Washington, July 13:
The conflict between the United States and Iran intensified on Sunday after US forces launched fresh strikes on Iranian missile systems, air defence sites and IRGC speedboats around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
Explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, where Iranian officials said 10–11 projectiles hit military facilities with no civilian casualties. However, Iranian media reported one worker killed and two injured in Hormozgan province.
The US said the strikes were aimed at safeguarding maritime traffic and countering Iranian threats, while Tehran responded by expanding attacks on US-linked sites across the Gulf, including targets in Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and the UAE. Several countries reported damage, injuries, or interceptions of missiles and drones.
With Iran attempting to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz and the US insisting the waterway remains open, the region has emerged as a major flashpoint.