Al Jazeera

By Zaid Sabah, Lyndal Rowlands and Adam Hancock

    The US is carrying out major strikes on Iran for the sixth night in a row.

    Officials in southern Iran’s Bandar Abbas report that civilian infrastructure, including power facilities and a train station, has been hit.

    Iran’s army says it has targeted US aircraft at a military base in Bahrain, while Kuwait’s army says it is responding to missile and drone attacks. Qatar authorities say a child was injured by falling missile debris after its army thwarted incoming Iranian attacks.

    A spokesman for Iran’s military says the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war status, as US Central Command says soldiers boarded a vessel in the Gulf of Oman to enforce its blockade of Iran.

US forces hit five bridges in Hormozgan province, local authorities say

    Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency is reporting on comments from the Hormozgan Province Governorate, saying that US air strikes have hit five bridges in the southern Hormozgan province.

    They include:

    The Gariveh Bridge connecting Bandar Abbas to Khmeir and Lar.

    A bridge near the village of Latidan

    Two bridges on the Kahoorestan–Lar route.

    A partially constructed bridge connecting Bandar e Khamir, Keshar and Bandar Abbas.

    A bridge in the village of Maru, Khmeir district.

    The governorate advised people to avoid traveling on these routes and in the adjacent areas to ensure rescue teams could access the sites, Fars reported.

Qatar intercepting a number of air attacks: Defence ministry

    Qatar’s Ministry of Defence says the country’s armed forces are currently intercepting a number of air attacks.

    Earlier, we reported that a child was injured by falling shrapnel following an Iranian attack that targeted Qatar.

US air strike hits Iran’s Chabahar maritime control tower for third time

    Iran’s Mehr news agency reports that a US missile strike has hit the Chabahar maritime control tower.

    The attack marks the third time a US strike has hit the facility over the past week, it added.

Vietnamese activist Bao Ngoc places rare national spotlight on Gaza

By Hai Dang

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Earlier this year, Vietnamese social media was overtaken by a name: Tieu Nguyen Bao Ngoc.

    The 28-year-old from Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh, was said to be the first and only Vietnamese national to have joined the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which sought to break Israel’s siege of Gaza by delivering aid to the territory by sea.

    Two weeks before setting sail across the Mediterranean in May, Bao Ngoc, also known as Ashley, had announced her participation in the mission to reach the war-torn enclave, where Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians.

    News of her exploit circulated online among young Vietnamese, who began to closely follow her journey on social media.

    In a country where civil society has remained subdued beneath the powerful Vietnamese Communist Party, Bao Ngoc emerged as a rare figure to achieve public visibility on a political matter: the fate of Palestinians under Israel’s occupation.

Child injured by shrapnel following Iranian attack on Qatar, Interior Ministry says

    Qatar’s Interior Ministry says that a child was injured by falling shrapnel following the Iranian attack this morning.

    “Based on received reports and field findings, the Ministry confirms that one child was injured by falling shrapnel resulting from the interception operations; the child is currently receiving the necessary medical care,” it said.

    The statement also stressed “the need to obtain information solely from official sources and to refrain from circulating rumors or publishing any unverified information, photos, or video clips, to avoid legal accountability”.

    “The specialized security agencies at the Ministry of Interior continue their operations with full readiness around the clock to enhance response times, guarantee community security and safety, and ensure that services continue to run normally,” it added.

What we know about where US targeted in tonight’s strikes on Iran

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    Iranian southern coastal cities and islands have come under fire for yet another night as the United States continues to carry out air strikes.

    Here are the reported targets:

    Ahvaz, Qeshm, Bushehr, Dashti, Bostan, Sirik and Bandar-e Lengeh: Explosions were reported across these southern coastal cities and islands, causing more extensive damage to infrastructure than in previous nights.

    Bandar e-Khamir: Two bridges near the city were struck.

    Bandar Abbas: The Tapeh Allah Akbar neighbourhood was hit, alongside several other explosions reported across the city.

    Hormozgan province: Road and railway infrastructure was targeted.

    Iranshahr: The airport in the southeastern city was attacked, causing damage to the facility and leading to power outages.

    Kish Island: Air strikes were reported on the island, resulting in temporary power outages in some areas.

US military completes major wave of strikes against Iran, CENTCOM says

    The US military says it has “successfully” completed its latest major wave of strikes against Iran, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

    “US forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities,” CENTCOM said.

    It added that “this was the sixth consecutive night of US strikes against Iran”.

    “At the Commander in Chief’s [Trump’s] direction, CENTCOM is further degrading Iranian military capabilities and holding Iran accountable for recent attacks on commercial shipping,” the statement continued.

    “More than 50,000 US service members are operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and ready,” it added.

Oil prices jump on intensifying US-Iran hostilities

    Oil prices have continued to climb after another night of attacks from both the US and Iran.

    Brent crude futures rose more than 1 percent to more than $85 a barrel, with US oil futures also climbing to just under $80 a barrel, erasing losses from the previous session.

    Both benchmark contracts have climbed nearly 12 percent this week, with Brent on track for a third consecutive weekly gain, and WTI for a second weekly gain.

