Iran, U.S. trade heavy fire; Israel continues to bomb Lebanon
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJuly 18 (UPI) -- The United States and Iran ramped up attacks on Saturday, while Israel and Lebanon did the same, as the Strait of Hormuz is still shut down.
The U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X that it targeted "surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities. U.S. forces employed fighter aircraft, aerial drones, and warships in addition to other assets.
"CENTCOM continues to hold Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief's direction while fully enforcing a naval blockade against Iranian ports," it said.
Iran and the United States are enforcing blockades in the strait: Iran is preventing ships from passing, and the United States is blocking Iranian ships and ports. The strait is a vital waterway for oil and gas transport.
Iran's state media reported Saturday that the country has suffered damage to bridges and roads in the southern part of Iran and that a water desalination plant in Jask was hit. A local official said that about 10,000 people are facing a water shortage.
Iran retaliated by hitting American allies. It heavily attacked Kuwait, including damaging a water desalination plant, vital to the desert country. Kuwait gets 90% of its drinking water from desalination. The attacks created a fire at the plant. An oil facility in Kuwait was struck, which created some injuries and "severe material losses," Kuwait's petroleum corporation said.
"The repeated targeting of these vital facilities reveals a systematic hostile approach targeting civilian sites and vital infrastructure that endangers the lives and safety of civilians," the foreign ministry said.
Jordan's army said Saturday that it had shot down 10 Iranian missiles with no casualties or damage.
"Air defense systems ... intercepted 10 Iranian missiles that had entered Jordanian airspace and were targeting the Kingdom's territory (which) were intercepted and shot down," the army said in a statement.
Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iranian ambassador to Pakistan, said, "[The] U.S. interpreted [memorandum of understanding] contrary to its terms and gained control over parts of Strait Hormuz to obtain what it couldn't in the battlefield," Moghadam posted on X. "It was obvious that the Iranian side would not accept this arbitrary interpretation which blatantly violated the MOU."
"Now, the U.S. has started a war contrary to the terms of MOU and international principles destroying the infrastructures," he said. "The international community is expected to strongly condemn this aggressive and reckless act."
Meanwhile, Israel has ramped up its attacks on Lebanon.
An Israeli drone hit Nabatieh, Lebanon's state National News Agency reported. Israeli war planes also hit a neighborhood in Mansouri in the coastal Tyre district just after two more planes carried out airstrikes in a different part of Mansouri, the news agency said.
An Israeli military spokesperson said the military had attacked militants "who posed a threat" in Nabatieh but that the Israeli military was "not aware" of any Israeli attacks in Mansouri on Saturday.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun left Saturday for Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump. He is expected to meet with U.S. officials and discuss the cease-fire with Israel and ways to boost security and stability with Israel. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.