US-Iran Conflict Escalates as Both Sides Exchange Attacks
Fighting between the US and Iran escalated this week as both sides exchanged attacks on bases and energy infrastructure. On August 31, Iran reported that a US strike on Larak Island killed two people and injured two others. The US military denied targeting civilians, but Iranian statements said a US strike hit a wedding party and a home, killing five people.
By September 6, the fighting had reached three Iranian oil tankers and a US naval drone near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Japan Times reported that US Central Command confirmed the tanker targets and located one strike near Kharg Island, Iran's main oil-export point.
In related news, President Trump dispatched envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine. The trip is seen as a new attempt to break the stalemate in negotiations over territorial control and security guarantees.