West Asia war LIVE: U.S. expands airstrike against Iran by hitting more bridges

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U.S. projectiles struck Qeshm Island and near ‌Bandar ⁠Abbas — home to Iran's largest port and ⁠key navy and Revolutionary Guards facilities — both on the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, July 16, evening

Updated - July 17, 2026 09:58 am IST

Smoke rises following a strike at an unknown location during what the U.S. military says is its latest wave of strikes on Iran, hitting "Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defence sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities," in this still image taken from handout video released July 16, 2026.

| Photo Credit:

U.S. Central Command via Reuters

Seven ‌people were killed ⁠in ‌U.S. ‌attacks on ‌bridges ⁠in ⁠Bandar Khamir, a ‌port city in ‌southern Iran, IRNA reported, ⁠citing the ‌Hormozgan University ‌of Medical Sciences. The United States expanded its airstrike campaign against Iran early on Friday (July 17, 2026) by increasingly hitting bridges, part of President Donald Trump’s threats to start striking infrastructure to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

Also read | Bahrain and Kuwait face Iranian fire as U.S. airstrikes expand to target more bridges

The U.S. military’s Central Command said it hit dozens of targets in its latest airstrikes, which concluded at dawn on Friday (July 17), the sixth night in a row of American attacks.

Also read | Iran slams ‘barbaric’ U.S. attack after hospital evacuated due to nearby strike

Iran also launched new missile attacks against U.S.-allied nations in the West Asia and warned that its attacks would escalate. Iranian state media said the U.S. strikes on Thursday (July 16) hit around Tehran and Semnan province, home to Iran’s ballistic missile production and space program.

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July 17, 2026 09:58

Iran's IRGC say they targeted U.S. command centre in Syria, Tasnim reports

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said ‌they attacked a U.S. special ⁠operations command centre at al-Tanf ‌in Syria in retaliation ‌for ‌the ⁠killing of ⁠Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr, Tasnim news agency ‌reported.

Reuters could not independently verify the claim.

The ‌Guards also said Iran retained ⁠full control of the Strait ‌of Hormuz and that no oil or gas ‌would be exported through the waterway for as ⁠long as ⁠U.S. attacks continued.- Reuters

July 17, 2026 09:56

U.S. airstrikes on Iran appear to have damaged Chabahar port

U.S. airstrikes on Friday (July 17) appeared to have collapsed a tower at Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a key trade route for Afghanistan.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared the image of the surveillance tower appearing to collapse. That image had circulated social media via activists prior to Mr. Hegseth sharing it.

Chabahar port has been a repeated target of American airstrikes. Iranian state media acknowledged a third round of strikes on the facility without immediately acknowledging the tower’s collapse.

Iran described the tower as overseeing commercial traffic into the port. However, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also operates at ports across the country. - AP

July 17, 2026 09:37

Seven people killed in U.S. strikes in Iran

Seven ‌people were killed ⁠in ‌U.S. ‌attacks on ‌bridges ⁠in ⁠Bandar Khamir, a ‌port city in ‌southern Iran, IRNA reported, ⁠citing the ‌Hormozgan University ‌of Medical Sciences. - Reuters

July 17, 2026 09:30

Iran fires missiles and drones at U.S. ‌military bases in the Gulf region

Iran has fired missiles and drones at U.S. ‌military bases in neighbouring states, including an air base in Jordan.

In the early hours of Friday (July 17), ‌Iran’s ⁠military said it had attacked U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Several explosion-like sounds were heard ⁠in the Qatari capital Doha, according to a witness, and the Ministry of the Interior said a child was injured by shrapnel.

Iranian media reported that five bridges were hit in the latest round of U.S. strikes, as well as the train station in coastal Bandar Khamir and Iranshahr Airport in southeastern Iran.

Seven people were killed ‌in U.S. attacks on bridges in Bandar Khamir, a port city in southern Iran, state news agency IRNA reported.- Reutrers

July 17, 2026 09:25

Iran launches fresh attacks after sixth day of U.S. strikes

Iran said it launched fresh attacks on U.S. facilities in the Gulf on Friday ‌(July 17) after a sixth consecutive night of U.S. strikes on Iranian military facilities, as last month’s truce descended into daily attacks and counterattacks.

The U.S. military said it completed another night of ⁠strikes on Iran “to further degrade Iranian military capabilities”, including on Qeshm Island and near Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest port and key navy and Revolutionary Guards facilities. - Reuters

Published - July 17, 2026 09:05 am IST