WEB DESK: At least 14 people were killed and dozens injured across Iran after United States air strikes targeted critical infrastructure in five provinces, according to Iranian state media and officials.
The strikes, which included attacks in the oil-rich Khuzestan province, marked a sharp escalation in hostilities, prompting Tehran to vow that it would defend its strategic transport corridors and the Strait of Hormuz.
Among the key sites hit was the Aq Tappeh Khan Bridge near Aqqala in Golestan province, a major railway link on the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Iran with Central Asia, Russia and the wider Eurasian freight network.
Iranian officials said the strike was aimed at disrupting the country’s alternative trade routes and weakening its economic resilience.
Following the attacks, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open only under arrangements determined by Tehran, describing the strategic waterway as an integral part of Iran’s national security.
He said Iran would not bow to external pressure or compromise on its sovereignty.
Iranian officials also indicated that maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz had become an even greater strategic priority than the country’s nuclear programme.
National Security Committee spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei rejected US threats against Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, and claimed Tehran had retaliated by targeting US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, US President Donald Trump defended the military operation, saying the strikes were carried out in response to recent Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said the United States had achieved its primary military objectives but declined to say whether the confrontation had escalated into a full-scale war.
He also claimed Iran had recently expressed interest in diplomatic talks but questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to honour any future agreement.
Warning against further retaliation, Trump said any future Iranian attack would trigger an American response “20 times stronger.”
According to Iranian media, the US campaign also targeted Bandar Abbas, the country’s main commercial port and a key base for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
Additional strikes reportedly damaged infrastructure in Konarak and Chabahar, including a maritime traffic control tower and sections of the electricity network, while an airfield in Iranshahr was also hit, killing a firefighter.
Iranian authorities said another strike destroyed a railway bridge near Aqqala, while Kuwaiti defence officials reported intercepting incoming Iranian drones and missiles following the escalation.
