West Asia war LIVE | UN condemns US attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure
Bahrain and Kuwait came under fresh Iranian missile fire early Friday as the US widened its air campaign by striking additional bridges inside Iran.
Both Gulf nations, which host American military bases, have been targeted repeatedly in recent days after an interim agreement aimed at ending the Iran conflict collapsed following tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The latest attacks marked the sixth consecutive night of US strikes on Iran.
Officials in Iran's southern city of Bandar Abbas reported damage to civilian infrastructure, including power facilities and a railway station.
Iran's military said it had targeted US aircraft stationed at a military base in Bahrain, while Kuwait's armed forces said they were responding to incoming missile and drone attacks.
Key Updates
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UN condemns attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains "deeply concerned" by the escalating military confrontation between the United States and Iran, particularly attacks targeting civilian infrastructure in Iran and elsewhere in the region, his deputy spokesperson said Friday.
"The secretary-general remains deeply concerned by the continuing military escalation between Iran and the United States of America. He's particularly concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region," deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters, calling such attacks "unacceptable."
Haq's remarks came after US forces struck five bridges and multiple locations across southern and southeastern Iran early Friday in a sixth consecutive night of attacks.
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US strikes maritime control tower at Iran's Kalantari Port
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday (July 17) released a video it said showed strikes on a maritime surveillance tower at Iran's Kalatari Port along Iran's Gulf of Oman coastline.
CENTCOM said the tower had been used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to track and target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, adding that destroying the tower would protect freedom of navigation in the waterway.
Reuters was able to verify the location by the buildings and street lights that matched archive imagery and satellite imagery. The surrounding buildings of the tower matched visuals from the aftermath from earlier reports of damage to the maritime tower on July 8. The date when the video was filmed was not verified, however, the US Central of Command said they targeted the surveillance tower on July 16. No old results were found posted online before July 17.
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Iran strikes Kuwait desalination plant
Kuwait said an Iranian attack on Friday damaged a power and water desalination plant, triggering a fire and knocking out several electricity generation units. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said the blaze had been extinguished and assessment work was underway to restore operations. Around 90 per cent of Kuwait's drinking water is supplied through desalination, making such facilities critical infrastructure.
-AP via PTI
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Iran official condemns US strikes on civilian areas
جنایات آمریکا در جنوب کشور مانند مدرسه میناب، بیمارستان کودکان سرطانی اهواز، سالن ورزشی لامرد، حملات مکرر به مناطق مسکونی و غیرنظامی و... نشان دهندهی ناتوانی و استیصال ارتش مدعی حقوق بشر در رویارویی با ایرانِ فاتحِ جنگ ۱۲ روزه و نبرد رمضان است.
— ابراهیم عزیزی (@Ebrahimazizi33) July 17, 2026
جنوب سرافراز همیشه سنگر دفاع از…Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, accused the United States of targeting residential neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure in southern Iran, including a school, a children's cancer hospital and a sports hall. In a post on X, he said the attacks exposed the "hypocrisy" of those who claim to defend human rights, adding that Iran's armed forces would not leave the deaths of civilians unanswered.
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Iran acknowledges attacks on power infrastructure
Iran has, for the first time, acknowledged that its power infrastructure has come under attack during the ongoing US airstrike campaign. The Energy Ministry urged residents in southern provinces to reduce electricity consumption, citing extreme heat and attacks on power facilities, though it did not specify whether power plants, transmission lines or other infrastructure had been hit. The acknowledgement comes after US President Donald Trump warned that American forces could target bridges and power infrastructure as fighting over the Strait of Hormuz intensifies.
-AP via PTI
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Jordan intercepts three Iranian missiles
Jordan's military said it intercepted three Iranian missiles on Friday after its air defence systems engaged incoming projectiles targeting the country. According to the state-run Petra news agency, no casualties were reported, while Royal Engineering Corps teams cleared falling debris. Jordan, which hosts US troops and aircraft, has come under repeated Iranian attacks amid the expanding US air campaign against Iran.
