The US military carried out a 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, hitting military and commercial locations as both countries escalate their contest over regional shipping routes. The action matters because Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and new Houthi attacks in the Red Sea risk disrupting major global oil and trade corridors, widening the conflict beyond Iran itself.

Explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and several other Iranian locations; Iranian state media said four people were killed and five wounded near Ahvaz. US Central Command said the strikes aimed to reduce Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping, while the Houthis said they had set two Saudi oil tankers on fire in the Red Sea. Brent crude rose by more than 6% to about $100 a barrel, as President Donald Trump threatened further military action against the Houthis and Iran.