U.S. strikes bridges in Iran; Tehran targets U.S. bases in the Gulf
Source: NPR
July 17, 2026 7:13 AM ET
The U.S. and Iran expanded their targets in the latest round of strikes on Friday, as fighting over the control of the Strait of Hormuz reignites fears of an all-out war. The U.S. military said it struck Iranian air defense sites and military logistics infrastructure in its attacks, as it sought to pressure Iran to lift its chokehold on the strait. Iran said those targets included six bridges in the Hormozgan province facing the key waterway, as well as power infrastructure. It vowed to retaliate by targeting the infrastructure of U.S. allies in the region.
Legal scholars have warned that attacks on infrastructure with wide civilian use in some circumstances could constitute a war crime under international law. President Trump threatened to strike Iranian bridges this week if Iran failed to return to talks to end the war. Iranian state media said at least seven people were killed and 20 wounded in the latest U.S. strikes on infrastructure. According to Iranian health officials, 38 people have been killed and over 400 wounded in the past week.
The overnight U.S. strikes also appeared to have destroyed a maritime control tower in the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, another key commercial gate in the strait. A photo of the bombed-out tower collapsing was shared on social media by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Iran retaliated Friday by launching missiles and drones against U.S. allies in the Gulf, which host U.S. military bases. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it targeted Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Iran's Revolutionary Guard also said it attacked U.S. special forces in al-Tanf in Syria, a former U.S. military outpost, from which U.S. troops withdrew in February, claiming casualties and damage.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/07/17/g-s1-134158/us-iran-war-updates
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