International
oi-Oneindia English Desk
The United States has carried out a new wave of military strikes against targets in Iran, further escalating tensions in the region amid an increasingly volatile stand-off between Washington and Tehran.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted “additional self-defence strikes” against multiple Iranian targets, hours after President Donald Trump warned that the United States was prepared to hit Iran “hard” if it failed to accept a peace proposal put forward by American negotiators.
US CENTCOM conducted self-defense strikes in Iran, prompting retaliation from Iran’s IRGC against US military positions and a disputed claim of closing the Strait of Hormuz, while President Trump warned of further action.
Iranian media reported explosions and strikes across several parts of the country, including western Tehran, Fars province, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Kish Island, Minab and areas in central Isfahan.
The strikes prompted a swift response from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which said its aerospace force and navy had launched a two-phase military operation targeting US positions across the region.
According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the operation struck 18 strategic installations at military bases hosting American forces.
Iran Claims Strait of Hormuz Closure
As hostilities intensified, the IRGC announced what would represent a major escalation in the conflict, claiming it had closed the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most important shipping routes – to all maritime traffic.
In a statement cited by CNN, an IRGC source declared that the waterway had been shut to all vessels, including oil tankers and commercial ships, citing deteriorating security conditions in the region.
However, the claim was quickly challenged by the United States.
CENTCOM said reports of a closure were inaccurate, adding that commercial shipping continued to move through the strategic passage despite the latest military exchanges.
“Commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of the Strait of Hormuz tonight,” the command said.
Trump Threatens Further Military Action
In an interview with Fox News, President Trump signalled that further US strikes could follow if Tehran rejected American diplomatic proposals.
The president said US forces had launched 49 Tomahawk cruise missiles against targets inside Iran, including sites located within approximately 64 kilometres of Tehran.
Trump also said US fighter aircraft were operating over Iranian airspace, carrying out strikes against radar installations and air defence systems in south-western Iran near the Persian Gulf.
According to Fox News, the president further claimed that senior Iranian officials had contacted him directly and requested that Washington halt its military campaign.
Tehran Denies Direct Contact
Iranian officials rejected that assertion.
State-linked media outlets, citing senior government sources, reported that no direct communication had taken place between Iranian officials and President Trump, dismissing his account of a telephone conversation between the two sides.
Meanwhile, IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Majid Mousavi issued a warning that any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz would have consequences across the wider region.
“If the Strait of Hormuz is made unsafe, we will respond throughout the region,” he said.
Air Raid Sirens Sound in Bahrain
The regional fallout from the confrontation was felt in Bahrain, where air raid sirens sounded shortly after Iran announced attacks on US military facilities.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter in the nearest safe location as a precautionary measure.
The latest exchange marks one of the most serious escalations between the United States and Iran in recent years, fuelling concerns that the conflict could broaden beyond the two countries and threaten stability across the Gulf region
