US military launches 'powerful' retaliatory strikes on Iran

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out a heavy wave of strikes on dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets across Iran in retaliation for Tehran's attempted ballistic missile attack on American forces a day earlier. The strikes targeted military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal defence sites and maritime capabilities to reduce threats to US forces, commercial shipping and Gulf allies.

The US military struck locations around Iran's Qeshm island and Abadan city, Iranian media reported on Thursday citing regional authorities, as American attacks resumed after a lull.

"At 04:00 am (0030 GMT) a point near Qeshm was attacked by the American enemy military," said Ahmad Nafisi, the deputy governor of the southern Hormozgan province, according to news agency Mehr.

"Points around Abadan city were attacked by missiles by the terrorist enemy of America," the Fars news agency reported, citing the deputy governor of Khuzestan.

US and Saudi forces launched joint strikes targeting Iran-backed groups across Iraq. The operation destroyed logistics and weapons sites, killing at least four IRGC members and 20 PMF fighters.

Washington and Riyadh cited recent drone attacks on US troops and Saudi oil infrastructure as the reason for the bombardment.

The US military is carrying out airstrikes in Iran, according to a report Wednesday by Axios citing a US official, amid a weeks-long escalation of hostilities centred on control of the Strait of Hormuz. The development comes as part of an ongoing US campaign of strikes against Iranian military targets that has stretched for multiple consecutive nights in recent weeks. US Central Command has repeatedly described the operations as efforts to degrade Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping and threaten navigation in the vital waterway.

Tensions have surged over Iran's attempts to assert greater control over the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil trade. Iran has targeted commercial vessels, including US-escorted tankers, prompting US retaliation with airstrikes on Iranian air defenses, missile sites, ports, command centers and infrastructure such as bridges.

President Donald Trump has warned of expanded strikes on Iranian infrastructure if attacks on shipping continue, while both sides have engaged in tit-for-tat actions, including Iranian missile launches toward U.S. positions in the region.

A fragile pause in strikes was reported earlier, but exchanges have continued. No immediate confirmation or details on the latest strikes were available from US Central Command or the White House in the hours following the Axios report. Iranian state media has previously reported civilian casualties and damage from US operations, claims the US has denied, saying strikes target military assets. The conflict risks broader regional instability and disruptions to global energy markets.

US President Donald Trump vowed to hit back hard at Iran after it attacked US bases in Jordan on Wednesday, as the Middle East war reignited and again drew in the Islamic republic's proxies.

The warning came after a lull in the fighting -- which had spurred hopes of a return to negotiations -- appeared to end, sending oil prices jumping five percent over fears of disruptions to global supplies.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia and the United States announced strikes on militant bases in Iraq, while US ally Israel accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of a truce violation. 

For two days, the world's biggest oil exporter Saudi Arabia has reported drone attacks targeting crude facilities that it blamed on Iraqi armed groups allied with Tehran.

Iran meanwhile launched missiles at US ally Jordan, with Iranian state media later reporting an American attack near the Islamic republic's border with Iraq.

Trump told Fox News: "We'll be hitting them hard...We are going to beat the 'effing s' out of them."

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement is reportedly considering charging commercial vessels transit fees to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and, ultimately, the Suez Canal. The proposal is still under discussion and has not yet been formally implemented, according to sources familiar with the matter.

According to latest news report, the Houthis are discussing charging commercial ships for passage through the southern Red Sea, establishing a regulatory authority to administer the fees, reportedly with assistance from Iranian advisers, and potentially exempting Chinese-flagged or China-linked vessels following diplomatic contacts between Beijing and the Houthis.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. An estimated 10-15% of global seaborne trade and a significant share of oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally transit this route. Any additional costs, restrictions, or security risks could:

US President Donald Trump stated he would be "quite disappointed" if China supplied weapons to Iran.

Reaffirming Chinese President Xi Jinping's explicit promise that Beijing would not sell arms to Tehran, Trump described reports of Iran receiving up to 400 Chinese shoulder-fired missiles as "surprising".

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces continue to enforce Washington's naval blockade against Iran, announcing that as of July 29 they had redirected 20 commercial vessels, disabled two vessels and boarded two others.

In an update posted on X, CENTCOM said the blockade is aimed at preventing maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports while allowing commercial shipping to continue transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

According to CENTCOM, the operation is supported by a range of US military assets, including aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, fixed-wing fighter jets, military helicopters and embarked US Marines trained in maritime interdiction operations.

The command said the blockade is being enforced against vessels of all nationalities entering or leaving Iranian ports. However, it stressed that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains in place for commercial ships that are not sailing to or departing from Iranian ports.

Day 15: US, Saudi forces strike Iran-backed militias in Iraq

Day 149: Trump holds 'positive' talks with Zelenskyy, Netanyahu

Day 148: Saudi air defences foil drone attack on oil facilities

Day 147: Iran says military ready as Netanyahu heads to US

Day 146: Iran says it earned $11.5b in oil sales during the war

Day 145: US-Iran war escalates as Tehran targets US bases in Gulf