The United States initiated its ninth consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran on Sunday, targeting Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for an attack on Friday that killed two American service members in Jordan. The US military's Central Command announced the ongoing strikes, which activists in Iran reported began around 2:30 a.m. local time, emphasizing that these strikes aim to degrade Iran's capabilities and punish those responsible for attacks on American personnel. One service member was initially reported missing, with "unidentified remains" later found and being examined, bringing the total U.S. service member deaths since the conflict began to 17.
In response to the American actions, Iran launched missiles towards Jordan, activating air defenses in both Jordan and Bahrain. Iranian attacks also damaged a power generation and water desalination complex in Kuwait, cutting off water supplies to approximately 10,000 people and causing electricity disruptions. Bahrain intercepted multiple Iranian missile and drone attacks, while Jordan's air defenses intercepted three Iranian missiles targeting Aqaba, with a fourth landing in a remote area. The UAE condemned Iran's attacks on its neighbors, highlighting the widening regional implications of the ongoing conflict.
Adding to the escalation, Iranian media reported a strike on the unfinished Darkhovin nuclear power plant in Khuzestan province. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed it was investigating the report, stating the site was in early construction, held no nuclear material, and posed no radiological risk. Iranian authorities reported 50 people killed and 517 wounded in the recent American strikes, signifying the severe human cost of the renewed hostilities.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright attempted to mitigate concerns about the conflict closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil transit route, and spiking energy prices. He asserted that current flows through the strait are nearly seven million barrels a day, with an additional equivalent amount flowing through bypass pipelines, ensuring continued oil and gas transit. Despite his assurances, U.S. gas prices have risen, with the national average exceeding $3.99 per gallon on Sunday, up from over $3.87 a week prior. Reports of slowing traffic in the strait were dismissed as incorrect by Wright, although research firm Kpler reported a decrease to 8 vessels on Thursday.
This exchange of attacks follows the effective collapse of a ceasefire agreement signed last month. The daily military confrontations between the US and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz are fueling concerns among international observers about a broader regional conflict. The US aims to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strait and punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for its actions against American forces.
