Pakistan, July 16 -- The conflict between the United States and Iran escalated further on Thursday as Washington launched another wave of strikes on Iranian military facilities, while Tehran responded with attacks targeting US assets in Gulf countries.

Read More: US, Iran conflict intensifies with fresh strikes and regional retaliation

The latest hostilities came after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire and the resumption of military operations around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. The waterway previously carried around one-fifth of the world's oil and gas shipments before the conflict disrupted maritime traffic.

US Central Command said its forces targeted Iranian coastal defence systems, cruise missile storage facil...