Iranian media reports US missile attack near Ahvaz

On Tuesday, the US military carried out new strikes on Iranian targets, escalating a six-month conflict that has involved threats, economic sanctions, and force. The attacks were in response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) attempts to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on American service members in the region.

President Donald Trump vowed further retaliation if Iran retaliated, stating that they would face even harder strikes. The US military targeted Iranian air defense sites, radar systems, maritime assets, facilities, minelaying capabilities, and communication sites. Oil prices surged as tensions rose, reaching above $96 a barrel, a level not seen in two and a half months.

In retaliation, Iran launched strikes against US interests in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq. Jordan claimed to have intercepted 10 ballistic missiles, with three landing in remote areas. Tehran also targeted US airbases in Jordan with missiles. The strikes follow an aggressive campaign of sanctions and financial isolation, known as "Operation Economic Outcast," by the Trump administration.

Analysts believe that financial pressure has not been effective, as Iran continues to display resilience after enduring decades of US and global sanctions. The US pressure on China to cease financial support for Iran, a nation it has diplomatic relations with for 55 years, has clear limits due to China's grip on global supply of strategic rare earth minerals.

Despite US frustration, Trump claims that the US has "won" in many ways, but acknowledges there is room for improvement. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran would retaliate immediately if Washington honored its commitments under a 60-day June Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at halting the conflict.