US launches 11th straight night of strikes on Iran; air defenses activated over Tehran for first time

View over Tehran (archive image) Source: Arne Immanuel Bänsch/dpa

After severe mutual threats, the USA has launched new attacks on Iran. For the first time since the beginning of the recent escalation, air defense in the Iranian capital has been activated.

US Launches Eleventh Consecutive Night of Attacks

The situation in the Iran war continues to escalate. The USA has attacked targets in Iran for the eleventh consecutive night. "The attacks aim to further weaken Iran's ability to threaten merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," the responsible US regional command Centcom announced on X.

Air Defense Activated in Tehran

For the first time since the beginning of the recent escalation in the Iran war, air defense in the capital Tehran was activated. Muffled detonations were heard in the northeast of the metropolis of millions during the night, as a dpa reporter reported. Iranian state media also reported anti-aircraft fire in various districts of the city, which is home to approximately 15 million people.

The most recent attacks on the metropolis had occurred in early June, more than a month ago. At that time, the Israeli air force attacked targets in the city in response to Iranian missile attacks.

Retaliatory Strikes and Casualties

The Islamic Republic recently responded to the US attacks with retaliatory strikes on Gulf states in the region considered US allies. Three US soldiers were recently killed in these strikes. According to new information from the US military, the third person killed after an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan is a 28-year-old from the state of New York. Both parties are also exchanging mutual threats.

Trump Threatens Further Attacks

US President Donald Trump threatened further attacks on Tuesday, including on the underground Iranian nuclear facility Pickaxe Mountain. The USA is "far from finished" with Iran, Trump said during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House.

Referring to the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility near Natanz, Trump stated: "We will attack this area quite soon and very hard."

Trump added that he would normally not announce targets for attacks, but Iran "can't do anything about it." Western intelligence agencies suspect that Iran has built a secret uranium enrichment facility in the deep underground nuclear facility Pickaxe Mountain.

According to Trump's estimates, reconstruction in Iran will take at least 20 years. "If we leave now, Iran would need 20, 25 years to rebuild," he said. However, the US President emphasized: "We are far from finished. We are not withdrawing now."

US Chief of Staff Warns Against Overestimating Air Power

US Chief of Staff Dan Caine warned against overestimating the air force in the debate about the current attacks. Military success cannot be achieved from the air alone.

"If you look at the entire history, air power has its limits, and we must always be aware of that," said Caine. "I think America's particular strength lies in combining the entire spectrum of diplomatic, informational, and economic means with military power. And intensive work is currently being done in all these areas."

Iran Counters with Its Own Threat

The supreme military command of Iran responded to Trump's statements with a threat of its own. Should the USA attack Iranian nuclear facilities or other "sensitive installations," Tehran would consider this an expansion of the war to the entire region, the central headquarters "Khatam al-Anbiya" announced, as state media reported.

"All interests of the United States, its allies, and its supporters will become targets of powerful attacks by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the statement said. An attack on nuclear facilities or other sensitive installations would therefore represent a serious escalation.

Cost of the Iran War

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated the costs of the Iran war at $37.5 billion (approximately 32 billion euros).