U.S. Expands Airstrike Campaign Against Iran Targeting Infrastructure

The U.S. has widened its airstrike campaign against Iran, targeting infrastructure critical to the nation’s operations in a bid to pressure Tehran into easing its control over the Strait of Hormuz. This move follows President Donald Trump’s threats to strike Iranian infrastructure, with early Friday airstrikes affecting bridges and a tower at a key port.

Iran responded by launching missile attacks against nations allied with the U.S. in the Middle East, including Qatar, which has played a mediating role in the conflict. The interim ceasefire reached last month has dissolved, leading to days of retaliatory strikes from both sides as the battle for dominance over the strait intensifies.

Reports from Iranian officials indicate that recent U.S. airstrikes have resulted in dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries, with additional casualties following Friday’s attacks. The conflict escalated after Iran effectively shut down shipping in the strait, prompting a rise in oil prices and increasing Iran’s negotiation leverage.

“We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly,” President Trump stated in a primetime address to the American public.

The United States targeted infrastructure in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, specifically in Bandar Khamir, with airstrikes on bridges overnight into Friday. Iranian state television reported that at least seven people were killed in these attacks, which appeared to aim at severing Bandar Abbas, a vital port for Iran, from roads leading to the central regions and Tehran.

While there are alternative routes available, the scope of U.S. strikes may expand, disrupting the transport of military supplies and essential goods for Iran’s 90 million residents. The Central Command of the U.S. military disclosed that dozens of targets were hit in the latest wave of airstrikes, concluding a week-long campaign.

One of the notable targets included a tower at Iran’s Chabahar port, located on the Gulf of Oman, a crucial trade route for Afghanistan. Iranian media acknowledged repeated American airstrikes on the facility, without immediately confirming the tower’s collapse.

Iran retaliated by targeting Qatar with missile attacks. Qatar issued public warnings twice, advising citizens to seek shelter, and reported that a child was injured due to falling debris. Qatar, alongside Pakistan, remains a pivotal mediator seeking resolution to the Iran war, although talks have stalled due to Iran’s grip on the strait.

Iran also launched strikes against Bahrain and Kuwait, while Jordan’s military intercepted missiles targeting its territory Friday morning. Explosions were reported in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah within northern Iraq’s Kurdish region as defensive systems engaged incoming threats.

President Trump has been vocal in recent days, threatening additional strikes against Iranian power stations and bridges as leverage to loosen Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a significant conduit for oil and natural gas, once facilitating about 20% of global transit during peacetime.

Consequently, the U.S. reestablished a naval blockade around Iranian ports to curb shipments of crude oil. The maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported a nearly 25% decline in cargo shipments early in the month, exacerbated by subsequent retaliatory attacks.

In light of escalating tensions, some oil transporters are traversing the strait with transponders turned off for security reasons, though many have halted operations. Pipeline transport is in use, but fails to fully compensate for the reduced maritime activity. The Central Command stated that U.S. forces redirected, disabled, or inspected commercial vessels attempting to violate the blockade.

Contributions to this report were provided by AP writers in Tehran, Iran; Rayong, Thailand; and Irbil, Iraq.