US launches fourth night of strikes on Iran, threatens infrastructure
The US carried out a fourth consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, reinstating a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump threatened to expand strikes to civilian infrastructure if Iran does not return to talks, while Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to halt Middle East energy exports.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The United States has carried out a fourth consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military sites near the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran's southern coast. President Donald Trump has reinstated a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the strategic waterway and announced a 20% levy on all cargo shipped through the Strait, claiming the fee would cover the cost of security. Trump also threatened to expand strikes to civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, if Iran does not return to negotiations.
Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz and warning it could halt all Middle East energy exports. Iranian state media reported retaliatory missile and drone attacks on US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. The tit-for-tat exchanges mark the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreement signed just over a month ago, which had briefly opened the Strait to free navigation.
The escalation has sent global oil prices up by more than 5%. Iran's Health Ministry said more than 260 people were wounded and over 30 civilians killed in southern Iran during the recent strikes. The UK government designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, making support for the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
US Central Command said the strikes were aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping. The US military also used naval drones in combat for the first time. Meanwhile, a significant US naval buildup continues in the Arabian Sea, with two aircraft carriers, 19 battleships, and around 1,000 Marines positioned near the Strait.
Diplomatic efforts remain stalled. Mediators from Qatar and Oman have been in contact with both sides, but no breakthrough has been reported. Analysts warn that the conflict risks spiralling further, with Iran threatening to cut electricity to US regional allies if its own infrastructure is attacked.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC NEWS | BBC One | Channel 4 | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran retaliated by striking Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. | ||||
| The US hit 170 Iranian targets over 48 hours, mainly near the Strait of Hormuz. | ||||
| President Trump threatened to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges next week if Iran does not negotiate. | · | |||
| The memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran has unraveled, with Iran's deputy foreign minister stating the naval blockade reinstatement dismantles the agreement. | · | |||
| Trump announced a US blockade of Iranian ports and a 20% charge on cargo through the Strait of Hormuz. | · | · | ||
| US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Congress for more than $80 billion in additional funding, and the cost of the war so far is over $37.5 billion. | · | · | ||
| A US military buildup in the Arabian Sea includes two aircraft carriers, 19 battleships, and around 1,000 Marines. | · | · | · | |
| Iran's Health Ministry reported over 260 wounded and over 30 civilians killed in southern Iran. | · | · | · | |
| Iran's lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the door was open for diplomacy and negotiations were not capitulation. | · | · | · | |
| Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the US ends its acts of aggression. | · | · | · | |
| Only 11 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz the previous day, nine connected to Iranian shipping. | · | · | · | |
| The Revolutionary Guard's Aerospace Commander warned Iran would cut electricity to US allies if its infrastructure is attacked. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West focused on the practical and diplomatic implications of Trump's blockade and 20% levy, questioning its feasibility. The channel's analysis, led by Jeremy Bowen, highlighted the lack of a clear US strategic objective and the risk of escalation. It also reported the UK's ban on the IRGC, framing it as a complicating factor in diplomacy.
- “President Trump has announced that he is reinstating the US blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz and says he will impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the vital waterway to pay for the cost of safety and security.”
- “The problem that he's facing, though, is that he can't reverse out of the terrible mess caused after the war that he started with Netanyahu on the 28th of Israel on the 28th of February.”
Channel 4 provided detailed coverage of the breakdown of the Memorandum of Understanding, including Trump's extemporaneous remarks on Fox News. The channel included legal analysis from an Iranian academic citing the San Remo manual, and highlighted the economic impact with oil prices rising 5%. It also reported the first use of US naval drones in combat and the UK's designation of the IRGC.
- “Under Article 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding, our effort was to work with Oman to establish a mechanism to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Unfortunately, this did not materialise because of overt and covert US pressure on Oman.”
- “We're going to keep the Strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the Strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the Strait. And we should be reimbursed for that.”
- “If a country like United States attacks a country like Iran, and that United States escorts ships, commercial ships, those commercial ships are legitimate military targets, that's international law.”
BBC NEWS focused on the fourth night of strikes and Trump's explicit threat to hit civilian infrastructure. The channel included expert analysis from Sahar Razavi, who warned of war crimes and the risk of a much more destructive phase. The reporting was straightforward, with a clear emphasis on the unraveling of the ceasefire and the lack of a diplomatic off-ramp.
- “President Trump also threatened to knock out all of Iran's power plants and bridges next week, unless Tehran came to the negotiating table.”
- “Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait would remain closed until the United States ends what it called acts of aggression.”
Sky News emphasised the frequency of strikes (sixth time in eight nights) and the significant US military buildup in the Arabian Sea. The channel's reporting highlighted the 'escalation trap' and the lack of a clear US strategy. It also reported Iran's threat to halt all Middle East energy exports and provided casualty figures from Iran's Health Ministry.
- “Donald Trump has warned the United States in strikes on Iran will expand after America carried out a fourth night of attacks.”
- “if my maths is correct It's actually the sixth time in eight nights that the u.s Has carried out airstrikes against Iran”
- “The worry now is the escalation is what we call the escalation trap or the escalatory ladder”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.