The United States continues air strikes on Iran for the seventh night in a row. Tehran says the attacks are aimed at civilian infrastructure in the southern and central parts of the country. In response, Iran is broadening its threats—from blocking the Strait of Hormuz to striking vital facilities in neighboring states. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised large-scale ground and air operations, and Iranian military officials have said they are moving to a “phase of total offensive,” heightening fears that the conflict could escalate into a full-scale regional war.
According to the outlet Axios, citing U.S. and Israeli officials, the Trump administration has notified Israel about sending dozens of additional refueling aircraft in the event that operations against Iran expand. It is reported that Trump is considering a large-scale attack that would surpass the current strikes in both scope and intensity. New military plans were presented to him at a meeting at the operations center on Tuesday. Israeli sources add that fuel supplies will increase in the coming days to the level seen at the start of the war.
For the first time in a week, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) included “military logistics infrastructure” among its target list. In a statement on Saturday, it said that during the seventh night of attacks, surveillance posts, military facilities, underground weapon storage sites, and Iranian naval forces were hit. Fighter jets, drones, and ships were used. In response, the military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, warned that if the bombings continue for another two or three days, Iran will move to an “all-encompassing and devastating offensive.”
Iran accuses U.S. forces of hitting civilian infrastructure, including an airport, bridges, a port, and a railway station. General Rezaei said that the “response will not be symmetrical” and that there will be “no political constraints ensuring the safety of forces opposing Iranian attacks.” Another military representative, Majid Mousavi, emphasized that Tehran will not stop its strikes on the region until the U.S. halts the bombing of Iran’s southern coast and the Strait of Hormuz. An official from Iran’s army warned: “If Americans attack the infrastructure of the Islamic Republic, all infrastructure in the region will become a lawful target for Iran.”
Alongside these statements, Iran carried out major strikes on a power plant and a desalination facility in Kuwait, causing a fire and destruction. This is the second attack on Kuwaiti sites within two days. In Bahrain, air-defense forces intercepted and destroyed several Iranian air targets. Jordan reported that at dawn on Saturday, its air defenses repelled an attack by ten Iranian rockets that had violated the kingdom’s airspace. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the sinking of two oil tankers and a fire aboard them while attempting to pass through a “minefield south of the Strait of Hormuz,” but CENTCOM called the claim “false.”
In the assessment of military analyst Colonel Nidal Abu Zaid, the U.S. has focused on “strikes on mobility”—hitting bridges, roads, and railway lines connecting Bandar Abbas with Isfahan, Shiraz, and Kerman. The goal is to paralyze the movement of reinforcements and supplies to Iran’s western coast. The analyst notes that the aircraft carriers USS Lincoln and USS George H. W. Bush have divided roles: the former for fire support with precision-guided missiles, the latter for a maritime blockade; drones and unmanned surface vessels are also being used. The U.S. has created two operational lines cutting Iran off from resupply from deep within its territory. At the same time, the analyst says, Iran continues to operate under the old playbook, attacking the same targets with missiles and drones, which could disrupt the operational balance.
The current escalation goes far beyond an exchange of strikes between the United States and Iran—it is pulling neighboring states in and creating a threat of a full-scale regional war. Mutual threats and military preparations indicate that neither side is prepared to back down. At the same time, according to experts, the tactical advantage the U.S. gains in blocking Iran’s supply routes could lead to a shift in the balance of power, unless Iran moves to new, more unexpected forms of retaliation.
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Why is the Strait of Hormuz considered strategically important for the global economy, and how could its blockade affect world markets? - The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage between Oman and Iran through which about 20–25% of the world’s oil flows (roughly 17–20 million barrels per day). That makes it the planet’s main “energy valve.” Even a temporary blockade would trigger a sharp jump in oil prices (up to 50–100% in a short period), paralyze the economies of importing countries (especially in Asia—Japan, China, India), and spark a global recession comparable to the 1973 oil crisis.
What role does the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) play in Iran’s political and military structure? - The IRGC is an elite military-political force created after the 1979 revolution to defend the Islamic regime. Unlike the regular army, the IRGC controls the missile program, nuclear development, and intelligence services (including “Quds,” the unit for overseas operations), and it also has enormous economic influence by running construction, energy, and telecommunications projects. In practice, the IRGC is a “state within a state,” reporting directly to the Supreme Leader, and it plays a key role in military and foreign-policy decision-making.
Who is Iran’s Supreme Leader, and what influence does he have on decision-making in wartime? - The Supreme Leader (Rahbar) is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He holds the highest authority in the country: he appoints the head of the judiciary, the commanders of the IRGC and the army, controls key media outlets, and sets foreign policy. In wartime, his word is decisive—he can declare general mobilization, authorize the use of missiles or a nuclear program, and also veto decisions by the president and parliament. Khamenei is also a religious authority, legitimizing any military action through religious edicts (fatwas).
Why have neighboring countries (Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan) been drawn into the conflict, and what are their relations with Iran? - These countries are drawn into the conflict due to geographic proximity, the presence of U.S. military bases, fears of Iranian influence, and regional tensions. Kuwait and Bahrain are Persian Gulf monarchies with a large Shiite minority (up to 70% in Bahrain), which, the ruling Sunni dynasties fear, could be lobbied for by Iran. Jordan, which borders Iraq and Syria, fears pro-Iranian militias along its borders. Relations with Iran are hostile: all three countries accuse Tehran of trying to export the revolution, supporting Shiite groups, and destabilizing the region. However, they have not entered direct combat with Iran; rather, they participate in a coalition aimed at containing its influence.
Full version: Will Washington and Tehran roll toward all-out war?