Middle East live: Tehran threatens 'full-scale' offensive as US launches seventh night of attacks

Live Issued on: 18/07/2026 - 07:02Modified: 18/07/2026 - 07:13 A screen grab from a video broadcast by Iran's IRINN state television network shows the aftermath of US strikes on a bridge in Bandar Khamir County, near the Strait of Hormuz in Iran on July 17, 2026. © AFP The US launched a seventh wave of airstrikes on Iran overnight on Friday despite a warning from Tehran that it would resume "full-scale offensive operations" if the attacks continued. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Yesterday's key developments: US airstrikes hit key infrastructure in Iran including bridges and a port surveillance tower prompting Iranian officials for the first time to cite "attacks on power infrastructure" in a call for members of the public to use less electricity. Tehran launched attacks on US military sites in the Gulf in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The strikes damaged a desalination and electricity plant in Kuwait. Iran said 38 people have been killed and more than 400 injured in US strikes since June 22, 2026. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP) Keywords for this article