U.S. Launches Sixth Night of Strikes on Iran Near Strait of Hormuz

The United States launched a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran beginning at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, U.S. Central Command said. Explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz and around Qeshm island, according to Iranian state media and news agencies Fars and Tasnim.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the strikes followed Iran's violation of a June memorandum of understanding that barred attacks on commercial vessels in the strait. "The president is not going to allow them to fire on the ships in the strait," she stated. " Strikes hit areas near Shahid Baqaei Hospital in Ahvaz, prompting the evacuation of 211 patients, hospital director Dr.

Majid Bouazar told IRNA. The facility, which treats children with cancer, had been cleared the previous night. Additional strikes damaged a wheat silo in Hoveyzeh, a fishmeal factory in Qeshm and Semnan Airport in northern Iran, with no deaths or injuries reported at the airport.

Iran's military warned it would target "all infrastructure in the region" if the United States attacked civilian sites. Iranian ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Ali Bahreini sent a letter to the U.N.

High Commissioner for Human Rights condemning the attacks and civilian casualties. Kuwait's army said its air defenses intercepted hostile drones. Syria's Interior Ministry reported the seizure of long-range missiles, anti-tank missiles and drones along the Syrian-Iraqi border intended for Hezbollah.

Iraq's oil ministry stated that loading operations at southern ports continued without interruption after a drone struck a tanker at Basra, though Reuters cited sources saying flow was suspended. India's Directorate General of Shipping advised against deploying Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the strait after two Indian crew members were killed on the MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa on July 14.