peacetime. The U.S. reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil shipments. Cargo traffic through the strait decreased by nearly 25% at the beginning of the month, before the rise in reciprocal attacks. Some oil carriers are navigating through the strait with their tracking turned off, while others are staying put, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
U.S. forces have redirected three commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled one, and boarded another “to ensure full compliance”, according to the U.S. Central Command.
Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, Annika Wolters in Rayong, Thailand, and Stella Martany in Irbil, Iraq, contributed to this report.
Leave a Reply