7 Killed In Iran As US Military Targets Bridges, Airport, And Train Station

The United States and Iran continued crossfire for the sixth consecutive night, with the American military expanding airstrikes on Iranian civil infrastructure, including three bridges, a train station, and an airport. The move was part of President Donald Trump's threats to start striking infrastructure to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

In retaliation, Iran has also launched new missile attacks against US-allied nations in the Middle East and warned that its attacks would escalate. Tehran launched missiles and drones targeted at US military bases in neighbouring states, including a recently expanded air base in Jordan. In Qatar, authorities also warned the public to take shelter as a barrage of Iranian missiles targeted the nation. 

Qatar is a key mediator with Pakistan in trying to reach an end to the Iran war. But talks have broken down over Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran earlier targeted Bahrain and Kuwait over US airstrikes hitting bridges in the Islamic Republic overnight.

Expanded Strikes On Iran

In Iran, southern coastal cities and islands come under US fire, with explosions reported in Ahvaz, Qeshm, Bushehr, Dashti, Bostan, Sirik, and Bandar-e Lengeh, causing more extensive damage to infrastructure than in previous nights. In Bandar-e-Khamir, three bridges near the city were struck, while in Bandar Abbas, the Tapeh Allah Akbar neighbourhood was hit, alongside several other locations. 

In Hormozgan province, road and railway infrastructure was targeted, killing at least seven people, Iranian state television reported. In Iranshahr, an airport was attacked, causing damage to the facility and leading to power outages. Air strikes were reported on Kish Island, resulting in temporary power outages in some areas, according to an Al Jazeera report. 

The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said it hit dozens of targets in its latest airstrikes, which concluded at dawn Friday, the sixth night in a row of American attacks.

"US forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defence sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities," CENTCOM said.

"More than 50,000 US service members are operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," it added.

Status Of War

The interim ceasefire agreed to last month between Tehran and Washington has collapsed, and the region has endured days of back-and-forth attacks by the US and Iran as they battle for control of the strait. Iranian officials say US strikes have killed more than 40 people and wounded over 300 others, with new casualties reported in Friday's strikes.

When the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, Tehran effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic, a move that sent the price of oil soaring and gave Iran major leverage in negotiations.

Speaking in a primetime address to the American public, Trump insisted the war was going well.

"We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labour very, very shortly," Trump said.

Col Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, earlier threatened that Iran could launch widespread attacks on "all the infrastructure in the region" if the US acted on Trump's repeated warnings that America could hit Iranian bridges and power plants.

"Under no circumstances and in no way will we allow America, as a foreign and extraregional country, to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz," he added. "This is Iran's invincible red line."

Situation At Hormuz

In recent days, Trump has returned to his threats to target Iranian power stations and bridges to try to compel Iran to loosen its hold on the strait, through which about a fifth of all oil and natural gas traded once passed in peacetime. The US also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil.

The chokehold on the waterway has pushed the week-to-week cargo shipments through the strait back by almost a quarter at the beginning of the month, according to maritime data firm Lloyd's List Intelligence. And that was before the recent surge in tit-for-tat attacks.

Given the risks, some oil shippers are transiting the strait with their location devices turned off, but many are just staying put, Lloyd's said Thursday. A growing amount of the region's energy is being shipped through pipelines, but not nearly enough to offset the decline in shipping through the strait.