US Strikes Hit Iranian Railway Bridge and 90 Military Targets
The latest Iran strikes have seen the United States conduct strikes on approximately 90 military targets in Iran, including a railway bridge on the Tehran-Mashhad line, as part of a second day of attacks following Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz. [2]
US Launches Strikes on Iranian Military Targets
The United States military said late on Wednesday that the attacks were aimed at Iran’s ability to threaten the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. [2] The US struck approximately 90 military targets, including missile and drone storage as well as logistics sites along Iran’s coastline, according to the Central Command. [2] CENTCOM stated that the strikes targeted systems of air defense, facilities for coastal surveillance, storage sites for missiles and drones, maritime capacities, and military logistics infrastructure along the Iranian coast. [3] These strikes formed a continuation of offensive operations that began the night before, when US forces hit around 80 targets in Iran. [3] US strikes hit a railway bridge in Iran’s northeast, according to several official media. [2] The Aq Taqeh Khan railway bridge in northern Iran’s Golestan province was also reportedly hit by US strikes overnight. [1] Reports of several explosions were heard in Iran’s Bushehr province on Thursday morning, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency, and Bushehr is home to Iran’s nuclear power plant. [1] The news agency IRNA reported strikes on a military base in coastal Bushehr. [2] Warplanes hovered over Iran’s Kish Island, and explosions rocked the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak and Chabahar, part of which lost electricity, IRNA reported. [2]
Iran Retaliates Against US Bases in Gulf States
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday it carried out attacks on key infrastructure and facilities at bases used by the US military in Arifjan and Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, and Juffair and Sheikh Isa in Bahrain in response to the latest US bombardment. [2] The Iranian army later said its forces targeted a Patriot missile system in Kuwait, a satellite antenna in Qatar and US military fuel depots in Bahrain. [2] Iran said it launched strikes on US military bases and strategic sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar on Thursday following a second consecutive night of US attacks on Iranian territory. [4] Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence said it was intercepting missiles and drones, while Qatar issued an elevated security threat alert. [2] The reported Iranian attacks widened the geographical scope of the conflict beyond Iranian territory. [4] Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar all host US military facilities that play important roles in Washington’s military presence across the Middle East. [4]
Disruption to Tehran-Mashhad Railway and Khamenei Funeral
Iranian passenger train services between Tehran and Mashhad were temporarily suspended following a reported US strike on a railway bridge connecting the two cities, state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting claimed. [1] The Iranian railway said the train service on the Tehran-Mashhad line had been temporarily suspended as a result. [2] The transportation disruption comes as mourners travel to farewell Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before he is scheduled to be laid to rest in the city of Mashhad. [1] The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps allegedly claimed on Thursday that the US strike on the railway was a deliberate attempt to overshadow Khamenei’s burial, as reported by Iranian state media. [1] Iran’s state-organized funeral processions, which began last week, serve both as a religious commemoration and a demonstration of continuity for the Islamic Republic following the death of the leader who ruled Iran for nearly four decades. [1] The week-long procession, which carried Khamenei’s body, included public events in Qom, Najaf, and Karbala before reaching the final destination of Mashhad. [1] The particular rail line on which the bridge was located serves as a vital trade link connecting Tehran with its strategic partners, China and Russia. [1] The route continues through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, making it an important land corridor to China in particular. [1] This link has gained significance, especially during this year’s blockade of Iran’s Gulf ports by the US. [1] The route has been utilized by Russia for cargo shipments to Iran since late 2025. [1] Repair teams are currently working to fix the damage and restore the route, and other arrangements are being made to transport passengers to Mashhad by road, according to IRIB. [1] Technical teams were on site to repair the damaged section so that the rail service could resume as soon as possible, adding that buses had been arranged to transport affected passengers. [2] The agency said repairs to the bridge were expected to be completed quickly. [1]
Casualties and Immediate Aftermath
Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 14 people were killed and 78 others injured over the past two days. [2] At least three people were killed in an attack on the outskirts of Ahvaz, capital of the southwestern province of Khuzestan, IRNA reported, citing the deputy governor of the region. [2] At least one firefighter was killed in an attack on an airport facility in Iranshahr, IRNA reported. [2] The latest US attacks on Iran over the previous two days killed at least 14 people and wounded 78 others. [4] The reported strikes targeted several locations along the Strait of Hormuz, including Bushehr, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas and Sirik. [4]
Trump's Statements and Ceasefire Collapse
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called the US attacks retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. [2] Trump wrote that if it happens again, it will get much worse. [2] President Donald Trump said the US military campaign was launched in response to what Washington described as Iranian attacks on commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz. [4] The renewed fighting threatens to undermine a memorandum of understanding the two sides agreed last month to extend an April ceasefire and gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. [2] The attacks come a day after Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was over and criticised the Iranian leadership. [2] On a question of whether he considers the memorandum of understanding dead, Trump responded that by his view the agreement is over. [3] He described the Iranian side as led by sick, evil thugs and said he does not want to deal with them anymore. [3] Later he added that he is not sure whether Iran would respect an agreement even if one were reached. [3] However, he left the door open to more talks and suggested that any strikes would end quickly. [2] Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One as he travelled back to the US after attending the NATO summit in Turkiye, Trump said the Iranian side had called a little while ago and that they wanted to make a deal so badly. [2] Trump said whatever happens, it will end very quickly and only increase security, including security of oil supply. [3]
International Calls for Diplomacy
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, as did Pakistan. [2] Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a phone call on Thursday that Iran and the US should commit to diplomacy. [2] Sheikh Mohammed said Washington and Tehran should implement the MoU to end the war. [2] China called on the United States and Iran to stick with peace plans after a resumption of missile strikes in the Middle East spurred a jump in oil prices. [5] A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said reigniting the conflict does not serve any party’s interests. [5] China called on the US and Iran to follow through on their memorandum of understanding, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and avoid resorting to force. [5] Iran said the two officials had spoken over the phone and underscored the importance of using diplomatic means to resolve regional issues. [2]
What to watch next: Observers will monitor whether the US and Iran return to implementing the memorandum of understanding reached in mid-June or whether further exchanges occur around the Strait of Hormuz.
