Key Takeaways
- Iran targeted American radar and air defence installations in the Gulf.
- The United States launched a new round of strikes against Iran for the 10th consecutive day.
- Diplomatic exchanges between Iran and the US are ongoing despite heightened tensions.
Iran has targeted American military assets, including radar and air defence installations in the Gulf, according to state news agency IRNA. This follows a series of strikes by the United States against Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military completed its latest round of attacks on Monday evening, striking Iranian military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems. The Pentagon stated that these actions were designed to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels transiting through the strait.
In response, Iran warned of 'more decisive and powerful' attacks in the coming days. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed they had stopped two non-compliant oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz as part of their efforts to tighten control over the vital waterway.
The conflict has resulted in significant casualties for American forces, with nearly 100 US servicemembers wounded since July 7. Most injuries were minor concussions, according to a Pentagon statement on Monday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the ongoing confrontation as 'a full-scale war,' while US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would pay 'many times over' for every American soldier killed.
Despite the escalation, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated that diplomatic exchanges with Washington via mediators were still underway. These talks are taking place against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the region.
During his two-day visit to Pakistan, Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni will meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. This visit comes as diplomatic pressure builds for Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, Israel's key condition before withdrawing from south Lebanon.
In the Strait of Hormuz, the Revolutionary Guards reported that two tankers attempting to transit the strait were hit by explosions, resulting in massive fires and bringing them to a standstill. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) earlier reported an unknown projectile striking a tanker off the coast of Oman.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels entered the fray on Monday, announcing an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the ongoing conflict.