-AP via PTI
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JD Vance rejects claims against Kushner, Witkoff
This is completely bogus. I never received a message like this.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) July 16, 2026
If I had, I would have said: Jared and Steve are trusted members of the president's team and very dear friends. No one has done more than the two of them to work towards peace and prosperity in the region. The idea… https://t.co/3UMa1dtgxFUS Vice President JD Vance has dismissed allegations that senior White House advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff sought to profit from their roles in negotiations with Iran. In a post on X, Vance called the claims "completely bogus", described both men as trusted members of President Donald Trump's team, and denied reports that Iran had sent him a message accusing them of abusing their access during talks in Switzerland. He added that Kushner and Witkoff had done more than anyone to advance peace and prosperity in the region.
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US strikes appear to topple Chabahar port tower
https://t.co/jZlSVRePRC pic.twitter.com/Nj5o0oiphH
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) July 17, 2026US airstrikes on Friday appeared to bring down a surveillance tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a strategically important trade hub serving Afghanistan. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image of the collapsed tower after it had circulated on social media, while Iranian state media confirmed a third round of strikes on the port but did not acknowledge the reported collapse. Iran has described the tower as monitoring commercial shipping, although the Revolutionary Guard also maintains a presence at ports across the country.
-AP via PTI
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Qatar issues second warning
Qatar issued a second public warning on Friday, urging residents to seek shelter as Iran launched another round of attacks. Air raid sirens were also activated in neighbouring Bahrain.
The renewed strikes on Doha underscore the collapse of the interim agreement aimed at paving the way for negotiations to end the Iran conflict. Earlier in the day, Qatar's Interior Ministry said a child was injured by shrapnel from an intercepted missile.
-AP via PTI
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US military concluded latest wave of airstrikes against Iran
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 17, 2026
The US military said it has successfully concluded its latest wave of airstrikes against Iran, marking the sixth consecutive night of operations as fighting linked to the Strait of Hormuz continues. In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said fighter jets, drones and warships struck dozens of Iranian military targets, including coastal surveillance and air defence sites, logistics infrastructure and maritime assets.
CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump to further degrade Iran's military capabilities and respond to recent attacks on commercial shipping. The command added that more than 50,000 US personnel remain deployed across the West Asia region and are prepared for further operations.
-AP via PTI
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Qatar intercepted Iranian missile attack
— وزارة الدفاع - دولة قطر (@MOD_Qatar) July 17, 2026
In a post on X, Qatar's Ministry of Defence said its armed forces had intercepted an Iranian missile attack targeting the country. Earlier, authorities had warned residents of an incoming barrage, but the Ministry of Interior later announced that the security threat had ended and the situation had returned to normal, while urging the public to continue following official guidance.
-AP via PTI
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Trump says US is "winning big" against Iran
In a national address, US President Donald Trump said the United States is "winning big" in its conflict with Iran alongside Israel and claimed the country would soon see the results of its actions. He urged swift action to protect the integrity of US elections, arguing that public trust is essential to the nation's future.
-AP via PTI
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Death toll from the US airstrike in Iran rises to seven
The death toll from the US airstrike on the Bandar-e Khamir bridge in Iran's Hormozgan province has risen to seven, according to Iranian state television.
The strike also left nine people injured, with all of them currently receiving treatment from emergency responders and medical personnel.
-AP via PTI
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Bahrain and Kuwait faces Iranian attack
Bahrain and Kuwait came under fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks early Friday as the United States widened its air campaign by targeting additional bridges inside Iran.
The two Gulf nations, which host US military bases, have faced repeated Iranian attacks in recent days after an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict collapsed following tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that at least three people were killed in US airstrikes targeting bridges in the southern province of Hormozgan on Friday.
A day earlier, the United States expanded its military operations by striking targets deeper inside Iran and attacking a vessel it accused of attempting to breach its naval blockade. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards US allies in the region.
- AP via PTI -
US military carries out another round of strikes against Iran
At 2 p.m. ET today, U.S. forces began conducting a new wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth consecutive night to further degrade Iranian military capabilities.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 16, 2026The US military says it has carried out another round of strikes against Iran, despite a ceasefire agreement reached last month.
US forces launched fresh attacks on Iranian targets at around 2:00 PM ET, marking the sixth consecutive night of military operations. Washington and Tehran have exchanged strikes daily for nearly a week.
According to the US Central Command, the latest strikes were intended to further degrade Iran's military capabilities.
The US military says the operation forms part of its ongoing campaign against Iranian military targets.
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