The United States (US) launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Iran early Friday, marking the 13th consecutive day of military action, after attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea heightened tensions across the Middle East and threatened global energy supplies.
Read More: Trump warns Houthis after Red Sea strikes
According to US Central Command (Centcom), the strikes targeted Iranian military command centres, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities. The US said the operation was intended to reduce threats to civilian mariners and commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation follows attacks claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who said they had imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. The group warned that ships linked to Saudi oil exports could be targeted in the Red Sea, raising fears that disruption could spread from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab el-Mandeb, another critical global shipping route.
The growing conflict pushed Brent crude above $100 per barrel for the first time since May before prices eased slightly in Friday trading. Shipping data also showed tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz falling sharply as vessels altered routes to avoid potential attacks.
Iranian state media reported casualties from the latest US strikes, including deaths in Ahvaz and injuries in Khorramabad. In response, Iran’s military said it launched drone attacks against US military facilities in Bahrain and Jordan, targeting fuel storage areas, equipment warehouses and aircraft maintenance sites. Neither the United States nor the host countries immediately confirmed casualties.
President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face “major military punishment” if Houthi attacks on commercial shipping continued, arguing Tehran bears responsibility for the group’s actions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi rejected the accusations and criticised Trump’s suggestion that frozen Iranian assets could be used to compensate shipping losses.
Read More: Trump threatens Iranian infrastructure after Houthis block Red Sea artery
Meanwhile, the Republican-led US House of Representatives approved legislation urging Trump to halt military action against Iran, although the Senate later blocked a similar measure, reflecting continued divisions in Washington over the expanding conflict.