The armed conflict between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping route, has intensified for the seventh consecutive day.

U.S. airstrikes have expanded beyond military facilities along the coast to include civilian infrastructure such as airports, railways, and bridges, as well as targets further inland. Meanwhile, Iran has broadened the scope of its retaliation to include U.S. assets across the surrounding Arab nations.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the Middle East, stated on the social media platform X that U.S. forces launched nighttime airstrikes against Iran at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 16.

This marks the sixth consecutive day of U.S. military operations against Iran.

The United States initiated the operation on July 11, stating its objective was to weaken Iran's military capabilities used to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM reported that the airstrikes concluded at 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time on July 16, hitting dozens of targets, including Iranian coastal and air defense facilities, logistics infrastructure, and naval assets.

Iranian local media reported that the U.S. attacks are increasingly targeting civilian facilities.

Damage from the airstrikes was reported in major port cities such as Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranshahr near the border with Pakistan.

At least one bomb struck the airport in Iranshahr, causing a fire; while the fire was extinguished, power supplies were cut off.

A railway junction located approximately 10 kilometers west of Bandar Abbas was also reportedly attacked and damaged.

Iran's state-run IRIB broadcast reported that the damaged railway junction splits into two lines: one leading to Bandar Abbas, where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval headquarters is located, and the other to Shahid Rajaee Port, Iran's largest commercial port city.

Iranian media also reported that a bridge in the Bandar Khamir region of Hormozgan Province was destroyed by U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of July 17, resulting in at least seven deaths.

A surveillance tower at Chabahar Port also collapsed.

Chabahar Port is a facility that Iran has been operating with support from India.

Attacks targeting civilian infrastructure, such as bridges, can be considered war crimes depending on the intent and the extent of the damage.

The Associated Press noted that these airstrikes followed recent threats by President Donald Trump that the U.S. could attack key infrastructure to end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The AP analyzed, "Attacks on bridges and railways appear intended to cut off the major port of Bandar Abbas and block the main route from central Iran to the capital, Tehran," adding, "There is a possibility that the U.S. will further expand airstrikes to paralyze Iran's military logistics and civilian supply chains."

The Iranian Ministry of Health stated that since the resumption of U.S. attacks following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war, 38 people have been killed and approximately 400 injured in U.S. airstrikes from June 22 to July 17.

Following the U.S. airstrikes, Iran immediately launched retaliatory measures.

CNN reported that the Kuwaiti military activated its air defense systems in the early hours of July 17 to intercept projectiles launched from Iran.

An air raid siren was also triggered in Bahrain.

Qatar has been under attack by Iran for two days, starting from the night of July 16.

The Qatari Ministry of Interior announced that one child was injured by debris falling during the interception of projectiles launched from Iran.

CNN noted that while Iran has repeatedly attacked military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan recently, Qatar had not previously been a target.

Qatar is one of the key nations involved in mediating peace talks between the United States and Iran.

The IRGC claimed that it attacked a U.S. military base in Al-Tanf, Syria, in retaliation for the attack on Iranshahr.

They also stated that they destroyed two U.S. military radar systems in Oman.

Iran has warned that if the U.S. intensifies its offensive against infrastructure such as power plants and bridges, it could retaliate against energy infrastructure within Gulf nations.

Amid growing concerns of escalation, a tense standoff continues in the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States has maintained the naval blockade it recently resumed to prevent Iranian crude oil exports, while Iran has countered that it could block all crude oil shipping lanes of Gulf nations beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

With the peace MOU, which had provided a glimmer of hope for a compromise, effectively rendered void, pessimism surrounding the war is growing.

Concerns are emerging that the United States may be falling into another "forever war," similar to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Suzanne Maloney, director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, told The New York Times (NYT) that, as in Iraq, U.S. assumptions and misunderstandings have altered the balance of power in the region, and the era of completely free passage through the Strait of Hormuz may be over.

She suggested that this situation in the Strait of Hormuz could become the "new normal," stating, "Given Iran's ability to attack ships whenever it chooses, the U.S. will need to deploy a much higher level of military force in the region."