US Conducts 13 Nights of Strikes as Iran Closes Hormuz

The United States and Iran have entered a period of intense military escalation following the collapse of a June 17 interim peace deal. Donald Trump authorized a campaign of 13 consecutive nights of airstrikes targeting Iranian military command centers, drone storage, and maritime capabilities. In response, Iran and its aligned Houthi rebels have targeted commercial shipping and U.S. assets, including strikes on bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq. Iran's Health Ministry reports at least 55 deaths since June 27, while the U.S. has lost at least four service members in the past week.

The conflict centers on control of the Strait of Hormuz, which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared completely closed and mined. Simultaneously, Houthi rebels implemented a naval blockade in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, attacking Saudi oil tankers such as the Encelia. These disruptions have driven Brent crude prices toward $100 per barrel and pushed U.S. gasoline prices above $4 per gallon, sparking global inflation fears.

President Trump has established a policy of destroying one Iranian bridge or power plant for every ship targeted in the strait and has threatened strikes on the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility. He also announced the seizure of Iranian assets to cover shipping damages. Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi responded with an "eye for an eye" defense doctrine. Despite diplomatic efforts by Pakistan and Iraq to revive the Islamabad MoU, the U.S. maintains that Iran is not yet ready for a sustainable deal. The United Kingdom has withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Iran and warned of security risks in the region.