US Central Command attacks Iran for seventh day

2026-07-18

US Central Command continues attacks

US Central Command said on the 17th that it had carried out attacks on Iran for seven straight days. It said the 16th attack destroyed a Revolutionary Guard watchtower on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian side has reacted strongly, and tensions remain high.

US weighs expanding operations

According to US Central Command, the destroyed watchtower had been used by the Revolutionary Guard for decades to monitor merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. In the Strait of Hormuz, attacks on merchant ships believed to have been carried out by the Iranian side have been occurring one after another.

The US news site Axios reported that the Trump administration would send dozens of refuelling aircraft to Israel in preparation for expanding military operations against Iran. It said US President Donald Trump could order an escalation of operations within days.

According to the site, the options under consideration include air strikes on infrastructure facilities such as power plants and on nuclear-related facilities that store enriched uranium deep underground. Bombing Mount Pickaxe, which the US side says Iran is building a nuclear facility on, is also among the options.

Iran hints at all-out offensive

Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba, said on the 17th that if US attacks continue for the next few days, Iran will move into an 'all-out offensive' against the enemy. Iranian state broadcaster reported.

Rezaei, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guard, has significant influence within the current system and also said, 'We will no longer be limited to retaliation.'

The Revolutionary Guard is also continuing attacks on Gulf states in the Middle East. Kuwait said on the 17th that a power and desalination plant had come under attack from Iran. There are concerns that attacks on civilian infrastructure, in addition to military sites, may rise again.

According to Kuwaiti authorities, the attack caused a fire at the plant and damaged a power generation unit. Citizens were asked to conserve electricity to help ensure a stable supply of power.

Most recently, Iranian media also reported that the US military had targeted bridges and water facilities in southern Iran. Middle East media reported on the 17th that Qatar, Bahrain and Jordan had dealt with attacks from Iran. Qatar and others condemned the attacks, saying they were a clear violation of the sovereignty of Gulf states in the Middle East.

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