US Strikes Iran for 13th Consecutive Night, 4 Killed as Oil Prices Cross $100
- The US military launched strikes on Iran for the 13th night in a row, with Iranian state media reporting casualties and explosions at key sites
- Trump threatened to use frozen Iranian assets to cover damages to ships and cargo, drawing a sharp warning from Iran's foreign minister
- Oil prices climbed back above $100 a barrel as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell to its lowest level since May
The US military has carried out strikes on Iran for the thirteenth night running, with Iranian state media reporting four deaths and five injuries from the latest round of attacks.
Iranian media said explosions were heard at key military and commercial locations in the south of the country, including the port city of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
Source: Twitter
According to BBC, US Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes targeted "Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities," describing the campaign as an effort to reduce Iran's capacity to threaten civilian shipping in the region.
Trump threatens to seize Iranian assets
President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric by saying that damages to ships and cargo would be "paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls," describing the measure as "fair and equitable" and warning the total bill could be "very substantial."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the threat outright, writing: "Those who celebrate or profit from such funds should remember: once governments normalize confiscation, no one's assets are safe." He added, "Ensuing chaos will not be pretty or peaceful."
The standoff is notable given that Point 11 of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Washington and Tehran in June explicitly committed the United States to making "fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Hormuz shipping drops, oil surges
The conflict's impact on global energy markets has been sharp. Crude oil prices crossed $100 a barrel, the highest level since May, as fears over shipping disruptions intensified. Reuters reported, citing ship-tracking data, that only one tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, July 24, the lowest single-day transit figure recorded since May 7.
Concerns were further heightened after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi movement claimed responsibility for attacking two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, adding a second flashpoint to the already volatile situation.
Air raid sirens were also sounded in Bahrain, according to that country's Interior Ministry, while Iranian state media said alarms were activated in Jordan.
Ceasefire collapse preceded current fighting
The current hostilities follow the breakdown of a ceasefire agreed in June. Under that deal, both sides committed to halting military operations and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with a 60-day window to reach a broader peace agreement.
Trump declared the ceasefire "over" roughly three weeks after it was signed, citing Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait and responding with US strikes.
Source: Getty Images
17 American soldiers killed in US-Iran war
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States military has confirmed the death of another service member in northern Iraq, bringing the total number of American soldiers killed in the ongoing conflict with Iran to 17.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday night, July 19, that the soldier died on July 18 "during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone."
Source: Legit.ng
