US, Iran Escalate Attacks, Raising Fears of Wider War
News Desk
Washington: The military confrontation between the United States and Iran entered its fifth consecutive night on Wednesday, with both sides exchanging strikes that have raised fears over the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the risk of a wider regional conflict.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces launched a fresh round of precision airstrikes at 9 pm on July 15, targeting Iranian military infrastructure to safeguard commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
According to CENTCOM, the operation struck Iranian command centers, air defense systems, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance installations and other military assets, including sites near Bandar Abbas.
The command said the strikes were intended to ensure freedom of navigation and protect international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, US forces also carried out a 90-minute bombardment of Iranian coastal defense and cruise missile positions on Greater Tunb Island.
Iranian media reported that US missiles also struck targets in Chabahar, Ahvaz and Bandar Abbas. Three explosions were reported in Chabahar after a naval surveillance tower was hit. In Ahvaz, a missile landed near a cancer hospital, though authorities said no casualties were reported.
CENTCOM also claimed it disabled a commercial tanker bound for an Iranian port after alleging the vessel violated a US maritime blockade despite repeated warnings.
Iran responded by claiming it had shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over Andimeshk in southwestern Iran using a newly deployed air defense system. The claim has not been independently verified.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards further announced strikes against US military facilities in Kuwait and Jordan, claiming to have targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan.
According to Iranian state media, the attacks were aimed at US troop concentrations, early-warning radar systems, communications infrastructure and fuel storage facilities.
Neither the Pentagon nor CENTCOM immediately commented on the Iranian claims.
Jordan later confirmed that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed eight Iranian missiles that entered its airspace, while Kuwaiti authorities had not issued an immediate public response.
As military exchanges intensified, Iran warned of possible disruption to global energy supplies.
The Revolutionary Guards said Tehran could block trade routes serving the United States and its allies, declaring that regional energy exports would be “for all or for none.”
An Iranian military spokesperson added that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington recognizes what Tehran described as Iran’s legitimate system of government.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Baqer Qalibaf also stressed the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, describing its security as vital to Iran’s national interests.
In a statement shared on social media, Qalibaf said Iran’s armed forces have full authority to respond to any aggression. He argued that Tehran should not remain committed to agreements that no longer serve its interests and urged national unity, saying Iran must rely on its own strength while pursuing diplomacy where necessary.
He also accused the United States of seeking regime change in Iran, a claim Washington has not publicly endorsed in relation to the current conflict.
The escalating hostilities have also taken a growing humanitarian toll.
Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said more than 30 civilians, including women and children, were killed in the latest US strikes. The casualty figures could not be independently verified, and US officials have not commented on the claim.
