The United States carried out another round of strikes on Iran on Thursday, targeting transport infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran responded by launching missile attacks on a US airbase in Jordan, further escalating the conflict in the region.

The renewed hostilities come nearly a month after a preliminary agreement was signed to reduce tensions following the conflict that began in late February with large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Bridges, airport and Railway station among reported targets

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces launched a fresh wave of attacks aimed at “further degrade Iranian military capabilities”. It marked the sixth consecutive night of US military operations against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that two bridges, a railway station and an airport in the country’s south, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, were struck. State television said three people were killed in the attack on the bridges in Hormozgan province.

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Earlier in the day, Iranian media also reported two explosions in Bushehr, home to Iran’s only civilian nuclear power plant, describing them as part of the “continuation of the American enemy aggression”.

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Video footage of US forces launching aircraft and precision munitions against Iranian military targets, released July 16, 2026 | Screengrab/X/US Central Command

Iran retaliates with missile strike

In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they fired ballistic missiles at a US airbase in Jordan. The strike was described as retaliation for what Iran called an American attack near a children’s cancer hospital close to Ahvaz.

Iranian state media said the hospital had been evacuated before the strikes, while foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the attack as “barbaric”.

Residents also described the intensity of the bombardment. Per a report by NDTV, Hani, a 34-year-old teacher from Ahvaz, said the strikes were “very intense”, adding, “My hands are shaking. There were at least 11, 12 explosions. My ears are exploding.”

Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of tensions

The latest escalation has again put the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the conflict. A senior Iranian military spokesman said the country would continue to defend the strategic waterway, declaring, “we will never back down over the Strait of Hormuz”, according to state television.

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The strait had briefly reopened after last month’s US-Iran agreement, but Tehran recently announced it would remain closed “until the US ends its aggression”. The United States has also reinstated its blockade of Iranian ports, with the military saying forces boarded a vessel in the Gulf of Oman to “ensure full compliance” and redirected three ships after the blockade resumed.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump remained firm while leaving the door open for negotiations.

“They have expressed they still want to make a deal to the president. We’re talking to them, but again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that,” she said.

Iran has warned that if Washington continues targeting its infrastructure, “all infrastructure in the region” would be “crushed”. According to the Iranian government, renewed US strikes since last week have killed at least 30 people.

FAQs:

What did the US target in its latest strikes on Iran?

Iranian state media said bridges, a railway station and an airport near the Strait of Hormuz were hit.

How did Iran respond to the latest US strikes?

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they fired ballistic missiles at a US airbase in Jordan in retaliation.