US strikes Iran for 7th night as NATO backs Trump's strategy

The US and Iran traded strikes for a 7th night as NATO backed Washington's campaign to break Tehran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military completed its 7th consecutive night of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction, hitting bridges and power infrastructure as NATO signaled growing support for the campaign to weaken Tehran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

"The alliance recognizes the threat Iran poses to global energy security, and NATO members are increasingly aligned with the US strategy to degrade Tehran's military capabilities," Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO, said on Fox News.

The latest wave employed fighter aircraft, aerial drones and warships to strike surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities, US Central Command said. Iranian state media reported at least five bridges were hit in the southern Hormozgan province, killing seven people in the port of Bandar Khamir. Tehran retaliated by striking a power generation and water desalination station in Kuwait, a key US ally, threatening the small desert nation's water supply — about 90% of which comes from desalination.

The escalation threatens to deepen the worst disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz — which handles about a fifth of global crude trade — since the war began on Feb. 28 when the US and Israel first attacked Iran. Week-to-week cargo shipments through the strait dropped almost a quarter at the start of July, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence, and oil prices have risen as the conflict intensifies.

Trump this week reiterated threats to hit Iranian energy targets and bridges, drawing warnings from international law experts who said such attacks on civilian infrastructure may amount to war crimes under the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The president received widespread condemnation in April after threatening to destroy Iran's entire civilization before reaching a ceasefire with Tehran.

The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, according to UN estimates. Sixteen US service members have been killed since the war began, with over 430 wounded. Iranian authorities said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in the latest round of American strikes alone. The war has also sent oil prices higher and shaken markets around the world.

The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has collapsed, and the region has endured days of back-and-forth attacks as both sides vie for control of the strait. The US has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude oil shipments, while Iran has targeted US-allied nations across the Middle East including Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar. On Friday, Qatar warned residents to take shelter as Iranian missiles targeted the nation, with falling debris wounding a child.

The last time a major power conducted sustained airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure was during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, when attacks on oil terminals and shipping cut Iran's export capacity by roughly 50% over two years. The current campaign has already disrupted a far larger share of global oil transit in a matter of weeks. US strikes also collapsed a tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a key trade route for neighboring Afghanistan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

For markets, the key variable remains whether the conflict widens to fully close the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude has already priced in a significant risk premium, and any further escalation toward Iranian energy infrastructure could push prices higher. Defense and energy sectors have outperformed, while broader equity markets face headwinds from rising uncertainty and the potential for sustained supply disruption. The next major catalyst will be whether Trump follows through on threats to target Iranian power stations and bridges in the coming week, a move that could determine the trajectory of both the conflict and global energy prices.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.