US launches 13th straight night of strikes on Iran

The United States military launched a fresh round of strikes against Iranian military targets on Thursday for the 13th consecutive night, as escalating rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran raised fears of a widening conflict over the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command said forces began striking at 6:45 p.m. ET, targeting Iranian military facilities to "hold Iran accountable and diminish threats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to commercial shipping." The strikes follow a pattern established since late June, hitting missile and drone storage sites, coastal surveillance infrastructure, air defense systems, and maritime capabilities across southern Iran.centcom+3

Escalating Threats

The latest strikes came amid an intensifying war of words. President Trump warned Wednesday that the United States would "bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant" inside Iran — including those near Tehran — for every attack on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on the social media platform X: "Our defence doctrine is clear: eye for an eye. Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response."facebook+3

Secretary of State Marco Rubio further hardened U.S. rhetoric, telling reporters that Trump's policy toward Iran was "a head for an eye," warning that Tehran "will pay a very heavy price."thehill+2

Shipping Crisis and Casualties

The conflict has choked off one of the world's most critical energy corridors. Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the Strait of Hormuz closed "until further notice" in early July. As of July 17, just three commodity vessels crossed the strait in a single day — the fewest since May — with most ships halting or reversing course, according to Reuters.straitstimes+2

The IRGC has claimed that mines have been placed in southern approaches to the strait, alleging two tankers hit mines and caught fire, though the United States dismissed the claim as false and it could not be independently verified. Iran's Health Ministry reported at least 53 people killed and nearly 600 wounded from U.S. strikes since early July, according to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.royanews+1

The conflict has now claimed the lives of 18 U.S. service members since fighting began, with a ceremony held Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base to honor four recently killed. As Rubio told reporters that Iran was "begging" for a deal but was "probably not ready" to accept one, the prospect of further escalation — including Trump's consideration of what he called a "massive attack" — loomed over the region.cnn+2