U.S. strikes hit an Iranian city on Tuesday that hosts one of the country’s main nuclear facilities, sending a massive fireball into the sky, as Tehran retaliated by targeting a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.
The escalation underscores the growing intensity of the conflict more than a month after the United States and Israel launched their initial strikes on Iran, in a war that has already left over 3,000 people dead and disrupted global energy markets.
The fallout has extended far beyond the Middle East, with average gasoline prices in the United States surpassing $4 per gallon on Tuesday, reflecting mounting pressure on global oil supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump shared footage of the strike on Isfahan, a central Iranian city believed to house significant nuclear infrastructure, including one of the country’s key uranium enrichment sites targeted during earlier phases of the conflict.
Analysts suggest that much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile may be stored in or near the area, raising concerns over the potential strategic implications of the latest strikes.
The conflict has increasingly rattled global oil markets, particularly as Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes during peacetime.
Global benchmark Brent crude prices climbed to around $106 per barrel on Tuesday, marking an increase of more than 45% since the outbreak of the war in late February.
Trump warned that if a ceasefire is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, Washington could expand its military campaign to include strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and potentially desalination facilities.
Meanwhile, Israel and the United States launched a new wave of coordinated strikes, including attacks on Tehran in the early hours of Tuesday, as the conflict entered a more volatile phase.
Satellite data indicated explosions near mountainous areas on the southern outskirts of Isfahan, while previous imagery suggested that Iran may have moved highly enriched uranium to a nearby underground facility shortly before the strikes.
The uranium, reportedly transported in multiple containers via truck, is believed to have been enriched to 60% purity, a level close to weapons-grade material, heightening international concern over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
In retaliation, an Iranian drone struck a Kuwaiti oil tanker off the coast of Dubai, sparking a fire that was later contained, while additional drone debris injured four people in a residential area, according to local authorities.
Air defense systems were activated across the region, with Bahrain sounding sirens, Saudi Arabia intercepting missiles aimed at Riyadh, and Israel reporting incoming barrages, as the conflict expanded across multiple fronts.
Gulf allies of the United States have reportedly urged Washington to continue its offensive until Iran’s military capabilities are neutralized, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that Tehran’s operations are directed solely at what he described as “enemy aggressors.”
At the same time, the United Nations Security Council prepared to hold an emergency session following the killing of three peacekeepers in southern Lebanon amid Israel’s ongoing clashes with Hezbollah, adding another layer of volatility to an already widening regional war.
The human toll continues to rise sharply, with more than 1,900 reported dead in Iran, 19 in Israel, over 1,200 in Lebanon, and dozens more across Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, alongside significant military casualties on all sides.
