The US and Iran find themselves in a precarious standoff, with both sides trading accusations and retaliatory strikes. The collapse of peace talks has led to a dangerous escalation, with significant implications for global energy supplies and regional stability.
The latest wave of air strikes has sparked controversy, with Iran accusing the US of targeting civilian infrastructure. Iranian state media and provincial authorities reported that bridges, a train station, and an airport were hit. However, a White House spokesperson maintained that the US had carried out strikes exclusively on military targets including military logistics infrastructure.
The Escalating Conflict
The conflict, which began on 28 February with US-Israeli attacks, has seen a series of retaliatory strikes. President Donald Trump has threatened to hit Iranian bridges and power stations to force Tehran back to the negotiating table. However, under international law, attacking civilians or civilian areas is illegal, though civilian objects can lose their protection if used to support the enemy’s war effort.
On Thursday night, Iranian state media and local officials reported that Iranshahr Airport in south-eastern Iran, a railway station, and six bridges in Hormozgan province were hit. Provincial authorities in Hormozgan said seven people were killed. BBC Verify and BBC Persian confirmed footage of damage to the Gariveh Bridge, showing a crumbled stretch of road with rubble around the broken structure.
International Reactions
The international community has expressed concern over the Escalating conflict. UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated that deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure is a war crime. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed concern about the escalation, particularly over attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region.
In response to the latest US attacks, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck US maritime surveillance radar sites in Oman, as well as targets in Kuwait and Bahrain. The IRGC also claimed to have attacked a US special operations command centre at al-Tanf in Syria. However, Syria has not commented on the claim, and Centcom stated that no US troops in the region had recently been killed or captured.
The Impact on Global Energy Supplies
As attacks escalate, the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway off Iran’s coast, has remained shut. A fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit through the strait. The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, expressed concerns about global energy supplies, stating, We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks.
The US and Iran agreed to stop fighting in June to enable talks to end the war. However, the ceasefire was largely observed despite Iranian attacks on oil tankers and US strikes against Iran. The talks appeared to make no headway, and Trump declared the ceasefire over last week. Since then, the US has also re-imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
On Friday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker had been hit by an unknown projectile while sailing near Khasab in Oman on Thursday. All crew members were reported safe.
The situation remains tense, with both sides trading accusations and retaliatory strikes. The global community watches closely, hoping for a de-escalation before the conflict spirals further out of control.
