The United States military completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran, escalating the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its fifth year, as President Donald Trump promised "major military punishment" for Iran and its Houthi allies. These latest American attacks, lasting over two hours, targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities. The sustained bombardment follows Houthi forces striking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending the regional conflict to a second critical shipping chokepoint.
Escalating Aggression
President Trump declared on social media that the U.S. would hold Iran responsible for any future Houthi actions, threatening "major military punishment" for both Iran and the Yemeni fighters. He told Axios he was considering re-launching major combat operations in Iran, stating, "They haven't received enough pain yet." Trump also proposed that "any and all damages done" to cargo ships would be paid for with "Iranian Money," referring to frozen Iranian assets held by the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arachi condemned this proposal on X, calling it an "incendiary precedent" and warning that "no one's assets were safe once governments normalised such confiscation." He added that "ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful."
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the latest round of strikes, asserting they aimed to "further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz." These strikes occurred after the Houthis announced they had hit the Saudi oil tankers Encelia and Layla. The Houthis, who maintain control over northern and western Yemen, declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. This blockade comes as Saudi Arabia has already diverted millions of barrels of oil daily via pipeline to the Red Sea, seeking to circumvent Iran's blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. A maritime security source reported the Encelia sent a distress call after being struck by a missile near the Saudi port of Jizan on Wednesday, causing a fire at its bow, according to Saudi state news agency SPA.
Regional Responses and Casualties
The U.S. military's continuous air strikes, now in their 13th consecutive night, prompted Iran to retaliate by firing at neighboring Arab countries hosting U.S. bases. Iranian state media reported missile strikes on Qeshm Island, located on the Strait of Hormuz, on both Thursday and Friday nights. The conflict, well into its fifth month, has already claimed thousands of lives and fueled fears of a global economic downturn. State broadcaster IRIB confirmed that a U.S. missile attack on the Iranian city of Ahvaz resulted in four people killed and five injured.
Iran stated it attacked U.S. missile systems, weapons, and fuel storage sites in Jordan, alongside U.S. military posts in Kuwait. Jordan's army reported engaging four Iranian missiles and six drones in the past day, intercepting all but one missile, which landed in an uninhabited area. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for striking a U.S. electronic warfare unit at Al-Adiri base in Kuwait, citing unspecified casualties. This strike was a direct response to an overnight U.S. attack on Iran's Shalamcheh border crossing with Iraq. Neither the United States nor Kuwait has reported any casualties at the Al-Adiri base. Iranian military spokesperson Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia affirmed that Iran would continue its retaliation as long as the U.S. persisted in attacking its infrastructure and coastal areas.
Economic Warfare and Shipping Disruptions
Fears that the conflict could expand to block another vital sea route caused global oil prices to surge dramatically. Brent crude rose more than 6%, breaching the $100 a barrel mark for the first time since May. Despite the heightened risks, daily vessel transits of the Strait of Hormuz remained steady at three for each of the past three days, from July 22 to July 24, according to preliminary shiptracking data from analytics firm Kpler.
Meanwhile, commodity vessel transits at the Bab el-Mandeb strait totaled 32 on July 23, an increase from 26 the day before. On Thursday, 14 vessels entered the Red Sea, while 18 exited the strait into the Gulf of Aden, with nine of these carrying crude oil, including two loaded Chinese supertankers bound for China. The clean tanker Torm Innovation, carrying approximately 500,000 barrels of naphtha destined for Asia, rerouted towards the Suez Canal exit instead of its typical Bab el-Mandeb exit. Regional trade sources indicate that rerouting ships via the Suez Canal to Asia could extend the voyage duration by nearly three times. Saudi Aramco has begun offering additional crude cargoes loading at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir, presenting it as a workaround to loading at its Red Sea ports.