The United States has continued its military strikes against Iran, with a tenth consecutive night of strikes ordered by President Trump. The strikes began at 4 p.m. ET and are aimed at degrading Iran's military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions in the Middle East have been escalating over the past nine days, following the death of two US service members killed in Iranian attacks. The US Central Command forces have completed a ninth consecutive round of nightly strikes against Iran, aimed at "holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief's direction."
Iran has been targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz again in violation of a signed memorandum of understanding with the US. In response, the US has reinstated the US Naval blockade on Iranian ports and started bombing Iran nonstop. Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases in the region, including in Jordan, where two US service members were killed in action last week.
New attacks on commercial vessels occurred on Sunday and Monday near the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman, with one vessel being hit east of Dibba, UAE, and another off the coast of Kumzar, Oman. Multiple ships were struck on Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz, a British maritime agency said.
The Houthis in Yemen have also imposed a naval blockade on the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden near Saudi Arabia's western coastline. The blockade could reduce global oil supply by 7% by stopping Saudi oil exports to Asia.
The US is likely to continue its military strikes against Iran and its allies, with President Trump threatening earlier that Iran will pay "many times over" for killing American troops and for continued hostilities. The situation remains highly volatile, with the risk of an even wider regional conflict.
