Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated sharply after U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian railway infrastructure, delaying the burial of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation earlier this month. The attacks prompted Iran to launch retaliatory ballistic missile strikes against a U.S. airbase in Jordan, raising concerns about a renewed phase of conflict.

Khamenei’s six-day funeral was scheduled to conclude with a procession in Mashhad, Iran’s eastern holy city, on Wednesday. However, the funeral was disrupted when U.S. forces struck a railway bridge linking Mashhad to Tehran, delaying the ayatollah’s interment at the Imam Reza shrine by eight hours. Iranian officials reported that the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear power plant was also targeted. Iranian authorities stated that the airstrikes resulted in 14 deaths and 78 injuries nationwide. Meanwhile, the U.S. military confirmed it had hit approximately 170 targets across Iran, including coastal air defense systems, missile and drone storage facilities, and vessels belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

A senior U.S. official indicated that the administration under President Donald Trump was preparing for an extended series of airstrikes intended to deter further Iranian aggression. “We’re going to slap them a bit so they understand we’re not messing around,” the official said.

In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks against assets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, and fired ten ballistic missiles at the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan, a key U.S. military installation that hosts advanced fighter jets and drones. This escalation underscores the widening regional impact of the conflict.

Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the U.S. about an Iranian plot targeting President Trump, who acknowledged at the NATO summit in Ankara that he remains a potential target. “I’m on every single one of their lists,” Trump said, adding that his continued safety is partly due to luck.

The disrupted conflict has also influenced global energy markets, with oil prices rising above $70 per barrel, though this remains below the April peak of over $110. Iran has accused the U.S. of circumventing its control over the Strait of Hormuz by escorting commercial vessels through the southern route along the Omani coast. According to reports, approximately 125 vessels have navigated the route without Iranian approval, often under cover of darkness and with their tracking systems disabled.

The U.S. maintains a fleet of more than 20 warships in the Middle East, actively escorting commercial traffic through the area to ensure the free flow of maritime commerce. Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that Iranian forces would target vessels attempting to transit the southern route, declaring that “bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free.”

Hostilities reignited earlier this week when Iran fired missiles and deployed drones against three commercial vessels along the southern passage: a liquefied natural gas tanker from Qatar, and crude oil tankers owned by Saudi Arabia and Liberia. These attacks follow similar strikes on other commercial ships the previous month, highlighting Tehran’s ongoing efforts to assert control over key maritime routes. Iran has demanded that vessels seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz comply with its approval process, exacerbating friction with the U.S. and its allies.