The Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery operates in Kuwait. (Photo: AP)The war between the US and Iran ground into its seventh consecutive night of strikes on Friday, with Washington’s bombing campaign now reaching bridges, airports, power facilities, and a train station in southern Iran, while Tehran widened its retaliation to hit US allies across the Gulf. Iranian officials said at least eight people were killed overnight, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle as the region’s most critical oil corridor comes under increasing strain.Tehran’s warnings: A senior Iranian military adviser warned that the US could face a “full-scale offensive” in the coming days if its strikes continue through the weekend. Tehran has also threatened key ports in Gulf states, retaliation it links to the US destroying a surveillance tower near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.Story continues below this adLatest DevelopmentsSeventh night of US strikes: US Central Command confirmed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran overnight, extending its renewed bombing campaign into a seventh consecutive night, as Tehran launched its own expanding attacks on US allies in the regionCivilian infrastructure hit, casualties reported: Iranian officials say strikes have damaged bridges, airports, power facilities, and a train station in southern Iran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said three of the eight people killed overnight died in a strike on a bridge in Bandar Khamir.Iran strikes US allies across the Gulf: Iran’s army said it hit US assets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar; Qatari authorities reported a child was injured by falling missile debris after the country’s air defenses intercepted incoming fire.Naval targets and tanker strikes: Iran’s Tasnim news agency said Iranian forces attacked a Thai-flagged vessel attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, while Bushehr’s deputy governor said the US struck an Iranian oil tanker docked at Kharg Island.Warnings of a wider war and shrinking shipping traffic: A senior Iranian military adviser warned the US could face a “full-scale offensive” if strikes continue through the weekend, and Tehran threatened Gulf state ports after the US destroyed a surveillance tower near the strait, according to Fars news agency. Only six vessels transited the strait in the past 24 hours, per MarineTraffic data a sharp drop for a passage that once carried roughly 20% of the world’s oil.Follow The Indian Express Global Desk live coverage for the latest updates from West Asia and the US.Live UpdatesJul 18, 2026 06:01 AM ISTUS and Iran escalate strikes across Mideast; bridges and a water plant hitThe United States and Iran escalated their attacks across the Middle East on Friday, trading strikes aimed at infrastructure and military targets as their battle over the Strait of Hormuz intensified.The US expanded its attacks against Iran by hitting more bridges and energy sites and collapsing a tower at a key Iranian port, following through on President Donald Trump’s threats to pressure Tehran to ease its chokehold on the waterway vital to world energy supplies.In response, Iran launched missiles into US-allied nations in the Mideast, including Qatar, a mediator in the war, and Kuwait, where one of the desert nation’s water desalination plants was damaged.Jul 18, 2026 06:00 AM ISTIRGC says it shot down US drone over BushehrIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy says it has shot down a US drone over the Iranian port city of Bushehr.The IRGC Navy says the MQ-9 drone was intercepted and destroyed using a new advanced air system operating under the control of Iran’s integrated air defence network.Jul 18, 2026 05:58 AM IST2 oil tankers caught fire while passing through mined route in Strait of Hormuz, Iran saysTwo oil tankers caught fire after attempting to pass through a route in the Strait of Hormuz that had mines, Iran’s state-run news agency reported early on Saturday, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).In a statement, the IRGC described the waterway as “now highly unsafe and completely closed.”Jul 18, 2026 05:57 AM ISTIran’s Mehr says US projectile landed outside Yazd, no casualtiesIran’s Mehr news agency says projectiles fired by the US have landed outside the Iranian central city of Yazd.Jul 18, 2026 05:56 AM ISTWhat has happened so far?Seventh night of US strikes: US Central Command confirmed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran overnight, extending its renewed bombing campaign into a seventh consecutive night, as Tehran launched its own expanding attacks on US allies in the region .Civilian infrastructure hit, casualties mount: Iranian officials say strikes have damaged bridges, airports, power facilities, and a train station in southern Iran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said three of the eight people killed overnight died in a strike on a bridge in Bandar Khamir.Retaliation spreads across the Gulf: Iran's army said it hit US assets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar — where a child was injured by falling missile debris — while Iranian forces also struck a Thai-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz and, separately, the US hit an Iranian oil tanker docked at Kharg Island .Warnings of a wider war and shrinking shipping traffic: A senior Iranian military adviser warned the US could face a "full-scale offensive" if strikes continue through the weekend, and Tehran threatened Gulf state ports after the US destroyed a surveillance tower near the strait. Only six vessels transited the strait in the past 24 hours, per MarineTraffic data a sharp drop for a passage that once carried roughly 20% of the world's oil.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:donald trumpIran US tension