US Strikes Iran for 13th Night as Chinese Tankers Slip Through Houthi Blockade

The United States has continued its military campaign against Iran for a 13th consecutive night, with explosions reported across multiple Iranian cities on Friday morning. The sustained offensive comes amid escalating shipping disruptions in vital waterways, even as some vessels appear to be navigating the Houthi-imposed blockade in the Red Sea region.

US Strikes Hit Multiple Iranian Cities

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it concluded its latest round of strikes at 01:00 GMT on Friday. According to CENTCOM, the targets included Iranian military command centres, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities.

Iranian media reported explosions or attacks across several cities on Friday. State broadcaster IRIB confirmed blasts in Khondab, Khorramabad, Konarak and Jask. The semi-official Fars news agency reported that two people were injured in an early morning drone attack on Khorramabad, citing the deputy governor of the western Lorestan province.

Iran's Mehr news agency reported that US missile strikes struck the cities of Andimeshk and Omidiyeh in Khuzestan province, with no casualties reported. Meanwhile, attacks on the port city of Bandar Abbas injured two people, according to Iranian media.

Al Jazeera's Tohid Assidi, reporting from Tehran, said explosions were heard on Qeshm island, located in the Strait of Hormuz. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that four people were killed and five others injured in a US missile attack near the southwestern city of Ahvaz.

Iran Retaliates Against Gulf Bases

Iran's military said it used drones to strike facilities in both Bahrain and Jordan, according to a statement carried by Mehr news agency. In Bahrain, the Iranian army said it targeted fuel storage tanks, equipment warehouses and troop living quarters at Sheikh Isa Air Base.

In Jordan, the military said it hit aircraft hangars, maintenance facilities and accommodation sites at the Muwaffaq Salti/Al-Azraq base. Iran warned that any actions against its interests would undermine regional security and economic stability.

Shipping Disruptions and the Houthi Blockade

Shipping disruptions continue to intensify as the conflict rages. Ship tracking data revealed that only one tanker successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, marking the lowest level since May 7.

However, shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group showed that two Chinese supertankers carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia successfully exited the Bab al-Mandeb strait on Friday. This occurred despite the naval blockade that Yemen's Houthis announced against Saudi Arabia on Monday, raising questions about how the blockade is being enforced and whether certain nations are being exempted.

Escalating Rhetoric Between Washington and Tehran

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump intensified his rhetoric against Tehran. Speaking to the US news website Axios, Trump said he was considering launching the largest strikes on Iran yet, following a wave of retaliatory attacks by Tehran on US allies in the Gulf, including a strike on a telecommunications tower in Kuwait.

Trump described the potential action as a "massive attack" that would be "bigger than ever before," adding: "I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it."

Separately, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to threaten that if Iran attacked ships, the United States would use Tehran's frozen assets to pay for repairs.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on Friday, warning that using frozen state assets to pay for future claims sets a dangerous global precedent. Writing on X, Araghchi called the seizure of another nation's assets for unrelated future claims an "incendiary precedent."

He cautioned that those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember that once governments normalise confiscation, no one's assets are safe, adding that the "ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful."

As the conflict enters its second week of sustained strikes with no signs of de-escalation, the implications for global shipping, energy markets and regional stability continue to mount. What are your thoughts on this rapidly developing situation? Share this article with your network and join the conversation below.

Source: Al Jazeera English