DUBAI — The United States launched a new wave of strikes on infrastructure in southern Iran on Friday, expanding its military campaign as hostilities with Tehran intensified following the collapse of a ceasefire earlier this month, according to U.S. and Iranian authorities.
U.S. Central Command said the operation targeted sites it said were being used to support Iranian military operations and attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that bridges in Hormozgan province, infrastructure near the port of Chabahar and other facilities in the country's south were hit.
Iranian officials said the strikes caused casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, although the full extent could not be independently verified. Iranian state television reported fatalities in Hormozgan province, while Iranian authorities said emergency services were assessing damage at multiple locations.
The latest strikes came as Iran reported fresh retaliatory attacks against U.S. facilities and regional allies, further widening the confrontation across the Middle East. U.S. officials acknowledged ongoing military operations but did not immediately provide an updated assessment of the latest Iranian response.
The United Nations has expressed concern over attacks affecting civilian infrastructure and warned of the potential humanitarian consequences of the escalating conflict. Global oil prices remained under pressure amid continued disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
The situation remained fluid, with both sides continuing military operations and officials indicating that assessments of the latest strikes and their impact were still underway.
