US bombs Iran for seventh straight night, Tehran threatens 'total offensive' and hits US allies across Gulf
Multiple Gulf states intercepted Iranian missiles and drones, while Washington struck bridges, ports and a desalination plant as tension over the Strait of Hormuz blockade deepened.
Latest strikes
American forces bombed Iran for a seventh consecutive night, targeting surveillance sites, logistical infrastructure, underground weapons depots and maritime assets, US Central Command confirmed. The attacks, which ended at 21:30 E.T. (4:30 Romanian time) and involved fighter jets, drones and warships, hit the southern provinces of Hormozgan, Khuzestan and the cities of Ahvaz, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Lar, Darab and Yazd. Iran’s state news agency Irna reported that the overnight raids killed at least three people in Hormozgan and wounded eight, while two bridges and a road tunnel were struck.
In retaliation, Iranian forces launched missiles and explosive drones at several US-allied states. Kuwait’s military said it intercepted ballistic missiles and drones; falling debris injured several people. Air raid sirens also sounded in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu and Al-Kharj provinces before being lifted minutes later. Jordan’s army announced it shot down 10 Iranian missiles without casualties, and a child was wounded in Qatar after air defences intercepted incoming projectiles.
Regional spillover
Iran struck a desalination plant and a power station in Kuwait, igniting a fire that was later extinguished. Authorities noted that about 90% of the country’s drinking water comes from desalination units. Drones also hit military bases there, wounding several soldiers. In Qatar, a child was injured by fragments from interceptions. Tehran claimed further strikes on a US Special Operations command centre in Syria’s Al-Tanf region and on American radars in Oman, though those two countries did not confirm the attacks.
If US attacks continue for another two or three days, we will enter a phase of total offensive, devastating attacks. That means Iran will no longer limit itself to simple reprisals, and no political border will be safe in the face of Iran’s offensive capabilities.
Civilian toll and infrastructure damage
Iranian authorities said the American campaign, which began on 22 June, has killed at least 46 people and wounded more than 400. Energy infrastructure was hit for the first time, prompting the Energy Ministry to ask residents of the south to cut electricity consumption. Five bridges, a railway station and an airport have been damaged across several nights, along with a surveillance tower at the port of Chabahar. A witness told state television: “Suddenly we heard a fighter jet, then a bomb hit here and everything went dark. After a few seconds, another projectile hit again, causing complete destruction.”
Destroying desalination stations, bridges, power plants, and generally civilian infrastructure that has no significant military component, are war crimes. But, as we have seen in this war, the Trump administration doesn’t care much about international law. It just wants Iran to surrender.
Escalation timeline
The current wave of hostilities resumed on 7 July after attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf blamed on Iran, shattering a memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June that was meant to open peace talks. Since then nightly American strikes have intensified, combining air force, naval and drone assets. US Marines are enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports, boarding a tanker in the Gulf of Oman suspected of belonging to Iran’s “ghost fleet.” President Trump said: “We have major gains in Iran and soon you will see the fruits of the work done there,” while American media report he is again reviewing a ground-incursion scenario.
- US-Iran memorandum signed, aimed at opening peace negotiations.
- US starts air strikes; Iran says 38 killed and over 400 wounded by mid-July.
- Clashes resume after ship attacks in the Persian Gulf attributed to Iran.
- Sixth night of US strikes; Iran retaliates with attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain; a child injured in Qatar.
- Seventh night of US bombing ends; Iran warns of total offensive if attacks continue 2-3 more days.
Strait of Hormuz under maximum pressure
Shipping through the strategic waterway, which before the war carried one-fifth of global hydrocarbon trade, has returned to what CNBC described as the “worst scenario.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that attacks would continue until calm is restored on the southern coast and in the strait. Two tankers exploded after allegedly striking mines, according to Iranian state television, but the US Navy denied the claim. Maritime risk specialist Dimitris Maniatis said: “Crews are more worried than at any other moment since the conflict began.” A steady number of commercial operators are now avoiding the passage altogether.
