US hits Iranian ports and bridges as Strait of Hormuz battle intensifies

Dubai,UPDATED: Jul 17, 2026 13:02 IST

The United States expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran early on Friday, hitting more bridges and bringing down a tower at a key Iranian port as President Donald Trump stepped up pressure on Tehran over its hold on the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran launched fresh missile attacks on US-allied countries in the Middle East, including Qatar, which has been a key mediator in the conflict.

The interim ceasefire agreed last month has now collapsed, and the region has seen days of back-and-forth attacks by the US and Iran as they fight for control of the strait. Iranian officials said US strikes have killed dozens and wounded hundreds, with fresh casualties reported in Friday's attacks.

When the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, Tehran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic. The move pushed up oil prices sharply and gave Iran significant leverage in negotiations. In a primetime address to the American public, Trump said the war was going well. "We are likewise winning big in Iran, and you will see the fruits of that labor very, very shortly," he said.

Iranian state television reported that US airstrikes overnight into Friday hit bridges in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, killing at least seven people. The attacks struck Bandar Khamir, a coastal city on the Strait of Hormuz. The highway and railway bridge strikes appeared aimed at cutting off Bandar Abbas, Iran's main port, from routes leading to the country's central region and onward to Tehran.

Although other routes remain open, the strikes could be expanded further and may affect the movement of both military supplies and goods needed by Iran's 90 million people. The US military's Central Command said it hit dozens of targets in its latest round of airstrikes, which ended at dawn on Friday and marked the sixth consecutive night of American attacks.

The strikes also brought down a tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, IRNA reported. Chabahar is an important trade route for neighbouring, landlocked Afghanistan. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image of the surveillance tower collapsing as part of his effort to assert American control over the strait. The image had earlier circulated on social media through activists. Chabahar port, which Iran had been operating with support from India, has repeatedly been targeted by American airstrikes. Iranian state media acknowledged a third round of strikes on the facility without immediately confirming the tower's collapse. Iran said the tower monitored commercial traffic into the port, though the Revolutionary Guard also operates at ports across the country.

Iran retaliated by targeting Qatar on Friday, prompting two public warnings for people to take shelter as missiles headed towards the country. Explosions were heard overhead as air defences tried to intercept them, and Qatar's Interior Ministry said falling debris wounded a child. Qatar, along with Pakistan, has been a key mediator in efforts to end the war, but talks have broken down over Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran also targeted Bahrain and Kuwait early on Friday. Jordan's military said it intercepted three incoming missiles launched by Iran on Friday morning. Explosions were also heard in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region as air defences engaged incoming fire, though there was no immediate word on damage.

Also on Friday, a tanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz on the route closest to Oman came under attack, according to the British military. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said the ship suffered minor damage and no crew members were injured. Iran has been attacking tankers on the route near Oman, though it did not immediately acknowledge any such strike.

In recent days, Trump has renewed threats to target Iranian power stations and bridges in an effort to force Tehran to loosen its hold on the strait, through which about a fifth of all oil and natural gas once moved in peacetime. The US has also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to stop crude oil shipments. Lloyd's List Intelligence said weekly cargo shipments through the strait fell by nearly a quarter at the start of the month, even before the latest surge in tit-for-tat attacks. With risks rising, some oil shippers are crossing with location devices turned off, while many others are staying put. Central Command said US forces redirected three commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled one that did not comply and boarded another "to ensure full compliance". The latest exchanges underline how both sides are widening the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz, with fresh strikes, missile attacks and shipping disruptions adding to regional instability.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends