US, Iran exchange fresh strikes as Strait of Hormuz conflict intensifies

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran exchanged another round of strikes on Saturday, targeting military positions and critical infrastructure as fighting over the Strait of Hormuz intensified and spilled across the Gulf region.

The latest attacks marked the seventh consecutive night of U.S. operations. U.S. Central Command said its strikes targeted surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage facilities and maritime capabilities.

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In Kuwait, authorities said Iranian strikes hit a desalination plant and an oil facility, injuring several people and triggering fires. The attacks forced parts of the desalination plant and power generation units offline, marking the second strike on a desalination facility in the country within two days.

Kuwait also temporarily closed its airspace because of missile threats, while Kuwait Airways rescheduled most flights to and from the capital.

Elsewhere in the region, Iraq said it intercepted attack drones over Irbil, Jordan reported shooting down Iranian missiles, and Bahrain activated air raid sirens.

Iranian officials said recent U.S. airstrikes have killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds, while the U.S. military said additional American service members had been injured during operations.

Iranian state media reported that U.S. strikes hit electricity and desalination facilities in Hormozgan province, as well as transport infrastructure including tunnels, bridges and roads leading to Bandar Abbas, Iran's main commercial port on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important shipping lanes, remains at the center of the conflict. Shipping traffic has fallen sharply since Iran effectively closed the waterway following the outbreak of hostilities, contributing to higher global oil prices. Crude oil traded above $86 per barrel on Friday, while vessel traffic through the strait dropped to its lowest level in three weeks.

President Donald Trump said this week that U.S. operations in Iran were progressing successfully and indicated further developments could follow soon. The conflict comes after earlier diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program collapsed.

Iran has warned that countries hosting U.S. forces could face retaliatory action, while the United States has maintained pressure through continued military operations and a naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports.

The conflict has increasingly shifted from direct military exchanges to attacks on strategic infrastructure and regional energy routes, raising concerns over broader economic and security consequences across the Middle East.