By Zoila Palma: The United States and Iran have exchanged their heaviest attacks since July, raising fears of a renewed full-scale conflict across the Middle East.
U.S. forces struck Iranian military and strategic targets along the country’s southern coast, while Iran launched attacks against American military installations in several countries across the region, Yahoo reports.
The U.S. military said its strikes targeted air-defense systems, radar installations, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran reported strikes on several locations and later said 18 people were killed and 108 injured.
Iranian authorities also accused the United States of striking a wedding gathering in Sirik, where four people, including a four-year-old child, were reportedly killed. The claims could not be independently verified.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against what it described as U.S. positions in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq. Tehran warned that countries cooperating with U.S. military operations could face consequences. Iran claimed U.S. casualties in Jordan and northern Iraq, but U.S. officials said initial assessments indicated there were no American deaths.
The fighting has also raised fresh concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route. Iran said two tankers were struck by mines, while Washington maintained that it was continuing to guide vessels through the strait. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said more than 17 million barrels of oil passed through the waterway on Monday. Iran has also blacklisted additional vessels, bringing the total to 56 ships it says could face penalties or detention without Tehran’s permission.
The latest escalation comes after the United States halted two weeks of intense bombing of Iran in July, following concerns over depleted munitions and diminishing targets.
The post International News: U.S. and Iran exchange heavy strikes as tensions escalate appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The United States and Iran have exchanged their heaviest attacks since July, raising fears of a renewed full-scale conflict across the Middle East. U.S. forces struck Iranian military and strategic targets along the country’s southern coast, while Iran launched attacks against American military installations in several countries across the region, Yahoo reports.
The post International News: U.S. and Iran exchange heavy strikes as tensions escalate appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
