Escalating Conflict: US and Iran Clash as Civilian Sites Come Under Fire

US launches new strikes as Iran – The United States has initiated another round of military operations against Iran, marking the sixth consecutive evening of bombardments. According to the US military, these strikes are part of an ongoing struggle between the two nations for dominance over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command, commonly referred to as Centcom, stated that the primary objective of these operations is to “further degrade Iranian military capabilities.” Additionally, Centcom announced that its forces had successfully boarded a vessel as part of an ongoing blockade targeting Iranian ports.

Civilian Infrastructure Sustains Damage

Reports from Iranian state media outlets and provincial authorities indicate that civilian facilities have been struck during the latest wave of attacks. Among the damaged sites are bridges, a railway station, and an airport. BBC Verify has independently confirmed that one bridge located to the west of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province was hit during the overnight operations.

Iranian state media and local officials reported that Washington targeted Iranshahr Airport in southeastern Iran, a railway station, and six bridges within the Hormozgan province. Seven people were killed in these strikes, according to provincial authorities in Hormozgan. BBC Persian and Verify have verified footage of damage to one of the bridges, Gariveh Bridge, which connects the southern cities of Bandar Abbas, Bandar Khamir and Lar. Overnight video captured the bridge with a ball of flames on top of it, as cars stopped behind the fire. Morning images show a crumbled stretch of road with rubble around the broken bridge.

Iranian Retaliation Across Multiple Fronts

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) announced that it has responded to the US attacks by striking American maritime surveillance radar sites in Oman. The IRGC also claimed to have targeted positions in both Kuwait and Bahrain. Furthermore, they asserted that a US special operations command centre in Syria was among the targets. The IRGC described the surprise attack at al-Tanf in Syria, situated near the Jordanian border, as retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers two days prior. Neither Syria nor the United States has issued any official comment regarding this claim.

Later on Friday, Jordan’s military announced that it had shot down three Iranian missiles, with no casualties or damage reported. The IRGC claimed it struck US fighter jets stationed in the Gulf country, according to state television. Meanwhile in Iraqi Kurdistan, eight people were killed and several injured in the city of Sulaymaniyah in the early morning, according to Kurdish news agency Rudaw and Agence France Press news agency. Kurdish forces blamed the attack on Iran. Separately, Kurdish forces said eight drones were also shot down over the city of Erbil, with no casualties reported.

Strait of Hormuz Remains Closed Amid Growing Concerns

As hostilities intensify, the Strait of Hormuz—a critical waterway off Iran’s coast that Tehran effectively blocked in response to US-Israeli strikes—has remained shut. This closure has significantly impacted the flow of oil from the region. The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, expressed concerns about global energy supplies. “We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks,” Birol said on Thursday night.

On Friday, the Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers called for the US and Iran to stop fighting and resume negotiations. The US overnight strikes also hit close to the island of Qeshm as well as in the southern coastal cities of Bandar Abbas and Bushehr—the site of a nuclear power plant. Centcom did not mention bridges in its list of the “dozens of Iranian military targets” it hit in the latest round of strikes. It said jets, drones and ships had attacked “coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities.” The BBC has asked Centcom for comment.

Iranian outlets reported power cuts in Hormozgan province due to damage to electricity infrastructure caused by the US attacks. There were also multiple strikes in the provinces of Khuzestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchestan, along Iran’s southern coast, according to reports last night from Iranian outlets.

Historical Context and Humanitarian Impact

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran’s bridges and power plants if the country did not return to talks. After Trump said in April that the US would bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges and power plants, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said “deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime”. At least 38 people have been killed and more than 400 injured in the country since fighting resumed with the US, Iran’s health ministry said.

“We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks,” — Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency

“Deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime.” — Volker Türk, UN human rights chief