US strikes Iran for 10th night as Tehran attacks tanker in Hormuz Strait

US strikes Iran for 10th night as Tehran attacks tanker in Hormuz Strait

The United States military conducted a fresh round of airstrikes against Iran on Tuesday, marking the 10th consecutive night of attacks. The strikes occur as Tehran launched an assault on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the crew to abandon their vessel, and targeted U.S.-allied nations across the Middle East.

U.S. Central Command (Centcom) stated the latest operations were intended to further degrade Iran's ability to attack ships in the strategic waterway. According to Centcom, the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities, and military command centers. Footage of the bombings was released by the command, which stated that American forces remain prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners.

The escalation follows a vow by President Donald Trump to punish Iran for the deaths of U.S. Soldiers. On Monday, the Department of Defense identified two soldiers killed in a weekend strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan: 25-year-old Lt Tyler James Feehan of Hawaii and 19-year-old Pte Isabella Gonzales of Texas. A third service member went missing in action after the same attack, and unidentified remains were later recovered. Additionally, the military confirmed a death in Iraq on Saturday during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.

President Trump wrote on social media Monday that Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! He was scheduled to attend a ceremony Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base for the arrival of at least one service member's remains.

In response, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran is now fighting a full-scale war with the U.S. State news agency IRNA reported that Iran struck U.S. Military assets in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as two oil tankers. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specifically claimed to have destroyed the central data infrastructure of Amazon, a U.S. Company, in Bahrain using several cruise missiles.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker off Oman was struck by an unknown projectile early Tuesday, leaving the crew to board a lifeboat. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed this attack and two others on ships on Monday. Iran stated it struck tankers attempting to use the unsafe and hazardous southern route of the strait.

Maritime traffic has largely stalled. Preliminary data from Kpler showed six fuel tankers and cargo ships crossed the strait on Monday—down from eight on 19 July. Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported only three ships transited on Sunday. In peacetime, about a fifth of all traded natural gas and crude oil passed through the waterway.

Regional allies of the U.S. Reported multiple interceptions. Jordan stated on Tuesday that it intercepted five drones, adding to three missiles shot down late Monday. Bahrain reported that Iranian drones targeted its air navigation systems, though traffic remained unaffected. Kuwait's armed forces also reported intercepting Iranian drones.

The conflict has resulted in significant casualties. Iranian authorities said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest U.S. Strikes. Since the war began on 28 February, 17 U.S. Service members have been killed. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted on X that nearly 100 U.S. Service members have been injured since strikes restarted on 7 July, though 96% have returned to duty, mostly following minor concussions.

The violence has disrupted civilian infrastructure and impacted global markets. Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday at nearly $90 a barrel, and U.S. Regular gasoline averaged $4 a gallon. In Iran, explosions were reported near Tabriz, where state media said one person was killed. Other strikes hit the ports of Bandar Imam Khomeini, Bandar Mahshahr, Chabahar, and Konarak, as well as provinces including Fars, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan.

Amid the fighting, diplomatic efforts continue through intermediaries. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to attempt to salvage a collapsed interim deal from last month. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Sunday that the U.S. Remains open to negotiations, provided they are real.

The instability has extended to Yemen, where Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Houthis intend to block shipping between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea by targeting the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, citing a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport. Saudi Arabia's military, via spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, stated that all Houthi threats would be dealt with swiftly and firmly.