A US strike on water desalination facilities in Iran’s coastal Bunji village has disrupted drinking water supplies to 20 villages with a combined population of around 10,000 people, according to Iranian officials, as fighting between Washington and Tehran continued to intensify on Saturday, July 18.
Hamzeh Pour, chief executive of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, was quoted by Tasnim News Agency as saying that the attack completely destroyed the seawater pumping station and a power transformer at the Bunji desalination plant in Jask County.
Pour described the strike as part of “a series of crimes and terrorist attacks”, saying the damage had left 20 villages facing a severe drinking water shortage.
The latest developments come on the 31st day after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding and 140 days after the outbreak of the war, highlighting the continued deterioration in regional security despite diplomatic efforts.
Bahrain issues fifth air raid warning
Air raid warning sirens were activated in Bahrain for the fifth time within a few hours as regional tensions continued to escalate.
The Bahraini Ministry of Interior urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place, while authorities continued to monitor the security situation.
Kuwait Airways reschedules flights
Kuwait Airways announced that it had rescheduled most of its flights following the temporary suspension of take-off and landing operations at Kuwait International Airport amid the escalating regional conflict.
The national carrier urged passengers to monitor updates on their bookings, saying notifications and text messages would be sent to registered phone numbers with the latest flight information. It also advised customers requiring assistance to contact its customer service centres, while reaffirming that the safety of passengers remained its top priority.
Fire breaks out at Kuwait power and water plant
Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said a fire broke out at a power generation and water desalination plant following what it described as an Iranian attack.
The ministry said several electricity generating units were shut down as a precaution to safeguard the facility and maintain the stability of the national electricity grid.
Emergency response plans were activated immediately, with firefighting and repair operations continuing.
Authorities also urged residents to conserve electricity, particularly between 11 am and 5 pm, to ease pressure on the power network.
Kuwait intercepts missiles and drones
Kuwaiti authorities said military and civilian facilities were targeted by ballistic missiles and drones, leaving several ground forces personnel injured.
The Kuwaiti Army General Staff said its air defence systems were responding to missile and drone attacks following what it described as Iranian aggression. It said the explosions heard across the country were caused by interception operations and urged the public to follow official security and safety instructions.
According to Al Jazeera, warning sirens sounded for a fourth time in Kuwait as air defence systems intercepted incoming threats.
Iran claims attacks on US-linked targets
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had targeted the US Navy’s fuelling berth at Al Ahmadi Port in Kuwait, the US military aircraft staging centre at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and an intelligence data centre in Bahrain.
The Iranian army separately claimed it had launched drone attacks on US military facilities at Al-Udayri and Ali Al-Salem bases in Kuwait, as well as several bridges.
In a subsequent statement, the IRGC claimed it had destroyed an American drone boat warehouse and a major artificial intelligence centre in Bahrain allegedly used by Washington to identify military targets.
The IRGC also warned that if the United States continued targeting bridges and infrastructure, Iran would retaliate by striking industrial and information technology assets belonging to companies in the region with American interests.
The Bahraini Ministry of Interior announced the sounding of warning sirens and instructed citizens and residents to move to the nearest safe place.
Jordan’s armed forces said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 10 Iranian missiles heading towards the kingdom.
Axios, citing a US official, reported that Iran also launched a ballistic missile at a US military base in Saudi Arabia.
Separately, Saudi Civil Defense issued public alerts warning of potential danger in Yanbu and Al-Kharj governorates.
Tehran warns of wider retaliation
Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned, according to Iranian state television, that Tehran would enter a “phase of full-scale attack” if US strikes continued for more than “two to three days”.
Rezaei said Iran would no longer be satisfied with limited retaliation and warned that “no borders will be safe” if the United States continued its military campaign.
In separate statements, the IRGC said it had no option but to respond because no international institution had acted to stop what it described as American aggression.
The force accused the United States of targeting hospitals, bridges, railways, airports, ports and communications centres, while claiming Washington had resumed a war that had never truly ended.
The IRGC also said it had deliberately targeted only military sites during its latest operation to give Washington an opportunity to change its approach, adding that Iranian forces were stronger than they had been at the start of the conflict.
Strait of Hormuz tensions deepen
The IRGC claimed two oil tankers exploded and caught fire while attempting to cross what it described as a mine-strewn route south of the Strait of Hormuz.
It further claimed the strategic waterway had become effectively closed because of US military operations and warned that no oil, gas or fertiliser exports would leave the region while American attacks continued.
The IRGC also claimed it had stopped four tankers attempting to transit the Strait during a joint missile and drone operation.
US Central Command (CENTCOM), however, rejected the Iranian claim that two oil tankers had exploded after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as “completely false”.
Southern Iran reports damage and casualties
Iranian state television reported that US attacks in Hormozgan province killed three people and injured eight others.
Hormozgan provincial authorities said a tunnel and three bridges were damaged during overnight strikes, while several roads and highways were closed.
An official in Hormozgan said missile strikes damaged power plants and water desalination pumps in Bunji village in Jask, cutting drinking water supplies to nearby villages.
Tasnim News Agency reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, while Mehr News Agency reported blasts in Bushehr, Qeshm, Sirik, Lar and Darab.
Officials in Yazd said five projectiles landed outside the city without causing casualties.
IRNA quoted the governor of Bushehr as saying US forces also targeted Jaghdak, while Mehr News Agency reported missile launches from Lorestan province towards what it described as enemy positions.
The IRGC also claimed its air defence systems shot down a US MQ-9 drone over Bushehr province.
Iran postpones examinations
Tasnim News Agency, citing Iran’s Ministry of Education, reported that final examinations scheduled for Sunday and Monday had been cancelled in Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan and Sistan and Baluchestan because of the continuing security situation.
The ministry said the examinations would be rescheduled and new dates announced later.
US completes seventh consecutive night of strikes
US Central Command said it had completed a seventh consecutive night of strikes against Iran.
CENTCOM said fighter aircraft, drones, warships and other military assets targeted surveillance sites, military infrastructure, underground weapons depots and naval capabilities in an effort to further weaken Iran’s military.
The command also said four commercial vessels had been redirected as part of the naval blockade around Iran.
US troop casualties increase
According to casualty figures released by the US Department of Defense and reported by the Associated Press, the number of American service members injured since last Monday has risen to 13, including 10 Army soldiers and three Navy sailors.
CBS News, citing US officials, reported that several US military personnel were also injured during Iranian attacks on two US facilities in Jordan.
CENTCOM spokesperson Captain Tim Hopkins declined to provide further details about casualties or the affected bases, according to the Associated Press.
Washington considers expanding strikes
The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Washington is considering expanding its military campaign against Iran as the conflict continues to spread across the Middle East.
