3 killed as US bombs Iran’s underground weapons storage in 7th night of strikes; Tehran hits back

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3 killed as US bombs Iran's underground weapons storage in 7th night of strikes; Tehran hits back

Hormozgan governorate advised residents of the province to refrain from non-essential travel in the area due to the possibility of renewed attacks.

4 min readJul 18, 2026 11:01 AM IST

First published on: Jul 18, 2026 at 10:56 AM IST

US forces ended the seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran. (Screengrab/X/@CENTCOM)

Three people are dead and eight wounded after strikes hit Hormozgan province, Iranian media reported, citing a local official who said the region’s governorate has told residents to avoid unnecessary travel given the threat of more attacks.

The casualties come amid a broader flare-up Friday, as the US and Iran struck targets across the region bridges, energy sites, and a port tower in Iran on one side, missiles fired into Qatar and Kuwait on the other with US Central Command confirming a seventh consecutive night of strikes and no signs the conflict is winding down.

What did the US hit

US strikes hit bridges overnight in Iran’s Hormozgan province, near the coastal city of Bandar Khamir. The strikes on highway and railway bridges appear meant to cut off Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main port, from roads leading to Tehran.

The US also hit Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a key trade route for Afghanistan, collapsing a tower there. Iran’s Energy Ministry said power infrastructure was also hit and asked people in southern provinces to use less electricity during a heat wave, without saying what exactly was damaged.

What did Iran hit back

Iran fired missiles at US allies in the region, including Qatar, which has served as a mediator in the war, and Kuwait, where a water desalination plant was damaged.

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Iran’s army also said its drones struck US military sites in Kuwait and Jordan, including an ammunition depot at Camp Udairi, headquarters buildings and depots at Ali Al Salem base, and fuel tanks at Al-Azraq air base in Jordan, according to Tasnim news agency. Kuwait’s army said it was engaging an Iranian drone attack as it happened.

Iranian officials say at least 46 people have been killed and more than 400 wounded in recent US strikes, including eight people killed in a single bridge strike Friday.

On the US side, officials confirmed 13 more service members were hurt since Monday 10 Army soldiers and three Navy sailors. Since the war started, 14 US service members have died and 427 have been wounded.

What’s happening in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s military said early Saturday that two oil tankers exploded and caught fire after hitting mines while trying to cross the strait, though it gave no further details. CENTCOM called the claim false in a post on X, saying it was similar to other unverified IRGC statements.

🚫 CLAIM: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims that two oil tankers have exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting mines in the international waterway.

✅ FACT: Like most IRGC claims, this is false. pic.twitter.com/hgdwnc7Kos

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 18, 2026

Iran effectively shut the strait to shipping after the war began in February, pushing oil prices up and giving Tehran leverage in talks. Oil rose past $86 a barrel Friday, near a one-month high, as crossings through the strait dropped to a three-week low.

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In a Thursday evening address, Trump said the war was going well and told Americans they would see results soon. He is under pressure to end the conflict quickly, something he had promised to avoid on the campaign trail. Before the war began, the US had been negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program

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