US attacks Iran for 11th consecutive night

US attacks Iran for 11th consecutive night

The United States military carried out air strikes against Iran late Tuesday, marking the 11th consecutive night of attacks. The operations, which began at 2300 GMT and concluded Wednesday at 0015 GMT, targeted military operations centers, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, maritime capabilities and military logistics infrastructure, according to US Central Command (Centcom).

Centcom stated the strikes were designed to continue degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military accused Iran of attacking more than 30 commercial vessels in the waterway over the last three months, asserting that these unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation.

Despite the conflict, Centcom reported it has facilitated the transit of about 900 vessels through the Strait of Hormuz since early May, which allowed for the passage of 450 million barrels of crude.

Nuclear Threats and Regional Escalation

The latest wave of strikes follows threats from Donald Trump to target Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Addressing reporters during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump identified a complex known as Pickaxe Mountain — an underground site suspected of housing an undeclared enrichment facility near Natanz — as a future target.

"We'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily,"

Donald Trump, US President, via yahoo.com

Trump added that while he does not normally announce targets, there's not a thing they can do about it.

Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya military command responded via the state-run broadcaster IRIB, warning that such an attack would be viewed as an expansion of the war and would trigger strikes on all the interests of America, the allies and supporters. Iranian state media reported that air defenses were activated in Tehran, and explosions were noted in Chabahar, Konarak, Tabriz, and Bushehr, the site of the country's only nuclear power plant.

The violence has expanded beyond Iranian borders. Kuwait's army reported engaging Iranian drone attacks early Wednesday morning, while Jordan and Bahrain also intercepted missile and drone strikes. Other Gulf states, including Qatar, have been affected by the widening conflict.

Shipping Blockades and Economic Toll

The war has severely disrupted global energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz, which previously handled about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas, is effectively closed. This has forced Saudi Arabia to rely on a pipeline to the Red Sea to export oil.

However, a new front has opened in the Red Sea. Iran-aligned Houthi rebels announced a naval blockade of Saudi ports and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Following this announcement, two tankers loaded with Saudi crude bound for India and China made U-turns on Tuesday at the port of Yanbu, diverting toward the Suez Canal, according to Vanguard.

Donald Trump threatened to take care of the Houthis if the blockade persists.

The financial cost of the war has risen. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that the conflict has cost the US some $37.5bn, an increase of nearly $8bn since May. Hegseth warned that military training would need to be curtailed unless lawmakers provide an urgent funding boost.

Casualties and Diplomatic Stalls

The human cost continues to mount. The US military confirmed the death of Sergeant Angel S. Rampersad, 28, following an attack on a base in Jordan last Friday. This brings the total death toll to 18 US service members since the start of the war. Two other soldiers killed in the same Friday attack were identified as 1st Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19. These represent the first troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the war's opening days.

Diplomatic efforts to end the hostilities appear stalled. Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June to halt military operations and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a goal to end the war within 60 days. But three weeks later, Trump declared the ceasefire over following Iranian attacks on ships and subsequent US responses.

Recent mediation attempts by Pakistan have seen Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni meet with Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. While Pakistani leadership has urged restraint, Trump expressed a dim view of negotiations, stating the US has no interest in meeting until Iranian officials are ready to do so in a meaningful way.