By Bosun Obafemi
Iran has accused the United States of targeting civilian infrastructure in its latest wave of air strikes, as hostilities between the two countries continue to escalate following the collapse of peace talks.
Iranian state media and provincial authorities said the overnight strikes hit several non-military facilities, including bridges, a railway station and an airport. Authorities in Hormozgan Province reported that at least seven people were killed in the attacks.
According BBC, one of the strikes damaged the Gariveh Bridge in Hormozgan Province. Verified footage showed a massive explosion engulfing the bridge at night, while daylight images revealed a collapsed section of the roadway surrounded by debris.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) did not provide a detailed list of the targets but maintained that the operation was aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities.
“The strikes were intended to further degrade Iranian military capabilities,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
The latest bombardment follows repeated warnings by U.S. President Donald Trump that Washington could target Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power stations, to pressure Tehran into returning to negotiations. The current conflict erupted on February 28 after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks against Israel, U.S. forces and American allies across the Gulf.
The United States has now carried out air strikes on Iranian targets for six consecutive nights.
Responding to the latest attacks, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it struck U.S. maritime surveillance radar installations in Oman, as well as targets in Kuwait and Bahrain. It also claimed responsibility for an attack on a U.S. special operations command centre at al-Tanf in Syria. The United States and Syrian authorities had not commented on those claims at the time of reporting.
Kuwaiti officials confirmed that Iranian strikes damaged power generation and water desalination facilities within the country.
The renewed fighting has also intensified concerns over global energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, has remained effectively closed during the conflict.
International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol warned that prolonged disruption could have serious consequences for global energy markets.
“We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks,” Birol said.
The latest escalation comes after a ceasefire agreed in June collapsed. Although the truce was initially observed, negotiations failed to produce a lasting settlement, prompting President Trump to declare the ceasefire over. Since then, the United States has resumed extensive air strikes and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said a commercial tanker sailing near Khasab, Oman, was struck by an unidentified projectile on Thursday. All crew members were reported safe as tensions continue to mount across the Gulf.
