America expands its air campaign on Iran and bombs more bridges

The US military targeted several bridges in Iran on Thursday, in an attempt to cut supply routes to the coastal city of Bandar Abbas and its naval base overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran uses to launch attacks on ships, according to a senior US official quoted by The Wall Street Journal.

Iranian media reported several attacks on bridges inside and around Bandar Abbas during the night, while the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) announced the closure of highways linking the city to neighboring provinces.

Iran's IRNA news agency reported that the US strikes on 5 bridges in the coastal city of Bandar Khamir, southern Iran, killed 7 people.

Hormozgan province announced that traffic on the "Bandar Abbas - Lar" road within the Bandar Khamir district has resumed gradually and slowly, calling on citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to help reduce traffic congestion.

Bandar Abbas houses a naval base of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and is a main hub for Iran's attacks on the Strait of Hormuz.

The city has been subjected to a series of US strikes in recent days, including attacks on an Iranian submarine and ship facility using maritime drones.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday morning that the latest "major wave" of strikes on Iran was completed at 9:40 PM Eastern Time (01:40 GMT), on the sixth consecutive night of US operations.

Central Command said in a statement that US fighter jets, drones, and warships used precision-guided munitions to strike dozens of Iranian military targets.

It explained that the targets included coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics facilities, and naval capabilities.

For her part, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that Iran "is still communicating with the United States and expressing its desire to reach an agreement with us because it is receiving devastating strikes."