US mounts sixth straight night of attacks as Iran warns of wider war

The United States has conducted a sixth consecutive night of attacks against Iran, targeting infrastructure in the country's south, with Iranian media reporting eight deaths and explosions in multiple locations including Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas. US Central Command stated the operations aim to "further degrade Iranian military capabilities." These strikes follow US President Donald Trump's threats against Iranian infrastructure and occur amid escalating hostilities, with both nations accusing the other of violating an interim memorandum of understanding signed last month. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed attacks on US forces in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan, citing a US strike that forced the evacuation of a children's hospital. Iranian officials have warned of widening the confrontation, with Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia stating attacks "will spread to new areas" if US strikes continue. The US military also redirected three commercial vessels attempting to bypass its blockade in the Gulf of Oman. Experts suggest both sides are attempting to compel the other to concede, with Iran using the threat of wider conflict as leverage. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that Trump would hold Iran "accountable" while remaining "always open to diplomacy."