US completes 11th straight night of strikes on Iran as Tehran activates air defences for first time in new escalation phase

Air defences activated over capital

Iran activated its air defences over Tehran for the first time since the latest escalation with the United States. State media reported anti-aircraft fire in western, eastern, and northeastern districts of the capital, where roughly 15 million people reside. Residents told the semi-official Fars news agency they heard explosions in the early hours of Wednesday. State television reported the activity on Telegram, citing information sources.

Strikes completed across multiple cities

Explosions were also registered in the southeastern coastal cities of Chabahar and Konarak, according to the official IRNA news agency. Two explosions were heard in Bushehr, the site of Iran's sole nuclear power plant. Shortly afterwards, the US military announced it had completed a fresh wave of strikes against military targets in Iran, the eleventh consecutive night of such operations.

Centcom details targets and justification

US Central Command stated it hit Iranian military operations centres, maritime facilities, aircraft hangars, drone warehouses, and military logistics infrastructure. The strikes are officially aimed at further degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Centcom accused Iran of attacking more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the vital international waterway, endangering hundreds of innocent seafarers. Despite the Iranian aggression, the command maintained the strait remains open, noting its forces have facilitated the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil since early May.

War funding request on Capitol Hill

Ahead of the strikes, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate to request roughly $70 billion in additional funding for operations and weapons replenishment. He pegged the cost of the war against Iran at $37.5 billion during the hearing. Hegseth faced questions from lawmakers of both parties but declined to provide operational details on the next steps in the Middle East.

Conflict enters a new phase

President Donald Trump had earlier signalled an intensification of the strikes. The overnight events in Tehran suggest the escalation may be entering a new phase, as the capital had not been targeted since early June when the Israeli Air Force struck the city in response to Iranian missile attacks. The crossfire across the Middle East has eclipsed diplomatic efforts in Pakistan to salvage a provisional ceasefire agreement, which has collapsed. The two countries have been exchanging fire for two weeks, shattering the 18 June truce that was meant to open negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.

Next potential target surfaces

On Tuesday, President Trump warned that the US could soon strike 'Mountain Peak,' an underground complex US authorities link to the Iranian nuclear programme. The facility is carved into a mountainous area, making it difficult to destroy with conventional strikes and raising questions about the capabilities required to reach its subterranean structures.