    Some stock markets in Asia opened lower on Friday morning, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index down more than 3 percent.

US Republicans push forward with spending plan that includes billions for Iran war

    Republicans on the budget committee in the US House of Representatives have pushed forward a $95bn spending package that includes billions of dollars of funding related to the war on Iran.

    The $95bn budget plan includes $60bn for defence, $13bn for intelligence, and $12bn for agriculture, as US farmers face higher fuel and fertiliser costs during the war.

    Republican lawmakers have said that the defence spending includes funding for the Iran war, money to replenish US weapons stockpiles depleted by the war, and funding to boost military readiness.

    “We’re not going to get any help from our Democrat colleagues to do what I believe are … critical things,” the budget committee chair, Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican, told his fellow panel members as they voted to send the package to the Republican-controlled House for approval.

Qatar’s Defence Ministry says military intercepted missile attack

    In a statement shared on X, the Ministry of Defence said its armed forces intercepted a missile attack that had targeted Qatar.

US is ‘winning big in Iran’, Trump claims

    The US president is currently addressing the nation, saying that the US has the upper hand in its joint conflict with Israel against Iran.

    “You will see the fruits of that labour very, very shortly,” Trump added.

IEA chief warns of risk to global energy security if Strait of Hormuz remains shut

    The executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that global energy security is at risk without an increase in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

    “Oil security is still a critical issue,” Fatih Birol told a Council on Foreign Relations event. “We should be worried, and I am worried, if the situation does not improve in the next few weeks.”

    The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world’s energy shipments transited before the war, has been mostly blocked since the conflict began on February 28.

    The subsequent oil and gas supply crisis has hurt economies around the world, but disproportionately, Birol said.

    “It is mainly Asia, because Asia was getting 80 to 90 percent of this energy from the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

    Japan and South Korea have suffered, but developing countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, have been hit hardest, he said.

Qatar says security threat has ended, situation back to normal

    Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has announced that the security threat has ended and the situation in the country has returned to normal, according to the Qatar News Agency.

    The ministry urged the public to continue following any official instructions and guidance issued by the relevant authorities.

Qatar raises security threat level, urges residents to stay home

    The country’s Interior Ministry reports an ongoing security threat.

    “Everyone must adhere to staying in homes and safe places,” the ministry said.

US continues attacks on Iran for sixth night, though not many details provided by military

By Rosiland Jordan

Reporting from the White House, Washington, DC

    The statement did not specify the targets. It did not specify whether any people had been injured or killed, and it didn’t say specifically which parts of the US military were taking part in these attacks.

    But we do expect that, in the coming hours, there will be an update on what CENTCOM says its mission for this sixth night of air strikes would have been.

    We should also note that in relation to the enforcement of the US naval blockade on traffic in and out of Iranian ports, it is worth noting that the US Navy is not providing escort assistance to commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

    This operation is strictly focused on traffic in and out of Iranian ports.

    They are basically trying to keep their efforts very much focused on that part of the operation, based on the orders from the White House.

Death toll in US attack on Bandar-e Khamir bridge rises to 7, with 9 injured

    Iran’s Fars news agency reports that the death toll from the US attack on the Bandar-e Khamir bridge in Hormozgan province has risen to seven.

    The attack injured nine people, who are receiving treatment from emergency services and medical staff, it added.

Colombia’s president-elect says he will open Jerusalem embassy, withdraw ICJ complaint

    Colombia’s President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged to open an embassy in Jerusalem, as part of efforts to restore a “historic alliance” with Israel, his office said in a statement.

    The statement also said that Colombia would “withdraw its intervention in the case brought by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice”.

    The landmark case alleges that Israel is committing genocide in its war on the Gaza Strip.

    The far-right leader of the Defenders of the Homeland party, De la Espriella’s position on Israel is in stark contrast to his left-wing predecessor Gustavo Petro, who was vocal in his criticism of Israel.

Attacks continue on infrastructure in Iran

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

    Sirik – a city that is critically important because it oversees the Strait of Hormuz – is witnessing continued air strikes by the Americans for another night.

    Also, Bushehr has got similar reports, and we know that two bridges near Khamir port have been targeted as a result of which local authorities are saying that two people were killed and four injured.

    Meanwhile, Allaho Akbar – a neighbourhood in Bandar Abbas – is also experiencing continued attacks by the Americans.

    We have got reports of attacks on a residential area in which eight people were injured and one killed, according to local authorities.

    Also, railway infrastructure is reportedly being targeted near Bandar Abbas, as a result of which two people were injured.

    And the airport in Iranshahr was also attacked, and we know that damage was reported there.

Air raid sirens activated in Bahrain after Iran army claims attack

    The Interior Ministry has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

    According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the country’s army says it targeted US helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft at the Sakhir airbase in Bahrain.

Power outages reported in southern Iran in wake of latest US attacks

    Iran’s Energy Ministry says the latest US attacks have caused damage to power lines in Bandar Abbas and surrounding villages.

    The ministry said that electricity has now been restored in some areas, with the situation stabilising.

    A power outage in the Nobonyad 1 area has also been resolved, according to the ministry.