US launches seventh straight night of strikes on Iran, bridges and power infrastructure targeted

The United States carried out a seventh consecutive night of military strikes against Iran on Friday (July 17), as Washington said it was continuing operations aimed at degrading Tehran's military capabilities while tightening enforcement of its naval blockade.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) in a post on X, said the latest round of strikes was launched at 3 p.m. ET under the direction of President Donald Trump.

CENTCOM said the latest attacks were part of an ongoing campaign targeting Iran's military infrastructure.

"CENTCOM launched a round of strikes against Iran at 3 p.m. ET today for the seventh consecutive night. The strikes are designed to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities at the Commander in Chief's direction."

The latest exchanges saw the US target bridges, energy infrastructure and a strategic port facility in southern Iran, while Tehran retaliated with missile strikes against several US-allied nations, including Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

US expands strikes on Iran

The US intensified its military campaign by launching fresh airstrikes against infrastructure in Iran's southern Hormozgan province.

According to Iranian state media, overnight strikes hit bridges in Bandar Khamir, a coastal city overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks reportedly damaged highway and railway bridges linking Bandar Abbas, Iran's largest commercial port, to the country's interior and the capital, Tehran.

Iran also acknowledged attacks on its power infrastructure for the first time since the latest phase of the conflict began.

The Energy Ministry urged residents in southern provinces to reduce electricity consumption but did not specify which facilities had been hit.

Chabahar Port surveillance tower destroyed

US Central Command (CENTCOM) earlier said it struck dozens of military and military infrastructure targets during Friday's operations.

Among them was a surveillance tower at Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the tower had collapsed.

Iran described the structure as part of its commercial port operations, while CENTCOM said it formed part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) maritime surveillance network used to monitor and target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategically important Chabahar Port has been developed with Indian support and serves as a vital trade gateway for Afghanistan.

Casualties rise

Iranian authorities said recent US strikes have killed at least 46 people and wounded more than 400.

Officials said eight people were killed in Friday's attack on a bridge.

The US military also acknowledged that 13 additional American service members—10 Army soldiers and three Navy sailors—had been injured since Monday.

Since the conflict began, the Pentagon said 14 US service members have been killed and 427 wounded.

Strait of Hormuz remains central to conflict

The confrontation continues to revolve around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil transit routes.

Iran effectively closed the waterway after the United States and Israel launched military operations on February 28, significantly reducing commercial shipping through the strait.

International shipping data showed crossings had fallen to a three-week low, while Brent crude oil climbed above $86 per barrel, nearing its highest level in a month.

The disruption has heightened fears over global energy supplies and increased volatility in oil markets.

Trump defends military campaign

Addressing the American public on Thursday, President Donald Trump defended the ongoing military operations.

"We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly," Trump said.

Before the conflict erupted, Washington and Tehran had been engaged in negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.

However, with diplomacy now stalled and military operations expanding across the Gulf, Trump faces mounting domestic pressure to prevent the conflict from evolving into the prolonged Middle East war he had pledged to avoid during his election campaign.