The U.S. military conducted a seventh straight night of air and sea strikes on Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command said Friday, according to Fox News’ live coverage. The command said fighter aircraft, drones, warships and “other assets” hit surveillance sites, logistics facilities, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities, and that U.S. forces were enforcing what it called a renewed naval operation affecting Iranian ports. A Fox News live blog noted that tens of thousands of U.S. service members are operating across the Middle East.
Shipping is feeling the strain. Fox News reported that U.S. forces have redirected some commercial vessels transiting the strait as part of the operation and that a maritime advisory group flagged a separate incident involving a tanker east of Oman’s Duqm. Earlier CBS News updates described similar U.S. target sets during this week’s strikes, including coastal surveillance, air defenses, and maritime assets tied to threatening commercial traffic. And on Saturday, CBS News reported that the campaign continued into an additional night, underscoring how quickly the tempo is evolving.
Regional fallout mounted as Iran answered U.S. strikes with attacks across neighboring countries. Fox News reported statements from Jordan’s military that it intercepted multiple missiles and, separately, that Jordanian aircraft shot down several drones that crossed into its airspace. Bahrain’s military said it destroyed aerial attacks. In Kuwait, both the army and the state oil company reported strikes that hit energy and water infrastructure and caused injuries to firefighters and oil-sector workers, according to Fox News.
Diplomatic reactions picked up as well. Fox News reported that Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned what it called renewed attacks on Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, told Americans worldwide to “exercise increased caution” because of the fighting’s ripple effects and warned of potential disruptions to flights and U.S. diplomatic facilities, according to CBS News.
Oil and markets are watching. A Fox News live blog said Brent crude prices were rising amid the fighting and the stepped-up enforcement effort around the strait. The U.S. and Iran also traded claims over tanker incidents and mine reports, with CENTCOM disputing Iranian assertions that two tankers exploded after striking mines in the waterway, Fox News reported.
While Fox News said Friday’s sorties marked the seventh consecutive night of U.S. strikes, CBS News’ update said the operation ran into an additional night. That difference tracks with the fast pace of events as fresh waves of strikes and retaliations are announced within hours. Both outlets said the sustained U.S. action was focused on weakening capabilities Iran uses to threaten commercial shipping through a key international waterway.
Why it matters
The Strait of Hormuz is an essential passage for tankers and cargo ships. Trouble there can raise shipping costs, squeeze oil supplies and show up in everyday prices. The longer the exchanges continue, the greater the chance of miscalculation that could draw in more countries. For families planning travel or doing business in the region, alerts and delays are already part of the picture.