Tension escalates anew as US, Iran exchange strikes

International

THE United States (US) and Iran exchanged another round of military strikes on Thursday, further escalating tensions as shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz continued to decline.

Per a report by BBC, the US said it struck 90 military targets, including sites near the strategic waterway, while Iran’s health ministry reported that 14 people were killed and 78 others were injured over the past two days.

Iranian state media said areas near the Bushehr nuclear power plant were among the targets, although US officials have not commented on these reports.

Tehran said it responded by targeting US military assests in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar before launching additional strikes against sites in Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq.

The latest attacks coincided with the burial of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Mashhad after six days of funeral ceremonies.

Thousands of mourners gathered as his flag-draped coffin was carried into the Imam Reza shrine.

His son and designated successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, did not appear publicly during the ceremony.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the US strikes as a “grave war crime” and accused Washington of carrying out attackes that also damaged transportation infrastructure linking Tehran and Mashhad.

US Central Command said the operation was intended to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict has also affected global shipping. Phil Belcher, marine director at Intertanko, said vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply since hostilities intensified, with significantly fewer ships using the vital trade route.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said Iran had recently contacted the United States seeking a new agreement but questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to honor any future deal.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that any further US attacks would be met with retaliation, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would respond “with action.”

The latest escalation marks the most serious fighting between the two countries since they signed a memorandum of understanding in June, raising fresh concerns over regional stability and the future of diplomatic negotiations. (Feirnchae M. Lim, UP Cebu Comm Intern)