The United States continues its seventh day of strikes on Iran. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that a nighttime wave of attacks hit military sites including observation posts, underground weapons depots, military infrastructure and naval forces. At the same time, the Pentagon reported that the number of injured U.S. service members since the conflict began on Monday has risen to 13.
According to Iranian television, three people were killed in Hormozgan Province and eight others were injured. Explosions were reported in the southern provinces of Fars and Bushehr, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had destroyed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone in the sky over Bushehr. In Yazd Province, strikes were carried out in remote areas outside cities; there were no casualties.
Civilian infrastructure was hit particularly severely. In the port city of Jask, an airstrike disabled a desalination plant, leaving 20 villages with a population of 10,000 people without water. Bridges and roads were also damaged, including the highway connecting Bandar Abbas and Rodan. Iran’s Ministry of Education canceled graduation exams on Sunday and Monday in four provinces: Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan.
New attacks struck neighboring Kuwait as well. Kuwait’s army said that “Iranian aggression” hit military bases and civilian sites. As a result of a strike, an electric power plant and a water desalination facility caught fire; several power units were shut down for safety reasons, and an emergency plan was put into effect. Due to the temporary suspension of takeoffs and landings at Kuwait’s international airport, most flights of the national carrier were rescheduled.
Other countries in the region also took measures. Saudi Civil Defence issued two warnings for the cities of Al Khardj and Yanbu, but the danger later passed. Bahrain’s defense forces said that air-defense systems intercepted and destroyed Iranian air attacks. Jordanian forces reported that at night they intercepted ten Iranian rockets that entered the airspace of the kingdom. Previously, U.S. service members were affected during attacks on Jordan, after which Washington recommended avoiding sites associated with the United States.
Iran explained its retaliatory strikes by the lack of an international response to “American aggression.” The IRGC said that the United States is committing war crimes by bombing hospitals, bridges, ports and communications centers. At the same time, Tehran stressed that it deliberately limited its strikes to military targets to give Washington a chance to change course. Meanwhile, Iranian television reported an explosion involving two oil tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, allegedly caused by mines, but CENTCOM categorically denied the information, calling it false. In addition, there were mutual accusations over strikes on bridges and infrastructure, along with threats of economic consequences if the conflict continues.
Comments on the news
- What is the significance of the Strait of Hormuz for the global economy, and why could blocking it have worldwide consequences? - Around 20–25% of all global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz (about 17–21 million barrels per day). If Iran blocks it (for example, in response to sanctions or a conflict), it would immediately trigger a sharp spike in energy prices, set off a global economic crisis, and could destabilize energy security for countries in Asia, Europe and the United States—forcing them to use strategic reserves.
- What is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and what role does it play in Iran’s political and military system? - The IRGC is an elite ideological military formation directly subordinate to the Supreme Leader (rahbar). Unlike the regular army, the IRGC is responsible for protecting the Islamic Revolution, suppressing internal protests, controlling the missile program and the “Quds Force” (a special unit for operations abroad). The IRGC also has extensive economic interests (oil, construction, telecommunications) and plays a key role in political decision-making.
- Why are Hormozgan Province and the port of Jask strategically important for Iran? - The port of Jask (on the coast of the Persian Gulf) is an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz: through it, Iran can export oil and receive imports bypassing a possible blockade of the strait. Developing the port and infrastructure in Hormozgan allows Tehran to diversify supply routes, while also increasing military flexibility (deploying missile systems and IRGC naval forces near the Bab-el-Mandeb strait).
- Which ethnic and religious groups live in the provinces where exams have been canceled (Sistan-Baluchestan, Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Bushehr), and how might that affect the internal situation in Iran? - In Sistan-Baluchestan, Sunni Baloch predominate (with strong separatist movements); in Khuzestan, Arab Shiites are predominant (there are also Arab nationalist sentiments); in Hormozgan and Bushehr, the population is mixed (Persians, Arabs, Afro-Iranians), with Shiism predominating. These regions have historically been marginalized (low levels of development, discrimination), which periodically leads to protests (especially amid environmental problems and a water crisis). Canceling exams due to weather could become an additional factor in social tension.
Full version: Iran announces water shutdown for 20 villages after a US raid and attacks on a power plant in Kuwait