US-Iran Exchange Escalates: 170 Targets Hit, Hormuz Traffic Drops Dramatically

US Central Command confirmed striking 170 Iranian targets over two days since July 7, while Iran's Ministry of Health reported 14 deaths since fighting began. Iran retaliated against American military installations in Gulf-region countries, and Iranian state media reported strikes on military facilities in Bushehr province and the city of Konarak, though the US denied some of these claims. The Iranian foreign ministry accused NATO and Europe of 'willful complicity' in what it called a US-Israeli war of aggression. Reports from multiple international outlets indicate a dramatic drop in vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints. Ali Khamenei was buried in Mashhad even as the exchanges continued, with Iran's foreign minister telling Pakistan's army chief that Iran is fully prepared for self-defense if US strikes continue.