According to the Times of Israel, the military confrontation between the United States and Iran entered a sixth consecutive night on Thursday, with both sides expanding their operations in a conflict that is increasingly threatening regional stability and one of the world’s most critical energy routes.
The latest exchange came despite a preliminary agreement signed last month that was intended to ease tensions following the outbreak of fighting in late February. Instead, hopes for de-escalation appear to be fading as Washington and Tehran trade strikes while the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the dispute.
The US military said its forces carried out attacks on multiple Iranian military targets to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten innocent mariners” in the strategic waterway. Later, US Central Command announced another wave of strikes designed to “further degrade Iranian military capabilities.”
Iranian state media reported explosions in several parts of the country, including around Semnan airport, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz. Authorities said no injuries were reported at Semnan airport, while air defense systems were activated around Tehran.
Residents described a tense night. Hani, a 34-year-old teacher from Ahvaz, said the bombardment was “very intense,” adding: “My hands are shaking. There were at least 11 or 12 explosions. My ears are exploding.”
Iran responded by launching attacks against US allies in the Gulf. The Revolutionary Guards said they fired ballistic missiles at a US airbase in Jordan, while Iranian military officials also claimed drone strikes targeted American facilities there. Kuwait reported intercepting Iranian drones, and Bahrain activated air raid sirens.
The confrontation has also prompted fresh warnings from both governments. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump “is always open to diplomacy at the very same time,” but stressed, “the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that.”
Trump had earlier warned, “Next week it gets really bad for them,” adding that the United States would target Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran returned to negotiations.
Iran answered with its own warning. A military spokesman said that if Washington followed through on those threats, “all infrastructure in the region” would be “crushed.” Another senior military official declared, “we will never back down over the Strait of Hormuz.”
The growing hostilities have also raised concerns in Israel. According to Channel 12, Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility of a broader escalation next week, believing the United States could expand its campaign beyond military targets if diplomacy continues to stall.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts have not completely collapsed. Reports citing Arab diplomats said Qatar has presented a new proposal aimed at restarting negotiations between Washington and Tehran, while Pakistan urged both sides to end the violence and resume talks.
With military operations intensifying and diplomatic channels under increasing strain, the conflict is entering a more uncertain phase, one that carries consequences not only for the region, but also for global energy supplies and international security…See_More
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