The United States launched fresh military strikes against Iran on Tuesday, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) positions as explosions were reported around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, including near Bandar Abbas and on Qeshm Island.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces began the operation at noon Eastern Time, describing the strikes as a response to recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US military personnel deployed in the region. The latest action marks a renewed escalation after roughly a month without direct US military strikes on the Iranian mainland.
Iranian media reported explosions in several southern locations. State television said at least five blasts were heard around Masan village on Qeshm Island and four more in the Strait of Hormuz area. Explosions were also reported around Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Chabahar and Konarak. Iranian authorities initially said there were no reports of casualties in Hormozgan province.
Trump had warned of action
The strikes came after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could take further military action following renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. The latest escalation follows an American strike on rocket launchers on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday. The US said IRGC personnel were preparing to deploy rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran subsequently launched missiles towards US facilities in Jordan, which were intercepted, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted an Iranian drone over its territory.
Two tankers carrying Saudi oil were also hit by projectiles off Oman on Monday while attempting to transit the strait, adding to concerns about the security of one of the world's most important energy shipping corridors.
Hormuz tensions intensify
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a central flashpoint in the prolonged confrontation between Washington and Tehran. A significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passes through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
The US maintains that its military operations are intended to protect commercial shipping and keep the waterway open, while Iran has challenged Washington's military presence and its attempts to dictate navigation arrangements in the strait.
The renewed strikes threaten to derail efforts to stabilise relations following months of conflict. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had indicated Tehran was prepared to abide by an interim understanding with Washington, but Tuesday's attacks have again raised fears of a broader military escalation.
Oil prices had already risen following the latest exchange of attacks and disruptions to shipping around Hormuz, with markets closely watching whether the confrontation will further restrict energy flows through the region.