According to Punch, US forces launched new strikes against Iran on Friday for the seventh consecutive night, aiming to degrade Iranian military capabilities.

The US military’s Central Command said the strikes were designed to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities at the direction of the Commander in Chief. The renewed nightly attacks come amid rising hostilities between Washington and Tehran, following the collapse of a memorandum of understanding both sides had signed in June.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed a new series of strikes on Friday targeting US military facilities across the Middle East, alleging attacks on sites in Syria, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan. The US military denied those claims.

The strikes have created major disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with vessel crews reportedly unwilling to risk the passage due to the breakdown of the earlier ceasefire between the two countries.

Iran’s health ministry said at least 38 people have been killed and 400 wounded in US strikes since June 22, including women, minors, and children among the casualties, with dozens still hospitalised.

A top Iranian military adviser warned that continued US strikes could push Tehran into a full scale offensive if the attacks persisted through the weekend, adding that no political border would be secure against Iran’s forces in such a scenario.

Neither side has publicly signalled willingness to return to negotiations as the conflict continues to widen across the region.

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