US military shifts strike pattern to Tabriz as it degrades Iranian threats

Explosions shook northwestern Iran's Tabriz region on Tuesday evening, marking the eleventh straight night the United States military has struck Iranian soil. The attacks started at 7 pm Eastern Time, or 2300 GMT, according to Central Command. Hearing reports came in from Tehran as well as southern Iran near Sirik and Bushehr.

CENTCOM stated clearly that these strikes aim to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This goal remains constant even as the location shifts. An attack on Tabriz breaks a pattern seen since June, when the latest round of assaults focused almost entirely on the south and the waterway around the strait. That shift matters because it signals a change in strategy or target selection.

Residents in northeastern Tehran reported hearing air defense activity, while Fars news agency noted several explosions near Sirik. Iran's Tasnim news agency also confirmed sounds of blasts in parts of Bushehr. The fighting continues after a June 17 memorandum of understanding between the two sides fell apart. That breakdown ended a pause and brought attacks back to life across the Gulf.

The United States and Iran are locked in a struggle for control of this vital waterway. Earlier on Tuesday, Kuwaiti forces intercepted an Iranian drone attack. Since US strikes resumed this month, Iran has kept targeting neighbors like Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. The risk to communities grows with every night of bombing. Commercial vessels face danger near the strait while civilians in Tabriz and Tehran live under the sound of distant explosions.