US-Iran conflict escalated again as the United States launched fresh strikes on Iranian military targets hours after President Donald Trump issued a warning.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that it carried out what it described as “heavy waves of strikes” shortly after midnight. In a post on X, the command said the operation was a response to Iran’s attempted attack on US forces in the Middle East the previous day. According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted military command centres, missile and drone facilities, coastal surveillance and defence sites, and maritime capabilities.
According to Al Jazeera, explosions were reported across several cities in southern Iran, including Bushehr province, home to the country’s nuclear power plant, Qeshm Island, and the port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province.
The latest military action followed President Donald Trump’s warning that the US would respond forcefully after Iran fired missiles at a US base in Jordan. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Mr Trump said, “We’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming.” The renewed attacks ended five days of relative calm after Mr Trump suspended a 13-day bombing campaign and Tehran paused its retaliatory strikes against US interests in the Gulf.
The earlier Iranian attack took place while Mr Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. CENTCOM said it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles during the attempted strike, with five interceptions reported over Jordan. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also confirmed targeting a US airbase and a CENTCOM facility in Jordan “with several ballistic missiles.”
Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new sanctions against Iran, stating that the United States would not allow the country to disrupt global commerce. He described the Iranian regime as “desperate for cash” as its economy struggles with soaring inflation. The Treasury Department said the sanctions target two companies allegedly involved in an IRGC-backed scheme requiring commercial vessels to buy mandatory maritime insurance before passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest US-Iran conflict has further heightened tensions across the Middle East, with the US-Iran conflict showing no immediate signs of easing.
Do you think diplomatic efforts can still prevent the conflict from escalating further?
