U.S. airstrikes hit Iran for 13th consecutive night

 According to a statement on X, the strikes began at 6:45 p.m. ET today.

"CENTCOM targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilities to further diminish the threat Iran poses to civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The international waterway remains open for transit despite recent attacks from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Commercial vessels continue to freely navigate the strait with U.S. military support. More than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East," the statement reads. 

Earlier, it was reported that oil prices surged on Thursday, with Brent crude nearing $100 per barrel amid recent tanker attacks near Saudi Arabia and rising US-Iran tensions, which intensified concerns about potential supply disruptions.