US airstrikes hit northern Iran as it disables ship trying to breach blockade

US Airstrikes Hit Northern Iran as Military Disables Ship Attempting to Breach Blockade

The United States intensified its military campaign against Iran early Thursday, conducting strikes in northern regions, including areas near the capital, Tehran, while simultaneously enforcing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation follows the collapse of an interim ceasefire, with both nations engaging in tit-for-tat strikes that have raised international concerns over a return to full-scale war.

US Strikes Target Iranian Military Infrastructure

US Central Command reported that the latest operations targeted Iranian military capabilities, including coastal defense systems, cruise missile storage, and launch sites. On Wednesday, strikes hit Greater Tunb Island, a strategic location within the Strait of Hormuz. By Thursday, the scope of the attacks expanded further north. State media reported that air defenses were heard throughout Tehran, and strikes were also reported in Semnan province, which houses Iran’s ballistic missile production and space program. In southern Iran, explosions were reported in the city of Konarak, and projectiles hit near Sirik and Qeshm. Additionally, an attack on a barracks for the 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Sistan and Baluchestan province resulted in at least seven deaths, according to Iranian state television. Iranian officials report that recent US strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded over 300 others.

Blockade Enforcement and Maritime Tensions

The US military has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that previously carried approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. As part of this enforcement, the US military disabled an unladen oil tanker, identified as the Curacao-flagged *Belma*, which was attempting to reach Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal. According to the US military, the vessel ignored multiple warnings before American forces fired Hellfire missiles into its smokestack. Iran has responded to these measures with defiance. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East, stating that regional energy exports are either shared by all or denied to all. Iran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, described the conflict as an “essential and existential war” with the United States.

For more on this story, see Oil Prices Surge as US and Iran Exchange Military Strikes in Persian Gulf.

Regional Retaliation and Diplomatic Strains

Iran retaliated against the US-led strikes early Thursday by launching missile and drone attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. While these nations host US forces, there was no immediate confirmation of damage or casualties resulting from these retaliatory strikes. Negotiators on both sides have expressed skepticism regarding the future of these talks. Qalibaf stated that Iran has no reason to adhere to the MOU if it derives no benefit from it, while the US administration has suggested the possibility of widening attacks to force open the strait. President Donald Trump, speaking at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, claimed that Iran wants to “settle so badly” and asserted that the US would have the country “defeated soon.”

Summary of Recent Developments

Despite the intense military pressure, President Trump noted a potential sign of goodwill late Wednesday, confirming that Iran allowed an American citizen, Dena Karari, to leave the country. Karari, a non-profit director who had been detained since late 2024, is now traveling back to the United States.

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