The US military has launched fresh strikes against targets in Iran, saying the operation was retaliation for attempted attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American forces stationed in the region.
US Central Command said the strikes were directed at Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), but did not identify the locations involved. Iranian state media reported explosions in Chabahar and Konarak, while Iranian officials said several sites along the southern coast had been hit.
The reported targets included a military base in Bandar Abbas, the perimeter of an airport on Qeshm Island, and positions in Sirik and Jask. The officials, speaking anonymously, claimed the strikes had caused significant damage. Those accounts could not be independently verified.
The attacks mark a sharp escalation after a month-long lull in fighting. The latest exchange began on Sunday, when the US said it had struck Iranian forces on Larak Island that were preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran subsequently fired missiles towards US facilities in Jordan, according to the Revolutionary Guards. Jordanian authorities said eight missiles had been intercepted, while the United Arab Emirates said its forces had dealt with an Iranian drone. No casualties or significant damage were immediately reported in either country.
Strait of Hormuz tensions fuel fresh US strikes on Iran
The strategic waterway has become the central flashpoint in the conflict. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it had received reports of two incidents involving tankers on Monday, including a vessel struck by three projectiles while sailing out of the Gulf east of Oman.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the incidents. The reports nevertheless added to concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through the strait, a major route for global oil and gas supplies.
President Donald Trump warned Iran that any retaliation would trigger further action. In a post on social media, he described the US operation as “large and powerful” and said Iranian forces would be hit “at a much harder and higher level” if they responded.
The IRGC said it would answer with “crushing” force and impose heavy costs on the United States. Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff also threatened what it called “crushing and devastating blows”.
Oil prices rose by about 4 per cent after the US announcement, adding to a wider surge since the conflict began six months ago. The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil, although shipping through the passage has been severely restricted since the war started.
The renewed violence comes despite suggestions from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Tehran could return to a ceasefire agreement reached with Washington in June, provided the US did the same. That deal called for a halt in fighting and negotiations towards a broader settlement, but it broke down soon afterwards.
Washington has since sought to pressure Tehran through sanctions and a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The latest strikes suggest that, despite the economic campaign, the administration remains prepared to use military force to protect US personnel and shipping in the region.
