DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - The United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran early Thursday, expanding attacks to areas farther north as American forces also targeted a vessel accused of attempting to violate a naval blockade. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Bahrain and Kuwait before sunrise, further escalating tensions across the region.
The latest exchanges of fire between the U.S. and Iran have placed an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict in jeopardy, raising fears that the fighting could return to a full-scale war. Iranian officials said U.S. strikes have killed more than 35 people and injured hundreds more, with attacks reaching areas near Tehran for the first time in the current escalation.
The conflict has centered heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route. After the war began, Iran effectively restricted shipping through the waterway, sending oil and other commodity prices higher worldwide while giving Tehran leverage during negotiations.
The rising costs have created political pressure in the United States as higher energy prices threaten consumers and the economy. The U.S. response included restoring a naval blockade against Iran after efforts to reopen the strait faced challenges.
Iranian officials warned that a broader confrontation could follow if the United States does not honor the terms of the temporary agreement. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also threatened to disrupt energy exports throughout the Middle East, warning that oil and gas shipments could either continue for all countries or stop entirely.
President Donald Trump said Iran still appeared interested in reaching a peace agreement but warned that the U.S. could continue military action if negotiations fail. He also announced that Iran had released an American citizen detained since 2024, describing the move as a positive gesture.
The U.S. military’s latest strikes hit locations around Tehran and Semnan province, an area associated with Iran’s missile and space programs. Earlier attacks targeted military installations, including Iranian defense systems and missile sites near strategic areas of the Strait of Hormuz.
American forces also fired on an oil tanker traveling toward Iran’s largest oil export facility after officials said the vessel ignored repeated warnings. The ship was disabled after being struck by a missile.
Iranian state media reported that another U.S. strike hit a military facility in southeastern Iran, killing several soldiers and injuring others.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the central issue driving the conflict. While some shipping resumed under temporary arrangements, renewed attacks on vessels traveling through the waterway have triggered further retaliation between the two sides.
The United States has threatened to reopen the strait by force, though military experts say such an operation could require a major increase in naval forces or a large-scale ground deployment. In the meantime, oil prices have continued rising, with international crude prices climbing significantly above levels seen before the conflict began.
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