US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: The conflict between the United States and Iran intensified sharply on Thursday, July 16, as the US launched fresh airstrikes targeting five bridges and key transport infrastructure in southern Iran, according to Iranian state media and US officials. In response, Iran fired missiles toward Qatar, where air defence systems intercepted the projectiles. Qatari authorities said one person sustained minor injuries, while the incident further escalated tensions across the Gulf amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: US Launches Sixth Consecutive Night of Airstrikes
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces carried out another wave of military operations on Thursday evening. According to CENTCOM, the strikes were intended to “further degrade Iranian military capabilities” and marked the sixth consecutive night of US military action against Iran. Iranian state media reported that the attacks hit two bridges, a railway station and an airport in southern Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, an area that plays a crucial role in global oil and natural gas transportation.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Three Reportedly Killed in Hormozgan Province
Iranian state television reported that three people were killed after two bridges in Hormozgan province were struck during the attacks. Separately, state media also reported two explosions in the western city of Bushehr, which is home to Iran’s only civilian nuclear power plant. Iranian officials described the incident as part of the “continuation of the American enemy aggression.”
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Iran Launches Missile Attack on US Airbase in Jordan
In response to the US strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had launched ballistic missiles at a US military airbase in Jordan. Iran said the attack was retaliation for what it described as an American strike near a children’s cancer hospital close to Ahvaz in southwestern Iran. Iranian state media reported that the hospital had been evacuated before the attack, while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the US operation as “barbaric.”
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Residents Describe Heavy Explosions
People living near the affected areas described the intensity of the bombardment. Hani, a 34-year-old teacher from Ahvaz, told local media, “My hands are shaking. There were at least 11, 12 explosions. My ears are exploding.”
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Gulf Nations Respond to Regional Threats
Following Iran’s missile attacks, several Gulf countries activated their air defence systems. Kuwait announced early Friday that its military was intercepting incoming missiles and drones, while Bahrain activated air raid sirens as a precaution amid growing regional tensions.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Iran Vows to Defend the Strait of Hormuz
A senior Iranian military spokesperson warned that Tehran would continue defending its position in the Strait of Hormuz and called for the withdrawal of US forces from the region. According to Iranian state television, the official said, “we will never back down over the Strait of Hormuz.”
The Strait had briefly reopened following the US-Iran agreement signed in June. However, Iran announced last week that it would once again restrict access until, according to officials, the United States ends its military operations. Meanwhile, the United States has reinstated its maritime blockade around Iranian ports.
The US military said American forces boarded a vessel in the Gulf of Oman to “ensure full compliance” with the blockade and confirmed that three ships had been redirected since the restrictions resumed.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Pakistan Calls for Diplomacy
Pakistan urged both sides to return to negotiations despite the renewed violence. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad would “continue to encourage all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks” under the memorandum of understanding that Pakistan helped facilitate last month. However, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf questioned the value of the agreement, saying a deal “only has meaning when its clauses are valid and being implemented.”
White House Says Trump Remains Open to Negotiations
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump continues to support diplomacy while also warning that Iran would face consequences for actions in the Strait of Hormuz. She told reporters, “He is always open to diplomacy at the very same time.” Leavitt added, “They have expressed they still want to make a deal to the president. We’re talking to them, but again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that.”
Earlier, Trump warned that Iranian power plants and bridges could become military targets if Tehran refused to resume negotiations, saying on Fox News, “Next week it gets really bad for them.”
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News:Â Iran Warns of Wider Regional Response
Iran’s military also warned that if the United States carried out additional attacks on the country’s infrastructure, “all infrastructure in the region” would be “crushed.” According to Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, at least 30 people have been killed in Iran since the latest wave of US military operations resumed last week. The situation remains highly volatile as both countries continue exchanging military strikes, raising concerns about the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the stability of the wider Middle East.
