Following days of exchange of fire between the US and Iran, the interim ceasefire agreed last month has collapsed. The US allies in West Asia continues to face assaults from incoming Iranian drones and missiles. The US has also pounded Iran with airstrikes and imposed a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump, in a primetime address to the nation on Thursday, claimed that the US was “winning big” in Iran and that the Americans would see the “fruits” of the ongoing military effort “very, very shortly”. Trump’s remarks come days after he held a key meeting in the White House to deliberate on expanding attack on Iran.

The US airstrikes hit bridges overnight into Friday in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, killing at least seven people, Iranian state media reported. The attacks targeted six bridges, including Gariveh bridge linking Bandar Abbas to Khmeir.

The US’ Central Command said it hit dozens of targets in its latest airstrikes, which concluded early Friday. The strikes also collapsed a tower at Iran’s Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, neighboring Afghanistan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

The Strait of Hormuz remained shut even as the US and Iran exchanged airstrikes over the week. While the US has imposed a blockade of the Hormuz, Iran’s IRGC said no oil or gas will be exported as long as the US strikes continue.

The oil prices continue to climb after US and Iran continue to exchange airstrikes. Brent crude rose by 1 per cent to $85.09 a barrel, while US crude advanced 1.2 per cent to $79.90 per barrel.

Iran’s IRGC carried out fresh strikes, targeting a US air control radar in Oman’s Ghanem region and a maritime control radar on rocks in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian military also launched attacks on US military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and Syria.