US Airstrikes Intensify Against Iran
US airstrikes have hit dozens of Iranian targets in the sixth consecutive night of new attacks, escalating the conflict between the two nations. The strikes come after US President Donald Trump threatened to begin targeting Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power stations, to pressure Iran to ease its chokehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump Declares Victory
In a statement, Trump claimed the US is 'winning big in Iran' and that 'you will see the fruits of that labour very, very shortly'. The president's remarks came as the US military's Central Command confirmed it had struck dozens of targets in its latest bombardments.
Infrastructure Destroyed
According to the NY Post, a number of bridges were destroyed in the airstrikes. At least seven people were killed. The attacks also hit the city of Bandar Khamir, located on the coast of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes appeared to have collapsed a surveillance tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a key trade route for landlocked, neighboring Afghanistan.
Chabahar Port Targeted
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image of the surveillance tower appearing to collapse. Chabahar port, which Iran had been running with support from India, has been a repeated target of American airstrikes. Iranian state media acknowledged a third round of strikes on the facility without immediately acknowledging the tower's collapse.
Strikes on Tehran and Semnan
According to Iranian state media, US strikes on Thursday hit around Tehran and Semnan province, which is home to Iran's ballistic missile production and space programme. The regime has retaliated by launching missiles on US bases in neighboring countries, including Qatar, a key mediator in the peace process.
Iranian Retaliation Hits Neighbors
Qatar warned civilians twice on Friday to take shelter amid incoming Iranian missiles. People heard explosions overhead as Qatari air defences intercepted the attacks. The nation's interior ministry said falling debris had wounded a child. Iran also targeted Bahrain and Kuwait early Friday. Explosions also could be heard Friday morning in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region as air defenses targeted incoming fire.
