WASHINGTON–TEHRAN, July 17. /Dunyo IA/. The U.S. carried out strikes on Iranian territory for the sixth consecutive night, stating that the objective of the operation is to further weaken the country’s military capabilities, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing CNN.

According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), dozens of military targets were hit, including coastal surveillance positions, air defense systems, logistical infrastructure, and maritime facilities.

At the same time, the American military said that, as part of the blockade of Iranian ports, it inspected an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman and redirected three commercial vessels attempting to pass through the restricted area.

Iranian media, in turn, said that civilian infrastructure was also hit. They reported damage to bridges, a railway station, an airport, as well as facilities in the areas of Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and Bushehr, where a nuclear power plant is located. According to those reports, seven people were killed.

Tehran also announced strikes on U.S. military infrastructure in Kuwait and Bahrain, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had attacked the command center of U.S. special operations forces at the Al-Tanf base in Syria. According to the IRGC, the operation was carried out in response to the deaths of Iranian servicemen.

Iran said it maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz and will not allow the export of oil and gas through the waterway until U.S. strikes cease. International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol warned that if the current situation persists, serious risks to the global energy market could emerge in the coming weeks.

Despite the escalation, the White House said that contacts between Washington and Tehran are continuing. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Iran remains interested in reaching an agreement with the United States.

“We’re talking to them, but again, the president is not going to allow them to fire on ships in the strait without paying a consequence for that,” she said. According to her, Tehran has indicated that it “still wants to make a deal to the president.”

In a televised address to the nation, Donald Trump said that the U.S. military is inflicting a major defeat on Iran and that the results of these actions will soon become apparent. “We’re having, by the way, a tremendous success, as you know, in Iran. The results of this will soon be visible,” he said.