U.S. Launches Nightly Strikes on Iran as War Opens a Second Front in the Red Sea

Overview

• U.S. forces carried out consecutive nightly airstrikes for the eleventh and twelfth nights, which CENTCOM said were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
• President Donald Trump publicly vowed to bomb Iranian bridges or power plants in response to any future attacks on ships, a threat he posted on Truth Social that Tehran says would trigger powerful retaliation.
• Houthi fighters in Yemen claimed strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea identified as the Encelia and the Layla, and a Saudi source confirmed the Encelia was hit and caught fire while crews were reported safe.
• CENTCOM has imposed tight maritime restrictions, diverting nine commercial vessels and immobilizing one to block access to Iranian ports, a move that has helped push Brent crude above about $95–$100 per barrel.
• The Pentagon says the campaign has cost roughly $37.5 billion so far, U.S. forces have suffered deaths and injuries, and Washington has requested a $67 billion supplemental as diplomatic contacts continue without a halt to fighting.