Iran claimed attacks on U.S. assets in Bahrain and Kuwait while reporting tanker fires in the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying fears over regional security and oil supplies.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
The military confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified on Tuesday after Tehran claimed it launched attacks on U.S. military assets in Bahrain and Kuwait while reporting explosions and fires aboard two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the two vessels caught fire after attempting to sail through what it described as an “unsafe southern route” in the strategic waterway. However, the claims could not be independently verified, and neither Gulf governments nor U.S. officials immediately confirmed the reported attacks or tanker incidents.
The latest developments come as U.S. military operations against Iran entered a 10th consecutive night, marking one of the longest sustained exchanges between the two countries in recent years.
U.S. strikes continue across Iran
Iranian state media reported overnight airstrikes in several parts of the country, including Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Qeshm Island, Chabahar, Konarak, Shiraz and Abdanan.
Iranian officials accused Washington of expanding its campaign to target civilian infrastructure, claiming roads, bridges, airports, ports and public utilities suffered extensive damage across multiple provinces.
Authorities said the Kahurestan Bridge near Bandar Abbas was damaged, while six additional bridges in Hormozgan province were reportedly destroyed. Officials also claimed strikes hit Shahid Baghaei Hospital in Ahvaz, forcing the evacuation of more than 200 patients.
Iran further alleged that airports in Iranshahr, Semnan and Jam, along with several commercial and fishing ports, were damaged during the attacks.
Officials also claimed Bushehr, home to Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant, sustained significant damage but remains operational.
The United States has not publicly confirmed Iran’s claims regarding the reported infrastructure damage.
Shipping risks grow in Strait of Hormuz
The reported tanker fires have renewed concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil exports typically transit.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the crew of a commercial vessel struck off the coast of Oman abandoned ship and evacuated into a lifeboat, underscoring the growing security risks facing merchant vessels in the region.
The incidents have heightened concerns that any prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could affect global energy supplies and international trade.
Oil prices and fuel costs remain under pressure
Energy markets remained volatile as investors assessed the risk of further disruptions to crude oil shipments from the Gulf.
Rising geopolitical tensions have already pushed fuel prices higher in several countries. According to data cited by the Associated Press, the average price of gasoline in the United States has climbed back to around $4 per gallon, compared with $3.14 during the same period last year.
Analysts warn that any sustained disruption to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could place additional upward pressure on global oil prices.
Diplomatic efforts continue
Despite the escalating military exchanges, diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire remain active.
In Washington, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called for an end to the conflict, saying Democrats would seek a congressional vote aimed at halting U.S. military operations against Iran.
Iranian officials also said they remain engaged with international mediators exploring possible ceasefire proposals, although no breakthrough has been announced.
As fighting enters its 10th straight night, the international community continues to monitor developments closely, with growing concerns that further escalation could threaten regional stability, disrupt global shipping and energy markets, and draw additional countries into the conflict.
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