US Conducts New Airstrikes Against Iran Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions

The U.S. military announced it carried out a new series of airstrikes against Iran on Friday, continuing a pattern of escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf. This marks the thirteenth consecutive night of attacks as tensions surrounding commercial shipping routes intensify.

According to a statement from the U.S. Middle East Command (Centcom) on X, the objective of these strikes is to hold Iran accountable and diminish the threat posed by the Revolutionary Guard to international maritime traffic. Centcom reported that the operation concluded after a few hours.

Targets reportedly included military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance infrastructure. Centcom stated that 50,000 U.S. soldiers are currently operational in the region.

Iranian media outlets, including Nournews, reported hearing explosions in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, near the Iraqi border, as well as in the port city of Bandar Abbas and on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, air defense systems in the capital, Tehran, were activated in response to a perceived hostile threat.