U.S. hits Iran for ninth consecutive night as casualties mount

The U.S. military on Sunday continued its campaign aimed at destroying Tehran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. Central Command completed the ninth consecutive evening of strikes against Iran, at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, Centcom said a post on X .

The three-hour exercise targeted Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, aimed at further diminishing Tehran's capabilities to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the strait, Centcom said.

The warring powers have intensified their attacks in the region, stoking fears of a return to full war, with Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating a memorandum of understanding reached in June.