US strikes Iran for 11th consecutive night; Houthis threaten Red Sea shipping
The US launched an 11th consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran as the ceasefire deal frays, while Houthi forces threaten Red Sea shipping, escalating regional tensions.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The United States has carried out an 11th consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran, as the fragile ceasefire that ended the previous round of hostilities continues to unravel. US Central Command said the latest strikes hit Iranian military targets including aircraft hangars and drone storage facilities, part of a campaign to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump warned that the US could soon target a deeply buried site known as Pickaxe Mountain, near one of Iran's main nuclear enrichment facilities at Natanz. Iranian military leaders responded that any attack on its nuclear sites would be considered a major escalation and that it would target the interests of the US and its allies in return.
Iran has continued to retaliate. It launched missiles and drones at US allies in the region, including Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, all of which host American military bases. Jordan said it had shot down four Iranian drones. The tempo of retaliatory attacks has increased alongside the US bombing campaign.
A new front is opening in the Red Sea. Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are backed by Iran, have threatened to block the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern exit from the Red Sea. They have said any ships leaving or entering Saudi ports are now fair game, forcing some vessels to turn around. The Red Sea accounts for about 12% of global maritime trade, and combined with the Strait of Hormuz, more than a quarter of global maritime trade is now affected.
In Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before a Senate committee, asking Congress for $67 billion in additional funding for operations in the Middle East. He said the war has so far cost $37.5 billion and warned that without the money, military training and readiness would suffer. Democrats pressed him on why Iran could still strike US bases if its capabilities had been, in his words, "functionally destroyed" months earlier. Hegseth insisted Iran was at its weakest point in decades.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would prefer a diplomatic settlement but expressed doubt that Iran was serious about talks, pointing to the recent collapse of a memorandum of understanding. Mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar are seen as the only remaining hope for de-escalation, but with each new round of bombing, the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough appears to recede.
The economic impact is compounding. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a trickle, and the Houthi threat in the Red Sea is adding further disruption. The ceasefire deal that was supposed to reopen Gulf shipping lanes now looks ever more fragile, and an undeclared war appears to be replacing a crumbling peace.
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 | Channel 5 | BBC NEWS | BBC One | ITV | 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. | |||||
| Three US soldiers were killed in Iranian attacks: two in Jordan and one in Iraq. | · | ||||
| Houthi rebels threatened Red Sea shipping, forcing ships to turn around. | · | · | |||
| Jordan intercepted five Iranian drones heading towards its territory. | · | · | · | ||
| Trump threatened to bomb a deeply buried complex near a damaged nuclear site. | · | · | · | · | |
| US and Iranian officials suggested diplomatic efforts are ongoing. | · | · | · | · | |
| 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. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 focused on the strain the renewed bombing is placing on the ceasefire deal, highlighting President Trump's uncompromising stance and the Pentagon's request for more money amid protests. The report also gave significant attention to the Houthi threat in the Red Sea as a new dimension of the conflict, emphasising the economic impact on global trade.
- “President Trump was in no mood for compromise however today he claimed Iran's leaders were desperate to talk because he said their forces are getting decimated”
- “They are toast and they know it.”
- “We've been nice. We've been nice.”
BBC News provided the most detailed and analytical coverage, including a breaking news alert, a live correspondent report from Washington, and a comprehensive analysis by international editor Jeremy Bowen. The channel gave extensive airtime to the Hegseth hearing, the Democratic criticism, and the strategic implications of targeting Pickaxe Mountain, as well as the Houthi threat and the history of the conflict's escalation.
- “CENTCOM forces began striking military targets in Iran today for the 11th consecutive night.”
- “Iran is at the weakest point militarily it has ever been in in the past decade, certainly maybe in 47 years”
- “The risk now is that the war explodes back to the intensity it reached in March.”
BBC ONE West gave a concise lunchtime update, focusing on the 11th night of strikes, Iran's immediate retaliation against US allies (Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain), and the Houthi threat to Red Sea shipping. The report also included Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments on diplomacy, framing the situation as locked in with no clear path to de-escalation.
- “Iran retaliated quickly with more missiles and drones launched at Jordan, at Kuwait and Bahrain, all countries which have US military bases.”
- “President Trump has said that really, you know, the US is ready to attack this suspected nuclear site at Natanz.”
Sky News focused on the 11th night of strikes, Trump's threat to hit Pickaxe Mountain, and Iran's retaliation against US allies. The channel gave prominent airtime to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's extended remarks, which expressed deep scepticism about Iran's willingness to negotiate and highlighted the regime's violation of the recent memorandum of understanding.
- “We would love to reach an agreement if it were possible with Iran that would ensure they never have a nuclear weapon and obviously help stop them.”
- “I think if there is a lack of confidence, it is the lack of confidence that the Iranian regime will ever agree to any of those things.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.