The United States has launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran, intensifying tensions across the Middle East just hours after President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iran in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation has triggered swift retaliation from Tehran, with Iranian forces launching attacks on Bahrain and two United Arab Emirates-linked oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and renewed disruption to global energy markets.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces struck multiple targets across Iran, including Abu Musa, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask and Konarak. According to the military, the operation targeted Iranian coastal defence systems, missile and drone installations, and maritime capabilities.
In a statement, CENTCOM said the strikes were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten civilian shipping and commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the military said.
President Trump, speaking at the White House shortly after the strikes, described the operation as “another major attack” and vowed that further military action would follow.
“We’re hitting them very hard. And it’ll continue, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters. “We’re knocking out all of their offensive capability and we’re controlling the straits. We’re putting the blockade back.”
The President also announced a significant shift in longstanding United States maritime policy, revealing that Washington intends to impose charges on commercial vessels using the strategic waterway under American protection.
“We’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” Trump said. “We’re spending money. And so, what we’ve done is, we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”
The proposal marks a dramatic departure from decades of US policy advocating unrestricted freedom of navigation through international waterways. Any attempt by either Washington or Tehran to levy transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to provoke international legal and diplomatic challenges.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which approximately one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies traditionally pass during peacetime.
Following the latest developments, global energy markets reacted sharply, with Brent crude oil climbing above 84 US dollars per barrel during early trading, reflecting renewed concerns over supply disruptions.
Iran Retaliates
Iran responded swiftly to the American offensive, launching missile attacks targeting Bahrain and two oil tankers linked to the United Arab Emirates.
The Emirati Ministry of Defence said two cruise missiles struck the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah while they were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Although both vessels caught fire, emergency crews succeeded in extinguishing the blaze.
The attack claimed the life of one Indian crew member and injured eight others, including six Indian nationals and two Ukrainians.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the strikes, alleging that the vessels had ignored repeated warnings before entering what it described as a restricted area.
“They chose to pass through a minefield and were subsequently targeted and disabled,” the Revolutionary Guard said.
Meanwhile, Bahrain activated nationwide missile warning sirens twice overnight after coming under renewed Iranian attack. Authorities urged residents to seek immediate shelter, although no casualties or significant damage were immediately reported.
In response, the United Arab Emirates warned that it reserved the right to retaliate.
“The UAE reserves its full right to respond to this escalation and to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, its citizens and residents,” the Emirati Defence Ministry said.
Military aircraft were reportedly seen operating over Dubai as regional security forces heightened their alert status.
The United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi and its Consulate in Dubai subsequently suspended consular appointments through Wednesday, citing the deteriorating regional security environment.
Fragile Peace Under Threat
The renewed hostilities cast serious doubt over the interim peace arrangement reached last month between Washington and Tehran, under which the United States had temporarily lifted an earlier blockade while both sides sought to reduce tensions.
President Trump argued that the agreement had merely served as a test of Iran’s intentions.
“They didn’t honour the test,” he said during an earlier radio interview.
Iran maintains that it possesses the sovereign right to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz under the interim agreement, a position firmly rejected by Washington.
The dispute has further complicated efforts by the United States and the International Maritime Organization to establish alternative shipping routes along Oman’s coastline to reduce reliance on waters claimed by Iran.
With military exchanges intensifying and threats of further retaliation from both sides, analysts warn that the conflict risks drawing additional Gulf states into direct confrontation while placing renewed pressure on global energy supplies and international shipping.
The latest escalation represents one of the most significant deteriorations in Middle Eastern security since hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran intensified earlier this year, raising fresh concerns over the stability of one of the world’s most strategically important regions.
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