The United States military launched a second consecutive night of airstrikes against dozens of sites across Iran, significantly escalating regional tensions and prompting a wave of retaliatory missile attacks across the Middle East.
According to U.S. Central Command, the operations were designed to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The military action follows the recent targeting of three commercial oil tankers in the critical shipping waterway, an action Western officials attributed to Iranian forces.
U.S. Central Command also directly challenged Iranian assertions regarding jurisdiction over the shipping lanes, addressing the matter publicly on X.
“CLAIM: Iranian state media claims that transit through the Strait of Hormuz is only permitted through routes designated by Iran. TRUTH: Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Since early May, U.S. forces have helped facilitate the successful transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 380 million barrels of crude oil through the vital international trade corridor,” the military command posted.
Following the latest bombardment, Iranian officials accused the U.S. military of striking the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The naval arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that three of its members were killed in the strikes.
The IRGC issued a warning of a “crushing response” to any subsequent U.S. interventions regarding traffic routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded directly to the U.S. actions by launching targeted missile strikes toward Kuwait and Bahrain. Additionally, Iranian missiles were directed over Jordan. Jordanian air defense forces successfully intercepted eight of those missiles, reporting no casualties or property damage on the ground.
President Donald Trump addressed the escalating conflict, warning that the situation could “get much worse.”
Trump declared Wednesday that the ceasefire previously established under an interim peace agreement is now “over.” During his discussion regarding recent attacks on a U.S. aircraft carrier, the President committed a verbal gaffe, mistakenly referring to Iran as “the Islamic Republic of Japan.”
READ: Hormuz Blasts Shatter Ceasefire And Threaten Global Economic Comeback
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