The United States has escalated its airstrike campaign against Iran, focusing on infrastructure targets such as bridges and power stations, a move initiated by President Donald Trump to pressure Tehran regarding the Strait of Hormuz. This expansion follows days of back-and-forth attacks after an interim ceasefire collapsed, with US Central Command (Centcom) confirming strikes on command centers, air defense sites, and coastal surveillance facilities across Iran, including Bandar Abbas and Greater Tunb Island.
Al Jazeera reported from Washington, DC, that US President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled a willingness to broaden military action beyond military facilities to include civilian infrastructure, raising legal and ethical questions. American forces also fired upon a Curacao-flagged oil tanker, the Belma, after it allegedly ignored warnings while attempting to run a naval blockade toward Iran's main oil export terminal, Kharg Island, disabling the vessel by firing a missile into its smokestack.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US-allied nations in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, warning that its attacks would escalate. Iranian officials claim US strikes have resulted in over 35 deaths and more than 300 injuries. The price for Brent crude oil, the international standard, traded above $85 a barrel, a more than 15% increase since before the war, but still below the nearly $120 peak reached earlier in the conflict. The US also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil shipments, further intensifying the economic pressure on Iran.
