WASHINGTON — As the United States strikes Iran for a 13th consecutive night, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is intensifying its campaign to degrade Tehran’s military infrastructure, even as a proposed ceasefire collapses and Houthi proxy attacks threaten vital commercial shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CENTCOM, the latest round of operations began at 6:45 p.m. ET on July 23 and concluded at 9 p.m. ET. The military targeted a network of Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities. Officials stated the sustained campaign is designed to hold the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accountable and systematically diminish the threats posed to civilian mariners and commercial vessels navigating the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz.
The kinetic escalation coincides with a diplomatic setback. Reports indicate that President Trump recently presented a ceasefire proposal to the Iraqi prime minister during an Oval Office visit in Washington, D.C. The proposal was subsequently relayed to Iranian officials, only for Tehran to publicly reject it, claiming the terms were unclear.
Hal Kempfer, a retired Marine Intelligence Officer, national security analyst, and host of the Strap podcast, noted that relying on Baghdad as a diplomatic intermediary is highly irregular. “Using the Iraqi prime minister to carry a ceasefire proposal to the Iranians is a rather unusual route,” Kempfer observed. “It tells you where negotiations are, implying there is no other direct channel to deliver the proposal.” He added that while the proposal’s specifics remain vague, any viable agreement would logically need to address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
A defining feature of the recent military campaign is the renewed deployment of B-1B heavy bombers. While B-52s and B-2 stealth bombers were utilized earlier in the conflict—including a high-profile long-range strike on Iranian nuclear sites in June of last year—the B-1B brings distinct tactical advantages. Operating technically at supersonic speeds but typically flying subsonic, the aircraft is a formidable ordinance platform.
To illustrate the payload disparity, Kempfer pointed out that a standard F-18 carrier-based fighter can carry roughly four 2,000-pound bombs, and an F-35 stealth fighter carries two (or up to six with external pods, which compromises its stealth profile). In contrast, a single B-1B can deliver 24 2,000-pound precision-guided JDAMs. “B-1Bs provide the ability to put a massive amount of ordnance onto a target area very quickly, accomplishing in minutes what might otherwise require half a squadron,” Kempfer explained. Typically flying in pairs or formations of four, these bombers are ideally suited for neutralizing fortified island facilities in the Gulf or supporting amphibious operations. In response to these deployments, Iran has reportedly issued threats against the military base in England from which the bombers operate.
The conflict’s ripple effects are severely disrupting global energy markets, driving crude oil prices above $100 a barrel. The Houthis have effectively choked off the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, creating a compounding crisis alongside the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. This blockade halts a primary maritime route for Saudi oil destined for Asia, forcing a heavier reliance on the East-West pipeline, which transports over 7 million barrels per day to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. From there, European-bound shipments navigate the Suez Canal, but Asian-bound shipments are now stranded.
Southeast Asian nations are currently holding emergency meetings, expressing acute anxiety over the severed supply route and their rapidly dwindling strategic oil reserves. Consequently, Saudi Arabia has reportedly halted the dispatch of oil tankers through the threatened strait.
Addressing the renewed maritime aggression, President Trump issued a direct warning on Truth Social. He noted that while the Houthis had acted responsibly and professionally following powerful U.S. strikes against them a year ago for interfering with commercial trade, they have recently resumed hostilities, including firing on two Saudi Arabian ships. The President declared that the United States would hold Iran directly accountable for any further Houthi aggression, explicitly labeling the group as an Iranian surrogate and proxy. He warned that “major military punishment” would be inflicted upon both Iran and the Houthis if the attacks continue.
Regional stability is further precarious as friction between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis intensifies. Saudi forces recently targeted a major airport and air base utilized by the Houthi movement. This action threatens a fragile, five-year ceasefire between the Houthis and the Yemeni government, which is backed by Riyadh.
Kempfer warned that the collapse of this ceasefire could ignite a renewed civil war characterized by heavy aerial bombardment. However, he cautioned that neutralizing the Houthi threat remains a formidable military challenge. “They are well dug into the hills, equipped with drones and missiles, and they know the territory intimately,” Kempfer stated, emphasizing that any ground or air campaign to counter them would be exceptionally difficult to execute.
