Iran fired missiles at U.S. allies Thursday as the two countries traded escalating strikes. At least 14 people were killed in U.S. airstrikes over the two previous days, according to Iran. Sirens blared across several cities in Jordan as Iranian missiles crossed into its airspace. Jordanian Armed Forces confirmed they intercepted at least eight of those missiles.
The strikes came as the funeral procession for Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei moved through Iran ahead of his burial in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Khamenei was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which began February 28.
Following Khamenei's funeral service, Major General Abdolrahim Abdollahi, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, issued a direct warning to Washington and Tel Aviv. He told those responsible not to "mistake the grief in the eyes of the nation and the outcry born of this sorrow for weakness. This sacred grief and anger will continue on the path of avenging the killers of the martyred leader."
President Trump said Wednesday that Iran "wants to make a deal so badly," and said he would allow talks to continue. He also threatened "much worse" strikes if Iran attacks ships again. As of Thursday, CBS News reported no sign of ongoing diplomacy.
The conflict is sending shockwaves through global energy markets. Before the war began, roughly 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the only maritime gateway in or out of the Persian Gulf.
Qatar suspended plans to expand production at the world's largest LNG facility after an Iranian attack struck one of its tankers in the Strait. According to Bloomberg, QatarEnergy CEO Saad Al Kaabi decided to halt the production ramp-up at the Ras Laffan LNG complex following the attack. Bloomberg's sources said the facility would continue operating at the minimum level required for safety.
Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan in March had already reduced LNG production capacity there by 17 percent, according to Qatar's energy minister. In mid-June, QatarEnergy had said it could return to full national LNG output within a month by boosting production at other facilities.
Gas prices in the United States have reflected the conflict's impact on oil markets. The national average for a gallon of regular gas was $3.80 on Wednesday, down from a peak of $4.56 in mid-May but well above the $2.98 average recorded just before the war started, according to AAA. Global markets remained mixed Thursday as investors weighed the latest round of strikes.
