Overview
- U.S. Central Command said it carried out an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets, a sequence reported across multiple outlets on Wednesday that focused on southern and maritime sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
- President Trump publicly warned the United States would soon hit the fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz and vowed to bomb one Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- U.S. officials have begun repositioning forces and sending additional F-16s, F-35s and KC-135 tankers to the region as planning continues for a possible broader offensive.
- Iran and Iran-aligned groups have stepped up missile and drone strikes on Gulf states, commercial shipping and allied bases, effectively choking traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and prompting Houthi threats against the Red Sea route.
- The campaign has produced mounting costs and casualties with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling lawmakers the war has cost about $37.5 billion so far and U.S. officials reporting 18 service members killed, while analysts warn deeply buried sites like Pickaxe Mountain may be beyond current bunker-buster reach.