TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States (US) launched another round of military strikes against Iran overnight, marking the ninth consecutive night of attacks since the collapse of a ceasefire, as tensions across the Middle East continued to escalate with fresh missile exchanges, maritime incidents, and diplomatic disputes.
The latest strikes targeted military facilities in northwestern Iran, including areas near the city of Tabriz, as well as sites in the southern port city of Bushehr, home to Iran's only civilian nuclear power plant. The US military said the operation aimed to weaken Iran's ability to threaten commercial and civilian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
As reported by DW, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation struck Iranian military command centers, air defense systems, coastal surveillance facilities, missile and drone launch sites, maritime capabilities, and communications infrastructure before concluding the latest wave of attacks.
President Donald Trump said the strikes were carried out in response to the deaths of American service members during the conflict.
"We hit them very hard again tonight," Trump told reporters after returning from the FIFA World Cup final, adding that the attacks were conducted "in honor" of the fallen troops. He also claimed Iran had suffered severe military losses and asserted that the United States controlled the Strait of Hormuz, a claim Tehran rejected.
Iranian state media reported that at least one person was killed and several others were injured in an American strike southwest of Tabriz. Authorities also confirmed multiple strikes in Bushehr, though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Despite the continued military exchanges, Iran signaled that diplomatic communication with Washington had not completely ceased. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran continued receiving messages through mediators and stressed that diplomacy remained one of the country's tools for protecting national interests.
"I reject the duality of either war or diplomacy," Baghaei said during a press conference. "Diplomacy is a tool through which we pursue our national interests, just like war."
Iran Expands Regional Retaliation
The conflict widened further as Iran launched attacks targeting US military assets across the Gulf.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for strikes against US military targets in Kuwait, saying it destroyed an early-warning radar system and struck facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base, including an MQ-9 drone hangar.
Air raid sirens also sounded across Bahrain, where air defense systems intercepted incoming attacks. Bahrain hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and has become a recurring target during the conflict.
Jordan's military likewise announced that its air defense systems intercepted three missiles that entered the country's airspace from Iran overnight. Authorities said the missiles were destroyed without causing casualties or material damage.
Trump warned that Iran would "pay many times over" for the deaths of American soldiers after two US service members were killed during an earlier Iranian missile strike on a military base in Jordan. A third soldier remained unaccounted for.
Shipping Routes Under Pressure
Security concerns also intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes.
According to Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers, two of its vessels were struck by projectiles near the strategic waterway on Monday.
The Malta-flagged tanker Kavomaleas caught fire after being hit twice, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel before they were rescued by Omani authorities. Another Dynacom-operated tanker, the Liberian-flagged Acheloos, also sustained damage but remained afloat, with all crew members reported safe.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency confirmed that a vessel northwest of Kumzar, Oman, had been struck by an unidentified projectile, leaving it adrift after its crew evacuated safely. No environmental damage was immediately reported.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard separately announced that two "non-compliant" oil tankers attempting to transit what it described as an unsafe southern route through the Strait of Hormuz had exploded and were brought to a halt, although it did not identify the vessels involved.
Read: Diplomatic Exchanges with US Ongoing Despite Strikes, Iran Says
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