US Strikes Iran Amid Escalating Shipping Route Clashes

The US military has launched strikes on Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes in the region. The latest attacks, which are part of the 13th night of strikes against Iran, aim to 'further degrade Iran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters.'

The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the conflict. The Houthis have also threatened to shut down another key trade route, with the world economy already reeling from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump has warned that 'major military punishment' will be inflicted upon Iran and the Houthis if their attacks on ships continue. The price of Brent crude oil has spiked more than 6% to about $100 a barrel, with the US pushing to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the region is being pulled 'into an ever-widening circle of confrontation' and urged diplomacy as the only way forward. The conflict has already resulted in 55 deaths and 629 injuries in Iran since renewed US airstrikes began on June 27.