Iran under relentless US fire for 10th straight night as conflict widens

The skies over Iran blazed for a 10th consecutive night as the United States unleashed a fresh wave of strikes, deepening a conflict that is rapidly spilling across the West Asia. Powerful explosions were reported in Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Shiraz and Isfahan, underscoring the widening scope of the bombardment.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted Iranian military command centres, maritime assets, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems. According to the US military, the strikes were aimed at degrading Iran's capabilities allegedly used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran responded with defiance. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched retaliatory attacks on US military infrastructure in Kuwait, targeting HIMARS missile systems, radar installations, satellite receivers, telecommunications facilities and an MQ-9 drone hangar. The IRGC also asserted that it had destroyed US-linked radar and air defence systems in Bahrain, though these claims remain independently unverified.

The confrontation is now reverberating far beyond military targets. Maritime security has come under renewed strain after two Greek-owned oil tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz. Another tanker was reportedly hit off the coast of Oman's port city of Limah, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel. In the early hours of Tuesday, the IRGC claimed two additional tankers attempting to navigate what it called the "unsafe southern route" through the strait were rocked by explosions and engulfed in massive fires.

As missiles flew, US President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian attack on American forces would be met with overwhelming retaliation. His remarks came days after Iranian missile strikes reportedly killed US service members in Jordan and Iraq. Trump also renewed his warning that any continued threats to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would invite an even stronger American response.

Political divisions are also surfacing in Washington. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer urged an end to the conflict, saying Democrats would push for another Senate vote to halt military operations and bring US troops home.

Despite the relentless exchange of strikes, the White House said diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran remains ongoing, while making clear that military operations will continue until Trump orders otherwise, the Al Jazeera reported.

Adding another volatile dimension to the crisis, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced a blockade on Saudi Arabia, raising fears that the long-dormant Yemen conflict could reignite and further endanger one of the world's most vital maritime trade routes.