The 13th consecutive night of US strikes on Iran coincided with Houthi attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and a UN call for the urgent evacuation of approximately 6,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz [2][8][30]. Brent crude crossed $100 per barrel after the Houthi strikes on the Saudi vessels [9][43].

US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the latest strikes targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities to diminish the threat to civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz [9][22]. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit that "any participation, cooperation or assistance in committing aggression against Iran will create international responsibility for the relevant parties" and that Iran reserves the right to self-defense [1][30]. Iran's Health Ministry reported that 59 people have been killed and 666 wounded in US strikes since late June [7][14].

President Donald Trump stated he is "seriously considering" a "massive attack, bigger than ever before," saying Iran has not "received enough pain yet" [28][18]. Trump simultaneously said Iran is "getting more and more serious" in discussions with the US [30][34]. A New York Times report that Iran rejected a US ceasefire proposal delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was disputed by Iraq's prime ministerial media office, which called the claims "completely baseless," and by Iran, which called the report "completely diversionary and misleading" [13][14][35]. Trump also stated that damages to ships and cargo in the Strait of Hormuz would be paid for with frozen Iranian assets, calling it "the fair and equitable thing to do" [5]. Araghchi responded that "seizing another nation's assets to pay for unrelated future claims is an incendiary precedent" [2][9].

The Iranian army and Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced drone strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait, targeting fuel tanks and barracks at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and aircraft hangars at Al-Azraq base in Jordan [12][26][37]. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards separately stated they targeted an Amazon data center in Bahrain and destroyed an ammunition depot at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait [23][29]. The Bahraini Armed Forces reported intercepting several Iranian projectiles [10], Jordan's army stated it downed seven missiles and six drones with no casualties or material damage [12][14], and the Kuwaiti Armed Forces reported intercepting rockets and drones aimed at a base used by the US Air Force [22]. A Wall Street Journal report cited by ANSA stated that Bahrain and Kuwait secretly sent fighter jets to strike drone and missile depots inside Iran, with target intelligence provided by the United Arab Emirates [24].

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdusalam stated there is "no closure of Bab al-Mandeb as some are suggesting" and that the naval blockade targets only Saudi-linked vessels [8][12][30]. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen stated its strikes on Houthi-held Hodeida targeted legitimate military sites linked to threats against commercial shipping and that all ports remain open [7][8][32]. Coalition spokesperson Turki Al Maliki described the response as "proportionate" and said the military action is now concluded [15][20].

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on states to urgently provide consular assistance to stranded seafarers and facilitate safe passage for evacuation, stating that "attacks against civilian vessels are unacceptable and must stop" [8][30]. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) described conditions for stranded sailors as "modern day slavery and systemic exploitation" [42]. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council: "La situación se está saliendo de control. Está al borde de lo inimaginable. Es hora de dar marcha atrás" (The situation is spiraling out of control. It is on the brink of the unimaginable. It is time to step back) [33].

The US House of Representatives passed a War Powers Resolution directing Trump to halt military action against Iran by a 214-208 vote, while the US Senate rejected a similar resolution 47-49 and approved a $95 billion defense budget for the campaign [11][17]. Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal stated the war must end and that Congress must reaffirm its war authority [11]. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that "la guerra de Trump se está intensificando, no disminuyendo" (Trump's war is escalating, not de-escalating) and that Congress must act [11]. The Pentagon reportedly lowered the US troop death toll from 18 to 14, with military officials stating the Trump administration removed soldiers killed after a ceasefire was declared in April [16].

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the campaign as a "historic military victory" while acknowledging the cost has reached $37.5 billion and that Iran may retain hidden capabilities [3][19]. Former Israeli air defense commander Ran Kohav stated Iran has "refilled their weapons stocks" and has "impressive industrialization and reconstruction capabilities" [14]. Defense Priorities analyst Jennifer Kavanagh stated Iran's military capability remains strong and has reconstituted faster than expected [19]. University of Bath professor Patrick Bury noted a cost asymmetry favoring Iran, as its drones and missiles are far cheaper than the US systems used to intercept them [19].

Analysts at Chinese state-linked institutes assessed that Washington's military buildup signals preparation for a broader campaign and that both sides treat the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic prize [6]. However, analyst Qin Tian of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations assessed that both sides still show signs of restraint, with Washington avoiding large-scale attacks on major cities and Iran not returning to earlier peak fighting levels [6]. Pakistan, with China's backing, is exploring a path to resume stalled US-Iran talks, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urging implementation of the Islamabad MoU [31][34]. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko called the US strikes a unilateral violation of the memorandum and expressed Moscow's interest in resumed diplomatic efforts [38]. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani called on all parties to commit to dialogue and implement the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran [31].

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced new sanctions on Iranian judges for human rights violations, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the Iranian rial has plunged to a record low [34]. International law expert Susan Breau stated legitimate self-defense requires evidence of an imminent attack that has not been presented, and human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Nice argued the initiation of the war is likely illegal [40]. Cambridge academic Mark Weller stated Iran's strikes on Gulf states also violated international law [40].

Residents of Tehran and Isfahan described internet disruptions and fear of detection for using Starlink terminals, with one Tehran resident telling BBC Persian: "اینترنت در ایران الان واقعا خیلی کند شده است. خیلی نگرانیم که شناسایی شویم. اگر ما را شناسایی کنند، می‌ترسم اعداممان کنند" (The internet in Iran has become really slow. We are very worried about being identified. If they identify us, I'm afraid they'll execute us) [48].

Commodity strategists warned that oil prices could exceed the Russia-Ukraine highs of $128 per barrel in a worst-case scenario of full regional war [43][45]. Governments in Africa and the Pacific Islands reported emergency fuel-supply planning, with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong warning of "a prolonged energy shock" [46][49]. Indian analysts stated that US strikes damaging Iran's Chabahar Port and fear of sanctions have caused India to scale back investment in the strategic asset [47].