US launches fresh strikes on Iran near Hormuz, says ‘the regime was warned’ — Tehran vows retaliation

The US military has launched a new wave of strikes against Iran, with US Central Command (CentCom) declaring that it is carrying out "swift and decisive action" after warning Tehran against further attacks on American forces and regional interests. 

The US said the operation was in response to attacks on three commercial ships — the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan and Liberia-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity — while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The US and Gulf allies blamed Iran for the attacks, and described the actions as a violation of the ceasefire and freedom of navigation.

In a post on X, CentCom said US forces had "begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs" for what it described as Iranian targeting and attacks. 

The command released video footage of military operations but did not immediately identify the specific targets, casualties or aircraft involved. 

CentCom said its new round of retaliatory strikes against Iran hit more than 80 targets with precision weapons.

The strikes targeted Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats operating near the strategic waterway, CentCom said.

The US military said their forces remain ready to take further action if Iran does not adhere to the agreement.

The latest operation marks another escalation in the US-Iran conflict that has intensified in recent months, following repeated exchanges involving commercial shipping, missile and drone attacks, and US retaliatory operations. 

Since April, Washington has also enforced a naval blockade on vessels entering Iranian ports and has conducted multiple strikes on Iranian military infrastructure while maintaining that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic. 

The strikes come days after CentCom hosted a regional security dialogue with military leaders from 12 partner nations in Bahrain, underscoring continued efforts to strengthen cooperation amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. 

US officials have not yet disclosed whether additional strike waves are planned or provided an updated assessment of operational results.

Iran has denied responsbility for the attack on the Qatari LNG tanker transiting off the coast of Oman. Doha and Riyadh had earlier blamed the attack on Iran.

Iran warns of retaliation

Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported that six explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, seven explosions struck the coastal city of Sirik, while additional blasts were reported in the major port city of Bandar Abbas, the headquarters of Iran's navy and a key base for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iran's foreign ministry claimed the US has repeatedly violated their agreed memorandum of understanding (MoU), and warned of retaliation following Washington's fresh strikes on targets near Hormuz. 

On Wednesday, Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of major violations of a memorandum of understanding aimed at easing tensions, as fresh US strikes hit Iranian targets following attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Ghalibaf listed what he called US breaches including "violating Iranian adjustments in the Strait," persistent threats of further strikes, reinstating oil sanctions and attacks on southern Iran.

He also cited continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon. "The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don’t fold," Ghalibaf said in a post on X.

Ghalibaf's accusations came hours after US Central Command announced strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, following Iranian attacks on at least three commercial vessels, which Washington described as a clear violation of the ceasefire.

Iranian media did not immediately provide casualty figures or confirm the targets that had been hit.