The US Army announced the destruction of an observation tower used by Iran to track ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it destroyed the observation tower yesterday (Thursday) at the Shahid Kalantari port in the Iranian city of Chabahar. It noted that the tower was 'part of a naval surveillance network on Iran's coast overlooking the Gulf of Oman.'

The Central Command stated on platform X that the network had been used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for decades to track and target commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

It added that destroying the tower directly weakens the IRGC's ability to coordinate attacks against civilian ship crews, stressing that the strike protects freedom of navigation in territorial waters for all vessels, except those attempting to violate the US naval blockade imposed on Iran.

For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on Iran to respect the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Hours earlier, Macron said after a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: 'We are facing a fierce trade war with China.'

Iran earlier announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after US forces launched successive waves of airstrikes that it says target coastal defense systems and storage and launch sites for cruise missiles.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross expressed grave concern over the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and its impact on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

It warned that renewed violence would lead to dire consequences for the lives of millions of people, their homes, hospitals, and the energy infrastructure they depend on.

The committee urged all parties to take all necessary measures to minimize harm to civilians, stating that military operations must be planned and executed in accordance with international humanitarian law.

In its statement, the International Committee of the Red Cross demanded the protection of civilians and infrastructure.