Tensions in the Middle East intensified after two oil tankers transporting Saudi crude to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea on Tuesday. The move followed an announcement by Yemen’s Houthi group declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

The shutdown of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a vital passage linking the Red Sea with the Indian Ocean, has added new strain to global shipping lanes. This comes as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable amid the continuing US-Israel conflict with Iran.

Hostilities have continued to escalate. The United States confirmed it had completed its 11th consecutive round of strikes on Iran, while Tehran responded with attacks targeting US military positions in the Gulf region.

Below is a summary of developments from Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Where did the US strike in Iran?

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that at 00:15 GMT on Wednesday it concluded another wave of operations against Iran, marking the 11th straight night of military action.

According to CENTCOM, the strikes focused on Iranian military command centres, naval assets, aircraft shelters, drone depots and logistical infrastructure. The stated aim was to further weaken Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

The command also alleged that Iran had carried out attacks on more than 30 commercial ships passing through the strait over the past three months.

Iranian media reported that missile strikes hit locations near Behbahan and Omidiyeh in Khuzestan province, according to the province’s deputy governor.

Additional reports indicated that a military installation near Tabriz in northwestern Iran was struck early Wednesday. Explosions were heard in the area, and air defence systems were reportedly activated in several cities.

In Tehran, air defences were deployed, while two explosions were reported in Bushehr. Authorities in Sistan and Baluchestan province confirmed strikes on Chabahar and Konarak in the southeast.

Further attacks were reported in Kabudarahang County in Hamadan province, as well as in the Chavar and Abdanan districts of Ilam province. Iran’s western Kurdistan province was also said to have been targeted.

Where did Iran respond in the Gulf?

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared on Wednesday that its campaign against what it called aggression was ongoing, according to state media.

Kuwait: Iranian sources reported that drones were launched toward US military installations at Camp Doha in western Kuwait.

Jordan: In a statement carried by Iranian outlets, the military said it targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Azraq using drones. The statement claimed that housing facilities and equipment storage buildings used by US forces were struck.

Bahrain: Iranian authorities also stated that drones were directed at the Sheikh Isa Airbase. According to the statement, storage depots and aircraft maintenance facilities were among the intended targets.

Casualties, diplomacy and costs

The US Department of Defense announced that a third American soldier is believed to have died following an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan on July 17.

The 28-year-old service member had previously been listed as missing, but officials have now updated the status to “Duty Status – Whereabouts Unknown, believed deceased”.

Two other US soldiers were killed in the same attack in Jordan. Separately, another service member died in Iraq last week while attempting to dismantle explosives attached to an Iranian drone. The latest fatality raises the total number of US military deaths to 18 since the conflict with Iran began on February 28.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington remains open to dialogue regarding the conflict. He said the United States is prepared to negotiate if Iran demonstrates genuine willingness to engage.

“If they are serious about talks, we are ready,” Rubio said during a meeting with Southeast Asian officials in Manila. “If not, we will act to safeguard our interests and those of our partners.”

At the same time, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers in Washington that the conflict has already cost the US military $37.5bn. He urged Congress to approve an additional $67bn to replenish missile stockpiles and sustain operations.