US-Iran airstrikes escalate, ninth night

The United States and Iran have escalated military exchanges, with the US conducting a ninth consecutive night of airstrikes targeting Iranian military command centers, air defense, coastal surveillance, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and communications networks. The strikes follow the death of a US service member in Iraq during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone. Iran retaliated by launching attacks targeting Bahrain, the home of the US Navy's fifth fleet, and firing missiles toward Jordan, risking widening the conflict to Israel. Iran also claimed to have targeted tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, where a ship caught fire. The US reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, redirecting six ships and disabling one. Brent Crude rose above $90 per barrel. The interim 60-day deal to end the war has crumbled, and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the US remains open to negotiations but insists they must be real. Iranian authorities reported at least 50 killed and 517 wounded in recent US strikes. Since the war began on February 28, 17 US service members have been killed. The US also targeted a planned nuclear power plant construction site in Darkhovin, which the IAEA confirmed contained no nuclear material.