The United States intensified its airstrike campaign against Iran early Friday, hitting bridges and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port. The strikes are part of President Donald Trump's strategy to pressure Tehran to ease its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route.
US forces struck highway and railway bridges in Iran's southern Hormozgan province overnight into Friday, resulting in at least seven reported fatalities, according to Iranian state television. These attacks targeted Bandar Khamir, a city situated on the Strait of Hormuz. The aim of hitting these transportation links appeared to be cutting off access to Bandar Abbas, Iran's primary port, from inland routes leading to the capital.
While alternative routes remain accessible, further US strikes could disrupt the movement of both military supplies and essential goods for Iran's population of 90 million.
The US military's Central Command stated that dozens of targets were hit in the latest airstrikes, which concluded at dawn Friday. This marked the sixth consecutive night of American attacks.
In related actions, a tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a significant trade route for landlocked Afghanistan, was also collapsed, as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency. The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image of the collapsing surveillance tower, a move seen as asserting American dominance over the strait. This image had previously circulated on social media.
Chabahar port, which had been developed with support from India, has been a frequent target of US airstrikes. Iranian state media confirmed multiple strikes on the facility, though they did not immediately acknowledge the tower's collapse. Iran described the tower as overseeing commercial traffic, though the Revolutionary Guard also operates at Iranian ports.
Iran responded to the US strikes by launching new missile attacks against US-allied nations in the Middle East, including Qatar, which has been mediating in the conflict. Qatar's Interior Ministry reported that falling debris from intercepted missiles wounded a child.
Missile attacks were also directed at Bahrain and Kuwait early Friday, and Jordan's military reported intercepting three incoming missiles launched by Iran. Explosions were heard in parts of northern Iraq as air defenses engaged incoming fire, with no immediate reports of damage.
The interim cease-fire agreed upon last month has collapsed, leading to days of retaliatory attacks between the US and Iran as they contend for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials claim US strikes have caused numerous casualties, with new fatalities reported following Friday's attacks.
The conflict has significantly impacted maritime traffic. Week-to-week cargo shipments through the strait decreased by nearly a quarter earlier in the month, according to maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a decline that predates the recent escalation in attacks. Some oil shippers are navigating the strait with their location devices turned off, while others are delaying transit. Although a portion of the region's energy is rerouted through pipelines, it is not enough to compensate for the reduced shipping volume through the strait.
US forces have intercepted three commercial vessels attempting to bypass the blockade, disabled one vessel for non-compliance, and boarded another to ensure adherence to naval regulations, according to the US military's Central Command.
President Trump reiterated his threats to target Iranian power stations and bridges to compel Iran to loosen its grip on the strait, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas was traded during peacetime. The US has also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil shipments.
The US and Israel initiated military action against Iran on February 28, leading Tehran to effectively close the strait to shipping. This action caused oil prices to surge and gave Iran significant leverage in negotiations.