Daijiworld Media Network – Tehran
Tehran, Jul 16: More than 35 people have been killed and at least 72 others hospitalised in recent US airstrikes across Iran, according to Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for the Iranian Health Ministry, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
The latest strikes followed the United States' decision to reimpose a naval blockade on Iran and intensify its air campaign in response to attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
According to Iranian officials, American strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, killing at least seven soldiers and injuring more than 260 people across the country. The attacks came after Iran targeted ships attempting to navigate the strategic waterway.
The renewed military exchanges have effectively ended the interim truce reached last month, under which the US had temporarily lifted its naval blockade to allow a 60-day window for negotiations, including talks on Iran's nuclear programme. The blockade, first imposed in April, was reinstated after negotiations stalled amid renewed hostilities.
The conflict, which began on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has disrupted global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil, fertiliser and commodity prices sharply higher.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that it could halt all energy exports from the Gulf if the US blockade continues.
"The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one," the IRGC said in a statement.
The US military said it carried out overnight strikes on multiple Iranian military targets before launching a second round of daytime attacks. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces also intercepted two commercial vessels attempting to breach the newly imposed blockade within 17 hours of its enforcement.
Among the targets was Greater Tunb Island, where the US said it struck Iranian missile and coastal defence installations. Iran has controlled Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa islands since 1971, although the United Arab Emirates continues to claim sovereignty over them.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, handling around one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments during peacetime. Analysts warn that any prolonged disruption could have severe consequences for global energy markets.
Brent crude rose above USD 85 per barrel on Wednesday, more than 15 per cent higher than before the latest escalation, although still below the nearly USD 120 per barrel recorded at the height of the conflict. The International Monetary Fund has also cautioned that reduced global oil surpluses could lead to further price spikes if the crisis continues.