The US military has launched its tenth consecutive round of strikes on Iran, aiming to force the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, declared that the country is in a 'full-scale war' after the US expanded its aerial campaign and Tehran struck Washington’s Gulf allies.
The strikes targeted military command centres, air defence, coastal surveillance, maritime capabilities, and missile and drone launch sites. In retaliation, Iran attacked Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Kuwait, and struck tankers in the strait. Bahrain reported damage to its air traffic systems but no disruption to traffic. The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen announced a blockade of Saudi ports.
The escalation threatens an interim peace deal agreed last month, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that is more than halfway through a 60-day implementation period. US President Donald Trump vowed that Iran would 'pay many times over' for killing US soldiers, after two service members died in Jordan, one went missing, and another was killed in Iraq—bringing the total US fatalities to 17. Iran’s health ministry reported 50 people killed and more than 500 injured in the current round of fighting.
Diplomatic efforts continue despite the hostilities. Mediators have proposed a ten-day ceasefire to revive the MoU, and Iran’s interior minister is expected to travel to Islamabad. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US remains open to 'real' negotiations. Qatar and Pakistan are mediating between the two sides.
The fighting has slowed shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to a trickle, pushing oil prices above $90 a barrel. The Houthi blockade of Saudi ports could further strain global energy markets, as Saudi Arabia had been using the Red Sea route to export millions of barrels of oil. A ship caught fire in the strait near Oman, with the crew safely evacuated.
