The United States launched a new round of airstrikes against Iran late on Thursday, with operations commencing at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes, described as an effort to "further degrade Iranian military capacities," follow repeated violations of a mid-June memorandum of understanding prohibiting attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the strikes were a direct response to Iran’s breach of the agreement, which explicitly barred attacks on shipping in the strategic waterway. "The president is not going to allow them to fire on the ships in the strait," Leavitt stated, adding that the administration remains engaged in peace talks despite the hostilities. Iranian state media reported strikes near Qeshm Island and the port city of Bandar Abbas, both critical locations adjacent to the Strait.
Iran condemns U.S. actions as human rights violations
Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, submitted a formal letter to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemning the U.S. bombing campaign. The letter, cited by Iran’s permanent mission, warned that the OHCHR’s silence on civilian casualties and infrastructure destruction undermines international human rights credibility. Separately, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, denounced a U.S. strike near Shahid Baqaei Hospital in Ahvaz, a children’s cancer treatment centre, which he said caused "severe suffering and anxiety" among patients.
Regional developments amid ongoing conflict
Syria’s Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that its security forces had intercepted a shipment of "advanced weapons" bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon, seized along the Syrian-Iraqi border. The disclosure comes as tensions in the region remain high, with U.S. strikes on Iranian targets now a near-daily occurrence this week.
Observers are watching for further U.S. military responses, as well as Iran’s next diplomatic or military moves in the wake of the sustained campaign.
