World News
US Strikes Hit Iran’s Khormoj, Trigger Power Outages as Conflict Escalates Near Strait of Hormuz
US strikes reportedly hit the town of Khormoj in southwestern Iran, causing power outages across parts of Dashti County in Bushehr province, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which cited a local official.
US strikes reportedly hit the town of Khormoj in southwestern Iran, causing power outages across parts of Dashti County in Bushehr province, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which cited a local official.
Khormoj is located along Iran’s Gulf coast and lies relatively close to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime routes. The area has previously been targeted during US military operations aimed at weakening Iran’s naval and missile capabilities.
According to reports, the latest strikes hit an area linked to military facilities associated with the naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The attack reportedly caused immediate disruptions to electricity supplies in parts of Khormoj.
US Launches Fresh Wave of Strikes Against Iran
The strikes came as the conflict entered its ninth consecutive day of intensified US military operations against Iran.
The US Central Command said it had launched a “new wave of strikes” aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to intercept commercial vessels travelling through the strategic waterways around the Strait of Hormuz.
Although US military officials did not provide detailed information about the targets, Tasnim reported that explosions were also heard in several other Iranian cities early Monday, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini.
US Military Death Toll Rises
The latest escalation comes as the number of reported US military deaths during the ongoing hostilities continues to rise.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters after returning from the FIFA World Cup final, said the United States had carried out further strikes and linked the operation to American service members who had lost their lives in the conflict.
The US military later confirmed that a service member was killed on Saturday in northern Iraq while dealing with unexploded ordnance discovered on an Iranian strike drone that had been brought down.
The announcement followed earlier reports that two US service members had been killed in Jordan, while another remained missing.
US Central Command also said that unidentified remains had been recovered from the site of Friday’s attack and that efforts were underway to officially identify them.
The latest developments have reportedly taken the total number of US military fatalities since the start of the conflict to 17, while more than 420 other personnel have been injured.
Iran Claims Strike on US Special Operations Headquarters
In response to the continuing US offensive, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had carried out a pre-emptive strike against what it described as an enemy special operations headquarters in the Al-Tanf area of Syria.
The announcement came after Iran previously launched drone attacks against US military facilities and equipment at Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
These sites have been among the locations targeted during Iran’s wider campaign against US military infrastructure and regional allies.
Kuwait Desalination Facility Hit Amid Regional Spillover
The conflict has also increasingly affected countries across the Gulf region.
Kuwait’s government said a water desalination facility had been hit for the second consecutive day, triggering a fire. Officials described the incident as a deliberate attack on essential civilian infrastructure.
The continuing military escalation has raised serious concerns about the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with the impact already being felt across global energy markets.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported late Sunday that it had received information about a vessel on fire near the coast of Oman. However, authorities had not yet determined the cause of the incident.
Oil Prices Rise Above $90 Per Barrel
Growing concerns over shipping security in the region pushed oil prices higher on Monday.
Brent crude futures rose by around 3 per cent, moving above $90 per barrel and reaching their highest level since June 11.
Analysts and markets are closely monitoring the situation, particularly because any prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz could have a significant impact on global energy supplies and international trade.
US Embassy in Bahrain Issues Security Advisory
Security concerns have also spread across the region.
The US Embassy in Bahrain issued a precautionary advisory, warning that it had intelligence suggesting Iran could potentially target undisclosed locations in the capital, Manama.
The embassy urged American citizens in Bahrain to remain alert and maintain a high level of situational awareness.
The latest escalation follows the collapse of a short-term ceasefire agreement reached a month earlier, further intensifying the struggle over control and security in the strategically vital maritime corridors.
The broader confrontation began on February 28 after joint US and Israeli military operations against Iran, which were aimed at targeting Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. Since then, the conflict has expanded across the region, raising concerns over civilian safety, military casualties, global energy prices and the future of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
