US expands airstrikes into northern Iran and disables blockade‑running ship

The United States intensified its campaign against Iran on July 15‑16, launching a new wave of airstrikes that reached farther north than previous attacks. Targets included coastal defence systems, missile‑storage sites on Greater Tunb Island, the ballistic‑missile hub in Semnan province and areas around Tehran. A U.S. aircraft also fired on the Curacao‑flagged oil tanker Belma, which had ignored multiple warnings while attempting to sail toward Iran’s Kharg Island, disabling the vessel by striking its smokestack.

In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on U.S.‑aligned bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and the Gulf region, while also striking locations in Ahvaz, including a children’s cancer hospital, prompting the evacuation of 211 patients. Iranian officials said the U.S. strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded over 300. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned of an “existential war” if the interim agreement is not honoured, and the Revolutionary Guard threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East.

President Donald Trump reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports, citing the need to pressure Tehran ahead of the November elections. The escalation has pushed Brent crude to around $85 a barrel, underscoring the broader impact on global oil markets.