Late on Tuesday evening, the United States carried out strikes against Iran for the eleventh consecutive night, according to US Central Command. According to the command, the attacks were aimed at undermining Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian media reported air defence activity in Tehran and explosions in several cities.
Briefly about the main points
- The US has carried out strikes against Iran for the eleventh night in a row.
- CENTCOM has identified Iran’s military and naval capabilities as targets.
- Trump has announced a possible attack on an underground facility near Natanz.
- Iran has threatened to launch attacks against US interests, as well as those of its allies and supporters.
- Oil prices have risen to $94 amid a new escalation.
The objectives of the new wave of attacks
US Central Command stated that strikes had been carried out against Iran’s military operations centres, naval capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities and military logistics infrastructure. In CENTCOM They explained that the operation is intended to further undermine Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command also accused Tehran of attacking more than 30 commercial vessels passing through the strait over the past three months. According to CENTCOM, the waterway remains open to commercial shipping.
Iranian state media reported that air defence systems had been activated in the capital. There were also reports of explosions in Tabriz in the north-west of the country, the ports of Chabahar and Konarak in the south-east, and Bushehr in the south.
Trump named the next possible target
President of the United States Donald Trump stated that the United States may soon launch a powerful strike against the complex known as Pickaxe Mountain. This is an underground nuclear facility near Natanz, where, according to the BBC, Iran is suspected of operating an undeclared uranium enrichment facility.
Trump told journalists that he would not normally announce targets in advance, but added: «There’s nothing they can do about it.» In response, the Iranian military command «Khatam al-Anbiya» stated that it would regard such an attack as an escalation of the war in the region. The state-run IRIB television channel broadcast its threat to strike «all American interests, allies and supporters».
Drones over the Gulf States
On Wednesday morning, the Kuwaiti army stated that its air defence forces had repelled attacks by Iranian drones. Bahrain and Jordan also reported that they had intercepted drones and missiles.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington remains open to diplomacy with Tehran, but does not believe that Iran is serious about negotiations. The US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in April, but fighting resumed last week amid the struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Risks to maritime transport and oil prices
The escalation has already had an impact on the oil market: on Wednesday, the price of oil reached $94. An additional source of tension was a statement by a Houthi media representative announcing the closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — the southern entrance to the Red Sea — to Saudi Arabian vessels.
According to the British company Vanguard, following this statement, two tankers that had loaded Saudi oil at the port of Yanbu for shipment to China and India turned back on Tuesday towards the Suez Canal. This could indicate further disruptions to international shipping should the Houthis’ threats be carried out.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth stated in the Senate that war with Iran has already cost the US around 37.5 billion dollars. According to him, without an urgent increase in funding, the military will be forced to cut back on training.
