In the early hours of Monday local time, US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed the launch of a new wave of military strikes against Iran, marking the ninth consecutive night of such operations. The US military stated that these strikes targeted specific military sites and communications networks intended to further diminish Iran's capacity to attack vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by claiming it had launched a surprise attack in Syria and targeted US aircraft at Jordan's Aqaba airport, while Kuwait’s armed forces reported they had intercepted Iranian drones.
Reports from Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency indicated that the strikes impacted several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr, and Bandar Imam Khomeini. Additionally, Iranian state media claimed two oil tankers exploded while attempting to transit the strait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alleged the vessels were traveling through an unsafe southern route and were subsequently brought to a halt, though Centcom has disputed these claims. The IRGC further warned that the strait would remain unsafe for the transit of petrochemicals, oil, and gas as long as US strikes continue, threatening a punitive response.
The current military escalation follows a series of lethal incidents involving US service members. The Pentagon has identified two soldiers killed in an attack on a base in Jordan on Friday as 19-year-old Pte Isabella Gonzales and 25-year-old Lt Tyler James Feehan. A third service member remains missing following that same attack, with US officials noting that unidentified remains have been recovered during the ongoing search. Furthermore, the US confirmed that another service member was killed during an Iranian attack in northern Iraq on Saturday.
Despite the intensifying conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the United States remains open to a diplomatic solution. Rubio also emphasized the international importance of the waterway, stating that the world must decide whether to allow an international shipping route to remain under Iranian control, accusing Tehran of utilizing the passage as leverage.
Explosions were heard across several Iranian cities after the US launched strikes overnight
