The U.S. military said Thursday it had completed what it called the latest “big wave” of attacks against Iran, as there were no signs of the war escalating after nearly a week of repeated attacks from both sides.
Meanwhile, Gulf states, including Qatar, were fending off new attacks. Qatar, the main mediator in the U.S.-Iran conflict, said a child was injured by falling debris as it intercepted an Iranian attack.
Here’s the latest information:
Attack details: Iran accused the US of attacking several bridges in the country as explosions rocked multiple regions. Many of the bridges said to have been targeted were on routes leading to Bandar Abbas, a coastal city on the Strait of Hormuz.
Allies under fire: Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait reported new attacks early Friday local time. Qatar has a relatively friendly relationship with Iran and has served as a key negotiator during the conflict. Jordan also reported intercepting three Iranian missiles without causing any damage or casualties. Iranian forces also claimed to have targeted US forces in Syria.
President Trump’s prime-time address: President Donald Trump sought a rare wartime prime-time address to address the American people directly, but he did not use the opportunity to clearly explain his position on the future direction of the Iran conflict. Read more about his speech here.
Ministry says to limit air-conditioning use: Iran’s Ministry of Energy has called on Iranians to limit the use of air-conditioners to enable a more stable power supply to southern Iran. The ministry’s communications director told the semi-official Tasnim news agency that attacks in Bandar Abbas and elsewhere damaged power lines and disrupted supplies.
Strait of Hormuz: Ship traffic on Thursday decreased from already declining levels, with just three vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to open source data from Marine Traffic.
Oil and gas prices: The White House played down concerns that oil and gas prices are rising again due to renewed hostilities with Iran. Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said there could be “temporary disruption to the oil market,” but praised President Trump’s energy policies and “swift action” for preventing “the significant rise in oil prices that many had warned about.”
